Rare ccTLDs and Their Strange Histories

The world of country-code top-level domains, or ccTLDs, has produced some of the most unusual and unexpected stories in the history of the internet. Originally assigned to each country based on their two-letter country code, many ccTLDs were intended for national use, but some have taken on lives of their own far beyond their original purpose. While most ccTLDs are closely associated with their respective countries, some rare extensions have been repurposed, commercialized, or abandoned entirely due to political shifts, economic considerations, or simply because of the odd nature of their assigned codes. These domains have shaped digital branding, created unexpected financial windfalls for small nations, and even led to international disputes over digital property.

One of the most well-known cases of an unusual ccTLD is .tv, which was assigned to the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. With a population of fewer than 12,000 people and limited economic opportunities, Tuvalu unexpectedly found itself in possession of one of the most commercially desirable domain extensions in the world. Because .tv is instantly associated with television, streaming, and media companies, the domain became highly valuable. Recognizing the opportunity, Tuvalu’s government entered into agreements with domain registrars to lease the rights to .tv, generating millions of dollars in annual revenue. This windfall has played a significant role in the country’s economy, funding infrastructure and even helping Tuvalu join the United Nations. The odd pairing of a remote island nation with the global television industry has made .tv one of the most lucrative ccTLDs in history.

Another example of a ccTLD taking on an unexpected identity is .me, which was originally assigned to Montenegro. When Montenegro became an independent country in 2006, it was granted the .me ccTLD, and rather than restricting its use to Montenegrin citizens and businesses, the government decided to market it as a personal branding tool. Because .me is a common English word, it quickly gained popularity for personal websites, social media profiles, and marketing campaigns. Companies such as About.me and Call.me capitalized on the domain’s friendly and memorable nature, turning .me into one of the most widely adopted ccTLDs for non-national purposes.

The story of .co, Colombia’s ccTLD, is another case of a domain taking on a new identity beyond its national borders. For years, .co was primarily used by Colombian businesses, but as the internet grew, entrepreneurs realized that .co could serve as an alternative to .com, particularly for startups and tech companies. With .com domains becoming increasingly scarce, .co was rebranded as a global domain for businesses looking for a short and brandable web address. This transformation was so successful that major companies such as Twitter (with t.co) and Google (with g.co) adopted .co for URL shortening and branding. While still officially the country code for Colombia, .co has become an internationally recognized alternative to .com, giving it a much larger presence than originally intended.

Not all ccTLD stories are about financial success and global adoption. Some rare ccTLDs have unusual and complicated histories, often tied to geopolitical events. The .su domain, originally assigned to the Soviet Union, is one of the strangest relics of the Cold War in the digital age. Even though the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, .su was never fully retired, and it continues to exist despite no longer representing an official country. Over the years, various groups have used .su for nostalgia, nationalist sentiment, or as an alternative domain space for Russian-speaking users. Despite multiple attempts by ICANN to phase out .su, it remains in active use, making it a unique case of a domain that has outlived the country it was created for.

A different kind of domain limbo exists for .gb, which was originally designated for the United Kingdom. Unlike .uk, which became the widely accepted ccTLD for Britain, .gb was assigned but never gained widespread adoption. The UK government and internet authorities opted to focus exclusively on .uk, leaving .gb largely unused. While technically still a valid domain, registrations for .gb have been restricted for decades, and it has faded into obscurity. The case of .gb highlights how some ccTLDs simply never caught on, even when assigned to major countries.

The domain .tp, once the ccTLD for East Timor (Timor-Leste), had one of the shortest lifespans of any national domain. Assigned while East Timor was under Indonesian occupation, .tp was used sparingly and had limited recognition. After East Timor gained independence in 2002, the country transitioned to the .tl domain, making .tp one of the few ccTLDs to be officially retired. Unlike some discontinued domains that persist in limited form, .tp was entirely removed from the internet, effectively erasing it from digital history.

One of the most controversial ccTLDs has been .io, the domain assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory. While .io has become widely used by technology companies and startups due to its association with input/output in computing, the domain has been the subject of ethical concerns and geopolitical debates. The Chagossian people, who were forcibly removed from the British Indian Ocean Territory in the 1960s to make way for a U.S. military base, have argued that profits from the sale of .io domains should benefit them, rather than the UK government or private registries. The dispute over .io has brought attention to the political implications of ccTLD ownership and the financial exploitation of domains tied to contested territories.

The history of rare ccTLDs reveals how domain names have become more than just digital addresses—they are assets that can carry cultural, economic, and political significance. While some, like .tv and .co, have been repurposed for commercial success, others, like .su and .io, have been entangled in historical and geopolitical complexities. Some have faded into obscurity, while others have been rebranded to take on entirely new identities. The unpredictable trajectories of these domains highlight the strange and often unexpected ways in which digital infrastructure intersects with real-world events. As the internet continues to evolve, the stories of these rare ccTLDs serve as reminders that even something as seemingly simple as a two-letter domain extension can have a complex and fascinating history.

The world of country-code top-level domains, or ccTLDs, has produced some of the most unusual and unexpected stories in the history of the internet. Originally assigned to each country based on their two-letter country code, many ccTLDs were intended for national use, but some have taken on lives of their own far beyond their original…