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    • .krd

    Generic top-level domainsDNSSEC

    Overview

    • .krd is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) associated with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Kurdish people.
    • It was created to provide an online namespace representing Kurdistan, its culture and language, and to serve institutions, businesses and individuals linked to the region.

    History

    • Contract signed: The KRG Department of Information Technology received a registry agreement signed by ICANN on 5 December 2013.
    • Delegation / implementation: The string was delegated to the DNS root and is recorded as implemented/delegated on 18 July 2014.
    • Introduced: 2014.
    • Operators and management:
      • Sponsor / applicant: Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), specifically the KRG Department of Information Technology acted as the applying/managerial entity.
      • Registry providers listed in source material include ARI Registry Services and GoDaddy Registry (sources identify KRG Dept. of IT as the registry manager/operator while naming registry service providers).

    Usage and Audience

    • Intended audience: Kurdish people, institutions and businesses, organisations and individuals wishing to affiliate themselves with the Kurdistan Region.
    • Purpose: Promote the Kurdistan region, elevate its international presence, and provide a dedicated space to develop and share Kurdish culture and language online.
    • Targeting: The TLD is promoted to entities interested in Kurdistan’s language, culture and region; however general (open) registrations are supported to encourage broader use.

    Registration Rules

    • Structure:
      • General registrations are available at the second level (example: example.krd).
      • Some third-level registrations exist with restrictions under designated second-level labels such as .edu.krd, .gov.krd and .co.krd.
    • Eligibility and restrictions:
      • The applicant proposed non-restrictive registration policies and stated there would be no residency requirement for registrants.
      • A restricted-word list is to be maintained by a committee of stakeholders; it is intended to be limited and not to serve as broad content censorship.
    • Policy and dispute resolution:
      • A registration policy document is referenced by the registry.
      • Dispute policy: UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) applies.
    • Technical:
      • DNSSEC is supported for the .krd zone.

    SEO and Brand Impact

    • Strategic positioning: The TLD was promoted as a tool to "establish a dedicated, open namespace" for Kurdish identity online and to validate and promote Kurdish culture and language globally.
    • Brand benefits highlighted by the applicant:
      • Create an identifiable Internet presence for the Kurdistan Region and its communities.
      • Serve as an authoritative portal for information about Kurdistan.
      • Help preserve and promote the Kurdish language as a modern medium on the web.
    • Registration openness: By not imposing strict residency requirements and allowing general registrations, the TLD aims to balance openness with a targeted cultural/brand identity.

    Notable Cases or Examples

    • (No specific notable third-party sites or famous uses are listed in the provided source material.)

    Operator

    KRG Department of Information Technology

    Whois

    % IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       KRD

organisation: KRG Department of Information Technology
address:      Council of Ministers
address:      Menarah Street
address:      Erbil Kurdistan Region 44000
address:      Iraq

contact:      administrative
name:         Hiwa Afandi
organisation: Kurdistan Regional Government
address:      Council of Ministers
address:      Menarah Street
address:      Erbil Kurdistan Region 44000
address:      Iraq
phone:        +9647504458604
fax-no:       +9647504458604
e-mail:       hiwa.afandi@gov.krd

contact:      technical
name:         Hiwa Afandi
organisation: Kurdistan Regional Government
address:      Council of Ministers
address:      Menarah Street
address:      Erbil Kurdistan Region 44000
address:      Iraq
phone:        +9647504458604
fax-no:       +9647504458604
e-mail:       hiwa.afandi@gov.krd

nserver:      A.NIC.KRD 2001:dcd:1:0:0:0:0:10 37.209.192.10
nserver:      B.NIC.KRD 2001:dcd:2:0:0:0:0:10 37.209.194.10
nserver:      C.NIC.KRD 2001:dcd:3:0:0:0:0:10 37.209.196.10
nserver:      X.NIC.KRD 156.154.172.82 2610:a1:1074:0:0:0:1:82
nserver:      Y.NIC.KRD 156.154.173.82 2610:a1:1075:0:0:0:1:82
nserver:      Z.NIC.KRD 156.154.174.82 2610:a1:1076:0:0:0:1:82
ds-rdata:     62344 8 2 5a1637513252be2e160bafa8e86c853914d8418598064dc8a9e23a6ca266bedd

whois:        whois.nic.krd

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: https://dot.krd

created:      2014-07-10
changed:      2023-12-11
source:       IANA

    Registrars