Country names as gTLDs will we finally see dot scotland or dot catalonia

The next round of new gTLDs presents a renewed opportunity to revisit one of the most politically sensitive and culturally resonant topics in internet governance: the use of country and territory names as generic top-level domains. While the 2012 round introduced hundreds of geographic and community-oriented gTLDs, it notably excluded applications for full country and territory names not recognized in ISO 3166-1 or lacking explicit government approval. This exclusion sidelined aspirational national entities, autonomous regions, and subnational territories that do not possess formal statehood under international law. As a result, culturally distinct regions like Scotland, Catalonia, and Kurdistan were unable to secure gTLDs matching their geopolitical identities—despite strong digital, linguistic, and economic cases for delegation. With policy reform now on the table for ICANN’s next round, the question arises: will we finally see the rise of politically nuanced gTLDs such as .scotland or .catalonia?

Under ICANN’s Applicant Guidebook, the 2012 round imposed a stringent set of rules regarding geographic names. Full country names, capital cities, and regions listed in official United Nations documents or ISO standards required letters of support or non-objection from the relevant national governments. This effectively gave veto power to sovereign states over any application that used a name associated with their territory—even if the applicant was a legitimate local authority, cultural institution, or civil society group. The logic was to avoid geopolitical conflict and respect existing diplomatic norms, but the policy had a chilling effect on digital representation for subnational communities with distinct identities and aspirations.

Scotland, for example, has a devolved government, its own legal and education systems, and a global cultural presence. While it currently benefits from the use of the .scot gTLD, which was successfully delegated in 2014 under a broader interpretation of community-based strings, the name .scotland itself was off-limits due to the full country name restriction. The Government of the United Kingdom, as the recognized sovereign, would have had to endorse or approve the application—an unlikely scenario given the political implications. Yet for many Scots, the .scotland label carries symbolic and practical weight, representing national identity, political autonomy, and digital sovereignty on the global stage. Similarly, .catalonia has long been viewed as a digital aspiration for Catalan civil society, but the central government of Spain has shown strong resistance to any international recognition that would suggest nationhood.

In the upcoming round, pressure is mounting on ICANN to reconsider its geographic name policy, especially in light of evolving norms around internet governance, digital rights, and cultural self-determination. Stakeholders from non-sovereign regions argue that the DNS should not be constrained solely by the geopolitical map of the United Nations, especially when the internet has become a primary platform for identity expression, community organization, and economic development. They point to successful regional gTLDs like .bzh for Brittany or .eus for the Basque Country as proof that digital namespaces can be operated responsibly by regional communities without triggering diplomatic controversy.

One proposed reform is to decouple geographic TLD approvals from the rigid ISO country code list and instead assess applications based on local governance structures, linguistic uniqueness, and community support. This would allow autonomous regions, federated states, or distinct cultural territories to apply for gTLDs matching their full names, provided they can demonstrate legitimate stewardship and a clear public interest mandate. In practice, this would mean that a .scotland or .catalonia application backed by a devolved government or a democratically governed community organization could be evaluated on the same procedural grounds as other community-based applications—subject to objection procedures but not automatically blocked by a lack of national government consent.

The policy debate is not merely symbolic. The demand for digital sovereignty is intensifying as regional governments and identity-based communities seek greater control over their digital infrastructure. Owning a top-level domain confers significant authority in areas such as domain policy, content standards, cybersecurity, and revenue allocation. It also serves as a powerful soft power tool, allowing regions to project their identity globally and build trust among diasporas, tourists, investors, and residents. In the case of .scotland, such a domain could unify everything from national branding to education portals, government services, and cultural campaigns under a single trusted namespace. Similarly, .catalonia could function as a hub for language preservation, civic engagement, and regional commerce—distinct from .es or other Spanish TLDs.

However, the path to approval remains fraught with political risk. ICANN operates within a complex global framework where geopolitical neutrality is both a principle and a survival strategy. Any move to permit full country or territory names without national approval risks backlash from sovereign states that see such action as an affront to their territorial integrity. The GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) plays a particularly influential role in these matters, and objections from powerful member states could derail applications or lead to ICANN Board intervention. As such, ICANN must tread carefully, balancing technical and community-driven criteria with geopolitical sensitivities.

One potential solution is the creation of a special track within the new gTLD program for contested or politically sensitive geographic names. Applications under this track would undergo enhanced review by an independent panel, including experts in international law, digital governance, and cultural rights. The panel could assess whether the applicant represents a legitimate stakeholder group, whether the use of the name would cause confusion or conflict, and whether there are mechanisms for dispute resolution. This would allow applications like .scotland or .catalonia to be judged on their merits rather than automatically excluded.

In parallel, civil society organizations and digital rights advocates are urging ICANN to adopt a more inclusive framework that recognizes the multiplicity of identities on the internet. They argue that a top-level domain is not just a technical asset but a symbol of digital belonging, and that denying communities the right to manage their own namespace perpetuates historical inequalities. By contrast, enabling these groups to participate in the gTLD space fosters innovation, cultural preservation, and internet diversity.

As the next application window approaches, the status of country and territory names remains one of the most closely watched issues in ICANN policy. Whether we will see .scotland, .catalonia, or other politically complex TLDs emerge depends not only on procedural reform but on a broader willingness to accept that the internet is no longer just a neutral infrastructure—it is a stage on which global identity, autonomy, and power are increasingly negotiated. If ICANN can develop a framework that respects sovereignty while enabling cultural expression, the next round could mark a turning point for digital representation. Until then, the hopes of many communities for recognition through the DNS hang in a delicate balance between governance evolution and political restraint.

The next round of new gTLDs presents a renewed opportunity to revisit one of the most politically sensitive and culturally resonant topics in internet governance: the use of country and territory names as generic top-level domains. While the 2012 round introduced hundreds of geographic and community-oriented gTLDs, it notably excluded applications for full country and…