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Proposed top-level domains

generic top-level domains

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Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 13, 2026
Entity authorityQ634997
Source-derived summary

The Domain Name System of the Internet consists of a set of top-level domains that constitute the root domain of the hierarchical name space and database. In the growth of the Internet, it became desirable to expand the initial set of six generic top-level domains in 1984. As a result, new top-level domain names have been proposed for implementation by ICANN. Such proposals included a variety of models ranging from the adoption of policies for unrestricted gTLDs that could be registered by anyone for any purpose, to chartered gTLDs for specialized uses by specialized organizations. In October 2000, ICANN published a list of proposals for top-level domain strings it had received.

Geographic proposals

.geo – Generic geographical locations.

.toronto – was proposed by City of Toronto officials.

Internationalized country code top-level domains

The following ccTLDs (country code top-level domains) have been requested using a procedure known as the Internationalized Domain Name (or IDN) ccTLD Fast Track Process.

The following countries have national languages that use other scripts than Latin but have no internationalized country code top-level domain, and none proposed in the above list:

Afghanistan

Bhutan

Cambodia

Cyprus

Eritrea

Ethiopia

North Korea

Kyrgyzstan

Lebanon

Maldives

Myanmar

Nepal

Tajikistan

Language and community

These proposals are centered on creating an independent Internet identity for linguistic and cultural communities. They are mostly inspired by the success of the .cat domain created for websites in the Catalan language or about the Catalan culture.

Note: The dotCYMRU, dotEUS, dotSCOT and dotBZH formed the ECLID, the European Cultural and Linguistic Internet Domains umbrella group to lobby for the successful and speedy application for the bids.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Proposed top-level domains” as generic top-level domains. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA dependable orientation record for establishing vocabulary, names and a first evidence trail. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1984, 2000—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Proposed, top-level and domains can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as generic top-level domains. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 13, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q634997. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1984 and 2000.

Critical limits

A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
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The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

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  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Proposed top-level domains”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Proposed top-level domains primary sources, Proposed top-level domains archive and Proposed research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Proposed top-level domains” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.