Background on ISO 3166
For most users of ISO 3166-1 the standard is the list of country names and codes. But the rules under which ISO maintains its country code are also very important for understanding the coding system. For example, these documents explain ways of making ISO 3166-1 even more adaptable to user needs by offering coding space. ISO 3166-2 and ISO 3166-3 have considerable expanded the scope of ISO's coding system, too.
Giving you information in addition to the code list itself we invite you
- to read who is on the ISO 3166/MA and what their tasks are,
- to understand the role of the UN with regard to ISO's country code,
- to have a look at implementations of ISO 3166-1,
- to learn which tools help customizing ISO 3166-1 to your own needs,
- to see how in the past 28 years ISO 3166 has evolved continuously.