ISO 3166-1 alpha-2

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Main article: ISO 3166-1

ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), to represent countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest. They are the most widely used of the country codes published by ISO, and are used most prominently for the Internet's country code top-level domains (with a few changes). They were first included as part of the ISO 3166 standard in its first edition in 1974.

Contents

Uses and applications

The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are used in different environments and are also part of other standards. In some cases they are not perfectly implemented.

Perfect implementations

The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are used in:

Imperfect implementations

Starting in 1985, ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes have been used in the domain name system as country code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Currently, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority assign the ccTLDs, mostly following the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, but with a few exceptions (e.g., the United Kingdom requested an exceptional reservation of .uk for their ccTLD instead of their native .gb).[1]

The WIPO coding standard ST.3 uses ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes for encoding states, other entities and intergovernmental organizations, but includes a number of additional codes for international intellectual property organizations. For these additional codes, see the section Codes currently agreed not to use.

NATO country codes are also based on ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes.

The European Commission uses ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes with two exceptions: EL (not GR) is used for Greece, and UK (not GB) is used for the United Kingdom.[2] This notwithstanding, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2645/98 of 9 December 1998 on the nomenclature of countries and territories for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States specified GB for the United Kingdom and GR for Greece.[3]

The United Nations uses a combination of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 and alpha-3 codes, along with codes that pre-date the creation of ISO 3166, for international vehicle registration codes, the codes on the oval stickers used to identify foreign road vehicles.

Current codes

Decoding table

Below is a color-coded decoding table of all ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code elements. Click on a cell to see the corresponding entry.

Map of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes
AA AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AI AJ AK AL AM AN AO AP AQ AR AS AT AU AV AW AX AY AZ
BA BB BC BD BE BF BG BH BI BJ BK BL BM BN BO BP BQ BR BS BT BU BV BW BX BY BZ
CA CB CC CD CE CF CG CH CI CJ CK CL CM CN CO CP CQ CR CS CT CU CV CW CX CY CZ
DA DB DC DD DE DF DG DH DI DJ DK DL DM DN DO DP DQ DR DS DT DU DV DW DX DY DZ
EA EB EC ED EE EF EG EH EI EJ EK EL EM EN EO EP EQ ER ES ET EU EV EW EX EY EZ
FA FB FC FD FE FF FG FH FI FJ FK FL FM FN FO FP FQ FR FS FT FU FV FW FX FY FZ
GA GB GC GD GE GF GG GH GI GJ GK GL GM GN GO GP GQ GR GS GT GU GV GW GX GY GZ
HA HB HC HD HE HF HG HH HI HJ HK HL HM HN HO HP HQ HR HS HT HU HV HW HX HY HZ
IA IB IC ID IE IF IG IH II IJ IK IL IM IN IO IP IQ IR IS IT IU IV IW IX IY IZ
JA JB JC JD JE JF JG JH JI JJ JK JL JM JN JO JP JQ JR JS JT JU JV JW JX JY JZ
KA KB KC KD KE KF KG KH KI KJ KK KL KM KN KO KP KQ KR KS KT KU KV KW KX KY KZ
LA LB LC LD LE LF LG LH LI LJ LK LL LM LN LO LP LQ LR LS LT LU LV LW LX LY LZ
MA MB MC MD ME MF MG MH MI MJ MK ML MM MN MO MP MQ MR MS MT MU MV MW MX MY MZ
NA NB NC ND NE NF NG NH NI NJ NK NL NM NN NO NP NQ NR NS NT NU NV NW NX NY NZ
OA OB OC OD OE OF OG OH OI OJ OK OL OM ON OO OP OQ OR OS OT OU OV OW OX OY OZ
PA PB PC PD PE PF PG PH PI PJ PK PL PM PN PO PP PQ PR PS PT PU PV PW PX PY PZ
QA QB QC QD QE QF QG QH QI QJ QK QL QM QN QO QP QQ QR QS QT QU QV QW QX QY QZ
RA RB RC RD RE RF RG RH RI RJ RK RL RM RN RO RP RQ RR RS RT RU RV RW RX RY RZ
SA SB SC SD SE SF SG SH SI SJ SK SL SM SN SO SP SQ SR SS ST SU SV SW SX SY SZ
TA TB TC TD TE TF TG TH TI TJ TK TL TM TN TO TP TQ TR TS TT TU TV TW TX TY TZ
UA UB UC UD UE UF UG UH UI UJ UK UL UM UN UO UP UQ UR US UT UU UV UW UX UY UZ
VA VB VC VD VE VF VG VH VI VJ VK VL VM VN VO VP VQ VR VS VT VU VV VW VX VY VZ
WA WB WC WD WE WF WG WH WI WJ WK WL WM WN WO WP WQ WR WS WT WU WV WW WX WY WZ
XA XB XC XD XE XF XG XH XI XJ XK XL XM XN XO XP XQ XR XS XT XU XV XW XX XY XZ
YA YB YC YD YE YF YG YH YI YJ YK YL YM YN YO YP YQ YR YS YT YU YV YW YX YY YZ
ZA ZB ZC ZD ZE ZF ZG ZH ZI ZJ ZK ZL ZM ZN ZO ZP ZQ ZR ZS ZT ZU ZV ZW ZX ZY ZZ
Color legend
  Officially assigned: code element of a country or territory
  User-assigned: code element that can be assigned by users
  Exceptionally reserved: code element reserved on request for restricted use
  Transitionally reserved: code element deleted from ISO 3166-1
  Indeterminately reserved: code element used in other coding systems associated with ISO 3166-1
  Not used at present stage: code element currently not used in ISO 3166-1
  Un-assigned: code element free for assignment by ISO 3166/MA only

Officially assigned code elements

Below is a complete list of the current officially assigned ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, with four columns:

Alpha-2 Country name Year included Notes
Andorra 1974
AE United Arab Emirates 1974
AF Afghanistan 1974
AG Antigua and Barbuda 1974
AI Anguilla 1983 AI previously represented French Afar and Issas
AL Albania 1974
AM Armenia 1992
AN Netherlands Antilles 1974
AO Angola 1974
AQ Antarctica 1974 Consisting of all territory south of latitude 60°S
Code taken from name in French: Antarctique
AR Argentina 1974
AS American Samoa 1974
AT Austria 1974
AU Australia 1974
AW Aruba 1986
AX Åland Islands 2004
AZ Azerbaijan 1992
BA Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992
BB Barbados 1974
BD Bangladesh 1974
BE Belgium 1974
BF Burkina Faso 1984 Name changed from Upper Volta (HV)
BG Bulgaria 1974
BH Bahrain 1974
BI Burundi 1974
BJ Benin 1977 Name changed from Dahomey (DY)
BL Saint Barthélemy 2007
BM Bermuda 1974
BN Brunei Darussalam 1974
BO Bolivia 1974
BR Brazil 1974
BS Bahamas 1974
BT Bhutan 1974
BV Bouvet Island 1974
BW Botswana 1974
BY Belarus 1974 Code taken from previous ISO country name: Byelorussian S.S.R. (1974–1992)
BZ Belize 1974
CA Canada 1974
CC Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1974
CD Congo, the Democratic Republic of the 1997 Name changed from Zaire (ZR)
CF Central African Republic 1974
CG Congo 1974
CH Switzerland 1974 Code taken from name in Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica
CI Côte d'Ivoire 1974 i.e., Ivory Coast
CK Cook Islands 1974
CL Chile 1974
CM Cameroon 1974
CN China 1974
CO Colombia 1974
CR Costa Rica 1974
CU Cuba 1974
CV Cape Verde 1974
CX Christmas Island 1974
CY Cyprus 1974
CZ Czech Republic 1993
DE Germany 1974 Previous ISO country name: Germany, Federal Republic of (1974–1990)
Code taken from name in German: Deutschland
DJ Djibouti 1977 Name changed from French Afar and Issas (AI)
DK Denmark 1974
DM Dominica 1974
DO Dominican Republic 1974
DZ Algeria 1974 Code taken from name in Berber: Ledzayer
EC Ecuador 1974
EE Estonia 1992 Code taken from name in Estonian: Eesti
EG Egypt 1974
EH Western Sahara 1974 Previous ISO country name: Spanish Sahara (1974–?)
Code taken from former name in Spanish: Sahara español
ER Eritrea 1993
ES Spain 1974 Includes Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla
Code taken from name in Spanish: España
ET Ethiopia 1974
FI Finland 1974
FJ Fiji 1974
FK Falkland Islands (Malvinas) 1974
FM Micronesia, Federated States of 1986 Previous ISO country name: Micronesia (1986–1992)
FO Faroe Islands 1974
FR France 1974 Includes Clipperton Island
GA Gabon 1974
GB United Kingdom 1974 Code taken from part of official name: Great Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
UK also exceptionally reserved on request of the United Kingdom
GD Grenada 1974
GE Georgia 1992 GE previously represented Gilbert and Ellice Islands
GF French Guiana 1974 Code taken from name in French: Guyane française
GG Guernsey 2006
GH Ghana 1974
GI Gibraltar 1974
GL Greenland 1974
GM Gambia 1974
GN Guinea 1974
GP Guadeloupe 1974
GQ Equatorial Guinea 1974 Code taken from name in French: Guinée équatoriale
GR Greece 1974
GS South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 1993
GT Guatemala 1974
GU Guam 1974
GW Guinea-Bissau 1974
GY Guyana 1974
HK Hong Kong 1974
HM Heard Island and McDonald Islands 1974
HN Honduras 1974
HR Croatia 1992 Code taken from name in Croatian: Hrvatska
HT Haiti 1974
HU Hungary 1974
ID Indonesia 1974
IE Ireland 1974
IL Israel 1974
IM Isle of Man 2006
IN India 1974
IO British Indian Ocean Territory 1974 Includes Diego Garcia
IQ Iraq 1974
IR Iran, Islamic Republic of 1974
IS Iceland 1974 Code taken from name in Icelandic: Ísland
IT Italy 1974
JE Jersey 2006
JM Jamaica 1974
JO Jordan 1974
JP Japan 1974
KE Kenya 1974
KG Kyrgyzstan 1992
KH Cambodia 1974 Code taken from previous ISO country name: Kampuchea (1974–1990)
KI Kiribati 1979
KM Comoros 1974 Code taken from name in Comorian: Komori
KN Saint Kitts and Nevis 1974 Previous ISO country name: Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla (1974–1983)
KP Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 1974 i.e., North Korea
KR Korea, Republic of 1974 i.e., South Korea
KW Kuwait 1974
KY Cayman Islands 1974
KZ Kazakhstan 1992 Previous ISO country name: Kazakstan (1992–2002)
LA Lao People's Democratic Republic 1974
LB Lebanon 1974
LC Saint Lucia 1974
LI Liechtenstein 1974
LK Sri Lanka 1974
LR Liberia 1974
LS Lesotho 1974
LT Lithuania 1992
LU Luxembourg 1974
LV Latvia 1992
LY Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1974
MA Morocco 1974 Code taken from name in French: Maroc
MC Monaco 1974
MD Moldova 1992 Previous ISO country name: Moldova, Republic of (1992–2008)
ME Montenegro 2006
MF Saint Martin (French part) 2007
MG Madagascar 1974
MH Marshall Islands 1986
MK Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of 1993 Designated as such due to naming dispute
Code taken from name in Macedonian: Makedonija
ML Mali 1974
MM Myanmar 1989 Name changed from Burma (BU)
MN Mongolia 1974
MO Macao 1974 Previous ISO country name: Macau (1974–2002)
MP Northern Mariana Islands 1986
MQ Martinique 1974
MR Mauritania 1974
MS Montserrat 1974
MT Malta 1974
MU Mauritius 1974
MV Maldives 1974
MW Malawi 1974
MX Mexico 1974
MY Malaysia 1974
MZ Mozambique 1974
NA Namibia 1974
NC New Caledonia 1974
NE Niger 1974
NF Norfolk Island 1974
NG Nigeria 1974
NI Nicaragua 1974
NL Netherlands 1974
NO Norway 1974
NP Nepal 1974
NR Nauru 1974
NU Niue 1974
NZ New Zealand 1974
OM Oman 1974
PA Panama 1974
PE Peru 1974
PF French Polynesia 1974 Code taken from name in French: Polynésie française
PG Papua New Guinea 1974
PH Philippines 1974
PK Pakistan 1974
PL Poland 1974
PM Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1974
PN Pitcairn 1974
PR Puerto Rico 1974
PS Palestinian Territory, Occupied 1999 Consisting of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
PT Portugal 1974
PW Palau 1986
PY Paraguay 1974
QA Qatar 1974
RE Réunion 1974
RO Romania 1974
RS Serbia 2006 Code taken from official name: Republic of Serbia
RU Russian Federation 1992
RW Rwanda 1974
SA Saudi Arabia 1974
SB Solomon Islands 1974 Code taken from former name: British Solomon Islands
SC Seychelles 1974
SD Sudan 1974
SE Sweden 1974
SG Singapore 1974
SH Saint Helena 1974 Includes Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha
SI Slovenia 1992
SJ Svalbard and Jan Mayen 1974 Consisting of Svalbard and Jan Mayen
SK Slovakia 1993 SK previously represented Sikkim
SL Sierra Leone 1974
SM San Marino 1974
SN Senegal 1974
SO Somalia 1974
SR Suriname 1974
ST Sao Tome and Principe 1974
SV El Salvador 1974
SY Syrian Arab Republic 1974
SZ Swaziland 1974
TC Turks and Caicos Islands 1974
TD Chad 1974 Code taken from name in French: Tchad
TF French Southern Territories 1979 Covers the jurisdiction of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands except Adélie Land
Code taken from name in French: Terres australes françaises
TG Togo 1974
TH Thailand 1974
TJ Tajikistan 1992
TK Tokelau 1974
TL Timor-Leste 2002 Name changed from East Timor (TP)
TM Turkmenistan 1992
TN Tunisia 1974
TO Tonga 1974
TR Turkey 1974
TT Trinidad and Tobago 1974
TV Tuvalu 1979
TW Taiwan, Province of China 1974 Covers the jurisdiction of the Republic of China except Kinmen and Lienchiang
Designated as such due to its political status within the UN
TZ Tanzania, United Republic of 1974
UA Ukraine 1974 Previous ISO country name: Ukrainian S.S.R. (1974–1992)
UG Uganda 1974
UM United States Minor Outlying Islands 1986 Consisting of Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island
US United States 1974
UY Uruguay 1974
UZ Uzbekistan 1992
VA Holy See (Vatican City State) 1974 Territory of the Holy See
Previous ISO country name: Vatican City State (Holy See) (1974–1996)
VC Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1974
VE Venezuela 1974
VG Virgin Islands, British 1974
VI Virgin Islands, U.S. 1974
VN Viet Nam 1974
VU Vanuatu 1980 Name changed from New Hebrides (NH)
WF Wallis and Futuna 1974
WS Samoa 1974 Code taken from former name: Western Samoa
YE Yemen 1974 Previous ISO country name: Yemen, Republic of (1990–1993)
YT Mayotte 1993
ZA South Africa 1974 Code taken from name in Dutch: Zuid-Afrika
ZM Zambia 1974
ZW Zimbabwe 1980 Name changed from Southern Rhodesia (RH)

User-assigned code elements

The following alpha-2 codes can be user-assigned: AA, from QM to QZ, from XA to XZ, and ZZ. These code elements are at the disposal of users who need to add further names of countries, territories or other geographical entities to their in-house application of ISO 3166-1, and the ISO 3166/MA will never use them in the updating process of the standard. For example:

Reserved code elements

Reserved code elements are codes which have recently become obsolete, or are in use for some applications in conjunction with the official ISO 3166-1 codes. The ISO 3166/MA therefore reserves them, so that they are not used for new official codes during a limited or indeterminate period of time, thereby avoiding any transitional problems or conflicts between the ISO 3166-1 standard and those applications. The list of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 reserved code elements is divided into the following four categories.

Exceptional reservations

Exceptionally reserved code elements are reserved permanently at the request of national ISO member bodies, governments and international organizations because they are needed for particular purposes. ISO 3166/MA only authorizes their use for the particular purpose for which they were established. The following alpha-2 codes are currently exceptionally reserved:

Alpha-2 Country name Notes
AC Ascension Island Reserved on request of UPU
Used for the Internet ccTLD .ac
CP Clipperton Island Reserved on request of ITU
DG Diego Garcia Reserved on request of ITU
EA Ceuta and Melilla Reserved on request of WCO to represent area outside EU customs territory
EU European Union Originally reserved on request of ISO 4217/MA to provide country code for Euro
Extended for use in ISO 6166 "Securities - International securities identification numbering system (ISIN)" in March 1998
Extended for any application needing to represent the name European Union in August 1999
Used for the Internet ccTLD .eu
FX France, Metropolitan Official code element from 1993-06-18 to 1997-07-14
Reserved on request of France
IC Canary Islands Reserved on request of WCO to represent area outside EU customs territory
SU U.S.S.R. Official code element until 1992-08-30
Transitionally reserved from September 1992 to June 2008
Used for the Internet ccTLD .su
TA Tristan da Cunha Reserved on request of UPU
UK United Kingdom Reserved on request of the United Kingdom
Used for the Internet ccTLD .uk, and by the European Commission

The following three codes were also under exceptional reservation, until the update from 2006-03-29 included them in the standard as official codes:

Alpha-2 Country name Notes
GG Guernsey Reserved on request of UPU
Used for the Internet ccTLD .gg
IM Isle of Man Reserved on request of UPU