General Questions
Why are there three different codes - alpha-2, alpha-3 and numeric-3 code - in ISO 3166-1?
All three ISO 3166-1 codes cover an identical number of country names i.e. their scope is identical.
- The alpha-2 code is the most widely used one of the three and apart from that it is the basis for other coding systems which attach further alphabetical or numeric characters to the alpha-2 code elements. Examples are the currency codes from ISO 4217 or the UN/LOCODE.
- The alpha-3 code allows a better visual association between country name and code element than the alpha-2 code.
- The numeric-3 code has the advantage of a relatively strong script independence, i.e. in contrary to the Latin characters of the alphabetic codes the numbers used in the numeric-3 code are also used in the Cyrillic, Japanese or Greek scripts. Thus they are understood and interpreted correctly in countries where these non-Latin scripts are used.
What is the procedure for adding new country names and codes to ISO 3166-1?
New names and codes are added when the United Nations publish new names in either their Terminology Bulletin Country Names or in the Country and Region Codes for Statistical Use maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division. There is no other way of having new country names included in ISO 3166-1. So if a name is not on these lists it will not get into ISO 3166-1.
Where do I find updating information on ISO 3166-1 and ISO 3166-2?
We publish newsletters on ISO 3166-1 and ISO 3166-2 which are authoritative updates on the currently valid edition of ISO 3166-1 and ISO 3166-2. An ISO 3166-1 Newsletter is published whenever a change to the country names and/or country codes is effected by the ISO 3166/MA. This implies that if there are no changes to the list in the standard we won't publish newsletters. The same applies to ISO 3166-2 Newsletters.
How can I find out whether my own code list is complete and uptodate?
Please compare your list against our official up-to-date list and also check the ISO 3166-1 Newsletters.
How can I make sure that I do not miss any updates on ISO 3166?
Check the What's New? page.
Where do I get information on ccTLDs and the registration of domains under these ccTLDs?
The country coded Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) in the Internet are identified by ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes (.jp, .fr, .zw). This does not mean that ISO is involved in the governance of the Internet. So for all questions on the administration of the Internet Domain Name System please ask either the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for information.
I have heard about a list of reserved ISO 3166-1 code elements. What is it?
In the course of the continuous updating and implementation of ISO 3166-1, some country code elements become obsolete and some code elements which do not qualify for inclusion in ISO 3166-1 may be required in a particular user application of the standard. To avoid transitional application problems and to aid major users who require specific additional code elements for the functioning of their coding systems, the ISO 3166/MA can set aside code elements which will not be used for other than specified purposes during a limited or indeterminate period of time. These code elements are referred to as Reserved Code Elements. Code elements, not included in the current version of ISO 3166-1, may be reserved by the ISO 3166/MA,
- as transitional reservations, as a consequence of changes in the standard. Code elements of this category may be used only during a transitional period while new code elements that may have replaced them are taken into use;
- as indeterminate reservations, if justified by their presence in other coding systems associated with ISO 3166-1 and where their reservation may facilitate the use of the system concerned. Any use outside such systems is prohibited and such code elements are expected eventually to be either eliminated, or replaced by code elements in ISO 3166-1;
- as exceptional reservations, at the request of national ISO member bodies, governments and international organizations. This applies to certain code elements required for 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.
So if you need a code element for a particular (country) name which is not officially listed in ISO 3166-1 please contact the ISO 3166/MA and ask whether there is a reserved code element for it.
Where do I get the list of reserved ISO 3166-1 code elements from?
To receive a copy of the list please send an e-mail to the ISO 3166/MA.
Are there any code elements available which I myself can assign in my own application of ISO 3166-1?
Yes. There are series of codes which the ISO 3166/MA will never use in the updating process of ISO 3166-1 and which are freely available for users. To quote from ISO 3166-1:1997, clause 8.1.3 User-assigned code elements: "If users need code elements to represent country names not included in this part of ISO 3166, the series of letters AA, QM to QZ, XA to XZ, and ZZ, and the series AAA to AAZ, QMA to QZZ, XAA to XZZ, and ZZA to ZZZ respectively and the series of numbers 900 to 999 are available."
Is there a code for names of cities and similar locations?
Yes. But it is maintained and developed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe and not by ISO even though the basis for this code is ISO 3166-1. The name of this system is UN/LOCODE.
Is there a code for subdivisions of countries?
Yes. The ISO 3166-2 country subdivision code lists administrative subdivisions of the 230+ country names given in ISO 3166-1.
Is there a code for outdated country names?
Yes. The ISO 3166-3 code for formerly used names of countries gives codes for all country names deleted from ISO 3166-1 since its first publication in 1974.
The French member organization of ISO, AFNOR, has developed a French experimental standard on historical country names. It has the reference XP Z 44-002 (published in August 1997). This national standard is based on ISO 3166-1 and encodes outdated names of countries on a really historical scale, i.e. dating back to at least the year 1815 and including all regions of the world. For more information on this document please contact AFNOR citing the standard's reference number.
Is ISO 3166 available in database format?
Yes. Please see our pages on ISO 3166-1 and ISO 3166-2 as databases.
Where can I find the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code for free download on the ISO 3166/MA Website?
Nowhere. The alpha-3 code is not made available free of charge. You can buy the International Standard ISO 3166-1 from our ISO Store. It contains the three-letter code.
Are there language versions of ISO 3166-1 other than English and French?
Yes. But in order to get copies of these you will need to contact the national member organizations of ISO, enquire whether they have an adoption of ISO 3166-1 in their national language and buy it from them. Here is a listing of all national ISO member organizations.
Are the ISO 3166-1 codes used in postal addressing (on envelopes etc.)?
No. ISO 3166-1 is not generally used in postal addressing as known to the end-user, i.e. the people writing addresses on letters. (However, for communication within and between the postal organizations, ISO 3166-1 is widely used for various purposes). The only countries in the world that do have a formal agreement on including a country code before the ZIP code are the members of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). Their code coincides with ISO 3166-1 only in few cases. For comprehensive information on postal addressing please use the postcode pages on the website of the Universal Postal Union.
Is there a code for nationalities?
No. There is no code for nationalities within the ISO system of standards. True, in ISO/IEC 7501-1:1997 "Identification cards - Machine readable travel documents - Part 1: Machine readable passport" the alpha-3 codes from ISO 3166-1 plus a few additional reserved alpha-3 codes are used to identify the issuing country/authority of a machine readable passport. But this is not equal to a code for the much more fuzzy concept of nationality.
Is there a code for currencies?
Yes. ISO 4217 "Codes for the representation of currencies and funds" defines alpha-3 currency codes based on ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes. For more information please contact the ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency.
Is there a code for names of languages?
Yes. Information on International Standard ISO 639 "Codes for the representation of names of languages" can be obtained from the Web site of the ISO 639 Joint Advisory Committee.