A map of Europe, with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes in place of the full names of countries and other territories. 'Exceptional reservations' codes CQ, EU and UK are not shown.

ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard[1] 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 (the others being alpha-3 and numeric), and are used most prominently for the Internet's country code top-level domains (with a few exceptions). They are also used as country identifiers extending the postal code when appropriate within the international postal system for paper mail, and have replaced the previous one consisting one-letter codes. They were first included as part of the ISO 3166 standard in its first edition in 1974.

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 the following standards:

Short name Long name Comment
ISO 3166-2 Country subdivision code[1]
ISO 3901 International Standard Recording Code (ISRC)[2]
ISO 4217 Currency code[3]
ISO 6166 International Securities Identifying Number (ISIN)[4]
ISO 9362 Bank Identifier Codes (BIC) Also known as SWIFT codes[5]
ISO 13616 International Bank Account Number (IBAN)[6]
ISO 15511 International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations (ISIL)
UN/LOCODE United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations Implemented by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe[7]

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). The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority currently assigns the ccTLDs mostly following the alpha-2 codes, but with a few exceptions.[8] For example, the United Kingdom, whose alpha-2 code is GB, uses .uk instead of .gb as its ccTLD, as UK is currently exceptionally reserved in ISO 3166-1 on the request of the United Kingdom.

The WIPO coding standard ST.3 is based on ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, but includes a number of additional codes for international intellectual property organizations, which are currently reserved and not used at the present stage in ISO 3166-1.[9]

The European Commission generally uses ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes with two exceptions: EL (not GR) is used to represent Greece, and UK (not GB) is used to represent the United Kingdom.[10][11] This notwithstanding, the Official Journal of the European Communities specified that GR and GB be used to represent Greece and United Kingdom respectively.[12] For VAT administration purposes, the European Commission uses EL and GB for Greece and the United Kingdom respectively.

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, which are codes used to identify the issuing country of a vehicle registration plate; some of these codes are currently indeterminately reserved in ISO 3166-1.[13]

IETF language tags (conforming to the BCP 47 standard track and maintained in an IANA registry) are also partially derived from ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes (for the region subtags). The full list of ISO 3166-1 codes assigned to countries and territories are usable as region subtags. Also, the "exceptionally reserved" alpha-2 codes defined in ISO 3166-1 (with the exception of UK) are also usable as region subtags for language tags. However, newer stability policies (agreed with ISO) have been implemented to avoid deleting subtags that have been withdrawn in ISO 3166-1; instead they are kept and aliased to the new preferred subtags, or kept as subtags grouping several countries. Some other region grouping subtags are derived from other standards. Under the newer stability policies, old assigned codes that have been withdrawn from ISO 3166-1 should no longer be reassigned to another country or territory (as has occurred in the past for "CS").

Current codes

Decoding table

The following is a colour-coded decoding table of all ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes.

Decoding table 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
Colour legend
242 Officially assigned: assigned to a country, territory, or area of geographical interest
7 Officially assigned: formerly either assigned to a different entity or reserved indeterminately, then deleted and later reassigned as above
43 User-assigned: free for assignment at the disposal of users
13 Exceptionally reserved: reserved on request for restricted use
30 Indeterminately reserved: used in coding systems associated with ISO 3166-1
7 Transitionally reserved: deleted from ISO 3166-1 but reserved transitionally
14 Deleted: deleted and free for reassignment
320 Unassigned: free for assignment by the ISO 3166/MA only
676 Overall total

Officially assigned code elements

The following is a complete list of the 249 current officially assigned ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes, with the following columns:[1]

  • Code: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code, pointing to its ISO 3166-2 article
  • Country name: English short name officially used by the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency (ISO 3166/MA)
  • Year: Year when alpha-2 code was first officially assigned (1974, first edition of ISO 3166)
  • ccTLD: Corresponding country code top-level domain (note that some are inactive); exceptions where another ccTLD is assigned for the country are shown in parentheses
  • Notes: Any unofficial notes
Code Country name (using title case) Year ccTLD Notes
Andorra1974.ad
AEUnited Arab Emirates1974.ae
AFAfghanistan1974.af
AGAntigua and Barbuda1974.ag
AIAnguilla1985.aiAI previously represented French Afars and Issas
ALAlbania1974.al
AMArmenia1992.am
AOAngola1974.ao
AQAntarctica1974.aqCovers the territories south of 60° south latitude
Code taken from name in French: Antarctique
ARArgentina1974.ar
ASAmerican Samoa1974.as
ATAustria1974.at
AUAustralia1974.auIncludes the Ashmore and Cartier Islands and the Coral Sea Islands
AWAruba1986.aw
AXÅland Islands2004.axAn autonomous county of Finland
AZAzerbaijan1992.az
BABosnia and Herzegovina1992.ba
BBBarbados1974.bb
BDBangladesh1974.bd
BEBelgium1974.be
BFBurkina Faso1984.bfName changed from Upper Volta (HV)
BGBulgaria1974.bg
BHBahrain1974.bh
BIBurundi1974.bi
BJBenin1977.bjName changed from Dahomey (DY)
BLSaint Barthélemy2007.bl
BMBermuda1974.bm
BNBrunei Darussalam1974.bnPrevious ISO country name: Brunei
BOBolivia (Plurinational State of)1974.boPrevious ISO country name: Bolivia
BQBonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba2010.bqConsists of three Caribbean "special municipalities", which are part of the Netherlands proper: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (the BES Islands)
Previous ISO country name: Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba
BQ previously represented British Antarctic Territory
BRBrazil1974.br
BSBahamas1974.bs
BTBhutan1974.bt
BVBouvet Island1974.bvDependency of Norway
BWBotswana1974.bw
BYBelarus1974.byCode taken from previous ISO country name: Byelorussian SSR (now assigned ISO 3166-3 code BYAA)
Code assigned as the country was already a UN member since 1945[14]
BZBelize1974.bz
CACanada1974.ca
CCCocos (Keeling) Islands1974.ccExternal territory of Australia
CDCongo, Democratic Republic of the1997.cdName changed from Zaire (ZR)
CFCentral African Republic1974.cf
CGCongo1974.cg
CHSwitzerland1974.chCode taken from name in Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica
CICôte d'Ivoire1974.ciISO country name follows UN designation (common name and previous ISO country name: Ivory Coast)
CKCook Islands1974.ck
CLChile1974.cl
CMCameroon1974.cmPrevious ISO country name: Cameroon, United Republic of
CNChina1974.cn
COColombia1974.co
CRCosta Rica1974.cr
CUCuba1974.cu
CVCabo Verde1974.cvISO country name follows UN designation (common name and previous ISO country name: Cape Verde, another previous ISO country name: Cape Verde Islands)
CWCuraçao2010.cw
CXChristmas Island1974.cxExternal territory of Australia
CYCyprus1974.cy
CZCzechia1993.czPrevious ISO country name: Czech Republic
DEGermany1974.deCode taken from name in German: Deutschland
Code used for West Germany before 1990 (previous ISO country name: Germany, Federal Republic of)
DJDjibouti1977.djName changed from French Afars and Issas (AI)
DKDenmark1974.dk
DMDominica1974.dm
DODominican Republic1974.do
DZAlgeria1974.dzCode taken from name in Arabic الجزائر al-Djazā'ir, Algerian Arabic الدزاير al-Dzāyīr, or Berber ⴷⵣⴰⵢⵔ Dzayer
ECEcuador1974.ec
EEEstonia1992.eeCode taken from name in Estonian: Eesti
EGEgypt1974.eg
EHWestern Sahara1974Previous ISO country name: Spanish Sahara (code taken from name in Spanish: Sahara español)
.eh ccTLD has not been implemented.[15]
EREritrea1993.er
ESSpain1974.esCode taken from name in Spanish: España
ETEthiopia1974.et
FIFinland1974.fi
FJFiji1974.fj
FKFalkland Islands (Malvinas)1974.fkISO country name follows UN designation due to the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute (local common name: Falkland Islands)[16]
FMMicronesia (Federated States of)1986.fmPrevious ISO country name: Micronesia
FOFaroe Islands1974.foCode taken from name in Faroese: Føroyar
FRFrance1974.frIncludes Clipperton Island
GAGabon1974.ga
GBUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland1974.gb
(.uk)
Includes Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Sovereign Base Areas)
Code taken from Great Britain (from official name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)[17]
Previous ISO country name: United Kingdom
.uk is the primary ccTLD of the United Kingdom instead of .gb (see code UK, which is exceptionally reserved)
GDGrenada1974.gd
GEGeorgia1992.geGE previously represented Gilbert and Ellice Islands
GFFrench Guiana1974.gfCode taken from name in French: Guyane française
GGGuernsey2006.ggA British Crown Dependency
GHGhana1974.gh
GIGibraltar1974.gi
GLGreenland1974.gl
GMGambia1974.gm
GNGuinea1974.gn
GPGuadeloupe1974.gp
GQEquatorial Guinea1974.gqCode taken from name in French: Guinée équatoriale
GRGreece1974.gr
GSSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands1993.gs
GTGuatemala1974.gt
GUGuam1974.gu
GWGuinea-Bissau1974.gw
GYGuyana1974.gy
HKHong Kong1974.hkHong Kong is officially a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since 1 July 1997
HMHeard Island and McDonald Islands1974.hmExternal territory of Australia
HNHonduras1974.hn
HRCroatia1992.hrCode taken from name in Croatian: Hrvatska
HTHaiti1974.ht
HUHungary1974.hu
IDIndonesia1974.id
IEIreland1974.ie
ILIsrael1974.il
IMIsle of Man2006.imA British Crown Dependency
INIndia1974.in
IOBritish Indian Ocean Territory1974.io
IQIraq1974.iq
IRIran (Islamic Republic of)1974.irPrevious ISO country name: Iran
ISIceland1974.isCode taken from name in Icelandic: Ísland
ITItaly1974.it
JEJersey2006.jeA British Crown Dependency
JMJamaica1974.jm
JOJordan1974.jo
JPJapan1974.jp
KEKenya1974.ke
KGKyrgyzstan1992.kg
KHCambodia1974.khCode taken from former name: Khmer Republic
Previous ISO country name: Kampuchea, Democratic
KIKiribati1979.kiName changed from Gilbert Islands (GE)
KMComoros1974.kmCode taken from name in Comorian: Komori
Previous ISO country name: Comoro Islands
KNSaint Kitts and Nevis1974.knPrevious ISO country name: Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla
KPKorea (Democratic People's Republic of)1974.kpISO country name follows UN designation (common name: North Korea)
KRKorea, Republic of1974.krISO country name follows UN designation (common name: South Korea)
KWKuwait1974.kw
KYCayman Islands1974.ky
KZKazakhstan1992.kzPrevious ISO country name: Kazakstan
LALao People's Democratic Republic1974.laISO country name follows UN designation (common name and previous ISO country name: Laos)
LBLebanon1974.lb
LCSaint Lucia1974.lc
LILiechtenstein1974.li
LKSri Lanka1974.lk
LRLiberia1974.lr
LSLesotho1974.ls
LTLithuania1992.ltLT formerly reserved indeterminately for Libya Tripoli
LULuxembourg1974.lu
LVLatvia1992.lv
LYLibya1974.lyPrevious ISO country name: Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
MAMorocco1974.maCode taken from name in French: Maroc
MCMonaco1974.mc
MDMoldova, Republic of1992.mdPrevious ISO country name: Moldova (briefly from 2008 to 2009)
MEMontenegro2006.meME formerly reserved indeterminately for Western Sahara
MFSaint Martin (French part)2007.mfThe Dutch part of Saint Martin island is assigned code SX
MGMadagascar1974.mg
MHMarshall Islands1986.mh
MKNorth Macedonia1993.mkCode taken from name in Macedonian: Severna Makedonija
Previous ISO country name: Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of (designated as such due to Macedonia naming dispute)
MLMali1974.ml
MMMyanmar1989.mmName changed from Burma (BU)
MNMongolia1974.mn
MOMacao1974.moPrevious ISO country name: Macau; Macao is officially a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since 20 December 1999
MPNorthern Mariana Islands1986.mp
MQMartinique1974.mq
MRMauritania1974.mr
MSMontserrat1974.ms
MTMalta1974.mt
MUMauritius1974.mu
MVMaldives1974.mv
MWMalawi1974.mw
MXMexico1974.mx
MYMalaysia1974.my
MZMozambique1974.mz
NANamibia1974.na
NCNew Caledonia1974.nc
NENiger1974.ne
NFNorfolk Island1974.nfExternal territory of Australia
NGNigeria1974.ng
NINicaragua1974.ni
NLNetherlands, Kingdom of the1974.nlOfficially includes the islands Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, which also have code BQ in ISO 3166-1. Within ISO 3166-2, Aruba (AW), Curaçao (CW), and Sint Maarten (SX) are also coded as subdivisions of NL.[18]
Previous ISO country name: Netherlands
NONorway1974.no
NPNepal1974.np
NRNauru1974.nr
NUNiue1974.nuPrevious ISO country name: Niue Island
NZNew Zealand1974.nz
OMOman1974.om
PAPanama1974.pa
PEPeru1974.pe
PFFrench Polynesia1974.pfCode taken from name in French: Polynésie française
PGPapua New Guinea1974.pg
PHPhilippines1974.ph
PKPakistan1974.pk
PLPoland1974.pl
PMSaint Pierre and Miquelon1974.pm
PNPitcairn1974.pnPrevious ISO country name: Pitcairn Islands
PRPuerto Rico1974.pr
PSPalestine, State of1999.psPrevious ISO country name: Palestinian Territory, Occupied
Consists of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
PTPortugal1974.pt
PWPalau1986.pw
PYParaguay1974.py
QAQatar1974.qa
RERéunion1974.re
RORomania1974.ro
RSSerbia2006.rsRepublic of Serbia
RURussian Federation1992.ruISO country name follows UN designation (common name: Russia); RU formerly reserved indeterminately for Burundi
RWRwanda1974.rw
SASaudi Arabia1974.sa
SBSolomon Islands1974.sbCode taken from former name: British Solomon Islands
SCSeychelles1974.sc
SDSudan1974.sd
SESweden1974.se
SGSingapore1974.sg
SHSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha1974.shPrevious ISO country name: Saint Helena.
SISlovenia1992.si
SJSvalbard and Jan Mayen1974.sjPrevious ISO name: Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
Consists of two Arctic territories of Norway: Svalbard and Jan Mayen
SKSlovakia1993.skSK previously represented the Kingdom of Sikkim
SLSierra Leone1974.sl
SMSan Marino1974.sm
SNSenegal1974.sn
SOSomalia1974.so
SRSuriname1974.srPrevious ISO country name: Surinam
SSSouth Sudan2011.ss
STSao Tome and Principe1974.st
SVEl Salvador1974.sv
SXSint Maarten (Dutch part)2010.sxThe French part of Saint Martin island is assigned code MF
SYSyrian Arab Republic1974.syISO country name follows UN designation (common name and previous ISO country name: Syria)
SZEswatini1974.szPrevious ISO country name: Swaziland
TCTurks and Caicos Islands1974.tc
TDChad1974.tdCode taken from name in French: Tchad
TFFrench Southern Territories1979.tfCovers the French Southern and Antarctic Lands except Adélie Land
Code taken from name in French: Terres australes françaises
TGTogo1974.tg
THThailand1974.th
TJTajikistan1992.tj
TKTokelau1974.tkPrevious ISO country name: Tokelau Islands
TLTimor-Leste2002.tlName changed from East Timor (TP)
TMTurkmenistan1992.tm
TNTunisia1974.tn
TOTonga1974.to
TRTürkiye1974.trPrevious ISO country name: Turkey
TTTrinidad and Tobago1974.tt
TVTuvalu1977.tv
TWTaiwan, Province of China1974.twCovers the current jurisdiction of the Republic of China
ISO country name follows UN designation (due to political status of Taiwan within the UN)[17] (common name: Taiwan)
TZTanzania, United Republic of1974.tz
UAUkraine1974.uaPrevious ISO country name: Ukrainian SSR
Code assigned as the country was already a UN member since 1945[14]
UGUganda1974.ug
UMUnited States Minor Outlying Islands1986Consists of nine minor insular areas of the United States: Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island
.um ccTLD was revoked in 2007[19]

The United States Department of State uses the following user assigned alpha-2 codes for the nine territories, respectively, XB, XH, XQ, XU, XM, QM, XV, XL, and QW.[20]

USUnited States of America1974.usPrevious ISO country name: United States
UYUruguay1974.uy
UZUzbekistan1992.uz
VAHoly See1974.vaCovers Vatican City, territory of the Holy See
Previous ISO country names: Vatican City State (Holy See) and Holy See (Vatican City State)
VCSaint Vincent and the Grenadines1974.vc
VEVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)1974.vePrevious ISO country name: Venezuela
VGVirgin Islands (British)1974.vg
VIVirgin Islands (U.S.)1974.vi
VNViet Nam1974.vnISO country name follows UN designation (common name: Vietnam)
Code used for Republic of Viet Nam (common name: South Vietnam) before 1977
VUVanuatu1980.vuName changed from New Hebrides (NH)
WFWallis and Futuna1974.wfPrevious ISO country name: Wallis and Futuna Islands
WSSamoa1974.wsCode taken from former name: Western Samoa
YEYemen1974.yePrevious ISO country name: Yemen, Republic of (for three years after the unification)
Code used for North Yemen before 1990
YTMayotte1993.yt
ZASouth Africa1974.zaCode taken from name in Dutch: Zuid-Afrika
ZMZambia1974.zm
ZWZimbabwe1980.zwName changed from Southern Rhodesia (RH)

User-assigned code elements

User-assigned code elements are codes 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 these codes in the updating process of the standard. The following alpha-2 codes can be user-assigned: AA, QM to QZ, XA to XZ, and ZZ.[21] For example:

Furthermore, the code element OO is designated as an escape code if the number of regular user-assigned code elements is not sufficient.[31]

Reserved code elements

Reserved code elements are codes which have become obsolete, or are required in order to enable a particular user application of the standard but do not qualify for inclusion in ISO 3166-1. To avoid transitional application problems and to aid users who require specific additional code elements for the functioning of their coding systems, the ISO 3166/MA, when justified, reserves these codes which it undertakes not to use for other than specified purposes during a limited or indeterminate period of time. The reserved alpha-2 codes can be divided into the following four categories: exceptional reservations, transitional reservations, indeterminate reservations, and codes currently agreed not to use.

Exceptional reservations

Exceptionally reserved code elements are codes reserved at the request of national ISO member bodies, governments and international organizations, which are required in order to support a particular application, as specified by the requesting body and limited to such use; any further use of such code elements is subject to approval by the ISO 3166/MA. The following alpha-2 codes are currently exceptionally reserved:

Code Area name or country name Current actual country ccTLD Notes
ACAscension IslandUnited Kingdom.acReserved on request of UPU for stamp issuing area
CPClipperton IslandFranceReserved on request of ITU for location of certain telecommunications installations
CQIsland of SarkUnited KingdomReserved on request of the United Kingdom. Letters are derived from French name Sercq.
DGDiego GarciaUnited KingdomReserved on request of ITU for location of certain telecommunications installations
EACeuta, MelillaSpainReserved on request of WCO for area not covered by European Union Customs arrangements[32]
Part of Spanish North Africa (Spanish: África Septentrional Española)
EUEuropean Unionmultiple.euReserved on request of ISO 4217/MA for the European monetary unit Euro
Extended for 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
EZEurozonemultipleReserved on request of ISO 6166/RA for the European OTC derivatives within International securities identification numbering system (ISIN)
FXFrance, MetropolitanFranceReserved on request of France
Officially assigned before deleted from ISO 3166-1 (now assigned ISO 3166-3 code FXFR)
ICCanary IslandsSpainReserved on request of WCO for area not covered by European Union Customs arrangements.
Code taken from name in Spanish: Islas Canarias
SUUSSRmultiple.suFrom June 2008; Transitionally reserved from September 1992
Officially assigned before deleted from ISO 3166-1 (now assigned ISO 3166-3 code SUHH)
Official name and previous ISO country name:[33] Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (common name: Soviet Union)
TATristan da CunhaUnited KingdomReserved on request of UPU for stamp issuing area
UKUnited KingdomUnited Kingdom.ukReserved on request of the United Kingdom lest UK be used for any other country
Also used by the European Commission
United Kingdom is officially assigned the alpha-2 code GB
UNUnited NationsmultipleReserved directly by ISO 3166/MA for the United Nations

The following alpha-2 codes were previously exceptionally reserved, but are now officially assigned:

Code Area name or country name Notes
AXÅland IslandsReserved on request of Finland
GGGuernseyReserved on request of UPU for stamp issuing area
IMIsle of ManReserved on request of UPU for stamp issuing area
JEJerseyReserved on request of UPU for stamp issuing area

Transitional reservations

Transitional reserved code elements are codes reserved after their deletion from ISO 3166-1. These codes may be used only during a transitional period of at least five years while new code elements that may have replaced them are taken into use. These codes may be reassigned by the ISO 3166/MA after the expiration of the transitional period. The following alpha-2 codes are currently transitionally reserved:

Code Formerly used country name Reserved from Reserved to ccTLD ISO 3166-3 Notes
ANNetherlands Antilles2010-122060-12.anANHHDivided into BQ (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba), CW (Curaçao) and SX (Dutch part of Sint Maarten)
BUBurma1989-122039-12BUMMName changed to Myanmar (MM)
CSOriginally Czechoslovakia, later Serbia and Montenegro2006-092056-09(.yu)CSHH
CSXX
Code taken from name in Serbian: Srbija i Crna Gora
Now divided into Montenegro (ME) and Serbia (RS)
CS previously represented Czechoslovakia (ccTLD .cs was never assigned to Serbia and Montenegro; .yu was the ccTLD of Serbia and Montenegro, as name was changed from Yugoslavia). Czechia uses (CZ) and Slovakia (SK)
NTNeutral Zone1993-072043-07NTHHDivided between Iraq (IQ) and Saudi Arabia (SA)
TPEast Timor2002-052052-05.tpTPTLCode taken from previous ISO country name: Portuguese Timor, name changed to Timor-Leste (TL)
YUYugoslavia2003-072053-07.yuYUCSCode used for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia before 1992 and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after 1992
ZRZaire1997-072047-07.zrZRCDName changed to Congo, the Democratic Republic of the (CD)

The following alpha-2 code was previously transitionally reserved, but was later reassigned to another country as its official code:

Code Formerly used country name Date of reservation ccTLD ISO 3166-3 Notes
CSCzechoslovakia1993-06.csCSHHCode reassigned to Serbia and Montenegro

For each deleted alpha-2 code, an entry for the corresponding former country name is included in ISO 3166-3. Each entry is assigned a four-letter alphabetic code, where the first two letters are the deleted alpha-2 code.

Indeterminate reservations

Indeterminately reserved code elements are codes used to designate road vehicles under the 1949 and 1968 United Nations Conventions on Road Traffic but differing from those contained in ISO 3166-1. These code elements are expected eventually to be either eliminated or replaced by code elements within ISO 3166-1. In the meantime, the ISO 3166/MA has reserved such code elements for an indeterminate period. Any use beyond the application of the two Conventions is discouraged and will not be approved by the ISO 3166/MA. Moreover, these codes may be reassigned by the ISO 3166/MA at any time. The following alpha-2 codes are currently indeterminately reserved:

Code elements reserved indeterminately
Code Area name or country name Current code Notes
DYBeninBJ[note 1]
EWEstoniaEE[note 1]
FLLiechtensteinLI[note 2]
JAJamaicaJM[note 3]
LFLibya Fezzan[note 2]
PIPhilippinesPH[note 3]
RAArgentinaAR[note 3]
RBBolivia [cf. Botswana: identical code element]BO[note 2]
RBBotswana [cf. Bolivia: identical code element]BW[note 3]
RCChinaCN & TW[note 3]
RHHaitiHT[note 1]
RIIndonesiaID[note 3]
RLLebanonLB[note 3]
RMMadagascarMG[note 3]
RNNigerNE[note 4]
RPPhilippinesPH[note 4]
SFFinlandFI[note 5]
WGGrenadaGD[note 1]
WLSaint LuciaLC[note 1]
WVSaint VincentVC[note 1]
YVVenezuelaVE[note 1]

The following alpha-2 codes were previously indeterminately reserved, but have been reassigned to another country as its official code:

Code elements previously reserved indeterminately
Code Area name or country name Current code Notes Code reassigned to
LTLibya Tripoli[note 2]Lithuania
MEWestern SaharaEH[note 2]Montenegro
RUBurundiBI[note 2]Russian Federation
Notes
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Code notified to United Nations Secretary-General under 1949 and/or 1968 Road Traffic Conventions
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Code in use for road transport purposes, but not notified to United Nations Secretary-General under 1949 Road Traffic Convention
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Code under 1949 Road Traffic Convention
  4. 1 2 Code under 1968 Road Traffic Convention
  5. Code notified to United Nations Secretary-General under 1949 and/or 1968 Road Traffic Conventions.
    Previously used in international postal codes and vehicle registration codes to represent Finland (code was not officially assigned), and the code was previously listed as transitionally reserved from 1995-09 until 2012-06.
    Code taken from name in Finnish and Swedish combined: Suomi Finland.

Codes currently agreed not to use

In addition, the ISO 3166/MA will not use the following alpha-2 codes at the present stage, as they are used for international intellectual property organizations in WIPO Standard ST.3:

WIPO code elements not formally reserved
Code Organization name
APAfrican Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO)
BXBenelux Trademarks and Designs Office (BOIP)
EFUnion of Countries under the European Community Patent Convention
EMEuropean Trademark Office (EUIPO)
EPEuropean Patent Organization (EPOrg), i.e. union of countries under the European Patent Convention (EPC)
EVEurasian Patent Organization (EAPO)
GCPatent Office of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCCPO)
IBInternational Bureau of WIPO
OAAfrican Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI)
WOWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO Standard ST.3 actually uses EA, instead of EV, to represent the Eurasian Patent Organization. However, EA was already exceptionally reserved by the ISO 3166/MA to represent Ceuta and Melilla for customs purposes. The ISO 3166/MA proposed in 1995 that EV be used by WIPO to represent the Eurasian Patent Organization; however, this request was not honoured by WIPO.

Deleted codes

Besides the codes currently transitionally reserved and two other codes currently exceptionally reserved (FX for France, Metropolitan and SU for USSR), the following alpha-2 codes have also been deleted from ISO 3166-1:[34]

Code Formerly used country name ISO 3166-3 Notes
AIFrench Afars and IssasAIDJCode later reassigned to Anguilla
BQBritish Antarctic TerritoryBQAQCode later reassigned to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
CTCanton and Enderbury IslandsCTKI
DDGerman Democratic RepublicDDDECode taken from name in German: Deutsche Demokratische Republik
Common name: East Germany
DYDahomeyDYBJName changed to Benin (BJ)
The code is now indeterminately reserved.
FQFrench Southern and Antarctic TerritoriesFQHHSee TF and FR-TF.
GEGilbert Islands (initially Gilbert and Ellice Islands)GEHHCode later reassigned to Georgia
HVUpper VoltaHVBFCode taken from name in French: Haute-Volta
JTJohnston IslandJTUM
MIMidway IslandsMIUM
NHNew HebridesNHVU
NQDronning Maud LandNQAQA dependent territory of Norway
PCPacific Islands (Trust Territory)PCHH
PUUnited States Miscellaneous Pacific IslandsPUUMConsisted of Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, and Palmyra Atoll
PZPanama Canal ZonePZPA
RHSouthern RhodesiaRHZWName used by country itself: Rhodesia (Southern Rhodesia was the colonial name)
SKSikkimSKINCode later reassigned to Slovakia
VDViet-Nam, Democratic Republic ofVDVNCommon name: North Vietnam
WKWake IslandWKUM
YDYemen, DemocraticYDYECommon name: South Yemen

For each deleted alpha-2 code, an entry for the corresponding former country name is included in ISO 3166-3. Each entry is assigned a four-letter alphabetic code, where the first two letters are the deleted alpha-2 code.

See also

References

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  6. "IBAN Registry" (PDF). Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-02.
  7. 1 2 "UN/LOCODE Code List by Country". United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
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  15. IANA .eh whois information
  16. "Falkland Islands Government". Archived from the original on 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
  17. 1 2 "ISO 3166 FAQs Specific". ISO.
  18. "NL - Netherlands (Kingdom of the)". ISO Online Browsing Platform.
  19. Special Meeting of the Board Minutes ICANN, January 16, 2007
  20. "Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2022-04-27.
  21. "Glossary for ISO 3166 - Codes for countries and their subdivisions". ISO.
  22. "International ISRC Agency Bulletin 2010/02: Country Code for ISRC in the United States" (PDF). IFPI. 6 December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-10. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  23. Mark Davis. "Unicode Technical Standard #35: Unicode Locale Data Markup Language (LDML)". Unicode Consortium.
  24. "List of Countries for the foreign trade statistics of Switzerland 2017" (PDF). ezv.admin.ch. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-02.
  25. "Get an EORI number". gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  26. Swedish tax Authority: This is how VAT is affected by Brexit - Special rules for trade with Northern Ireland
  27. "Glossary:Country codes - Statistics Explained". europa.eu.
  28. SWIFT: IBAN Registry Archived 2013-11-01 at the Wayback Machine, Release 50, September 2014
  29. "XK country code for Kosovo". GeoNames Blog. 8 March 2010.
  30. "Agreement between the Nordic Patent Institute and the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization" (PDF). World Intellectual Property Organization. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
  31. "Country codes in ISO 3166". davros.org. 2003-07-25. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  32. "EA -". ISO Online Browsing Platform.
  33. "Codes for the representation of names of countries" (PDF) (First ed.). International Organization for Standardization. 15 December 1974. Retrieved 9 July 2021 via cia.gov.
  34. Clive Feather (2003-07-25). "Country codes in ISO 3166 (Table 2: codes withdrawn from use)".
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