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    • .ml

    Country-code top-level domains

    Overview

    • .ml is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Mali, introduced on 29 September 1993.
    • The registry and sponsor is the Agence des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (AGETIC).
    • Actual use: some use within Mali and for websites about machine learning ("ML"); use is relatively rare elsewhere.
    • Domain registrations are available at the second level and at third level beneath designated second-level labels.

    History

    • Initially managed by SOTELMA (Société des Télécommunications du Mali).
    • AGETIC was established by law on 10 January 2005 with a mandate that included managing .ml.
    • SOTELMA was privatised in July 2009, which prompted an application to redelegate .ml to AGETIC.
    • Redelegation process involved communications in 2012; objections were withdrawn and IANA completed redelegation in 2013.
    • In 2013 AGETIC partnered with Freenom to offer .ml domains for free (the first African nation to give away domains for free).
    • The ten-year contract with Freenom expired on 17 July 2023; control reverted to AGETIC, the free-offer was discontinued, and paid Freenom .ml domains were migrated to the new system.

    Usage and Audience

    • Intended for entities connected with Mali (government, businesses, organisations, educational institutions, press).
    • Because ".ml" matches the common abbreviation for "machine learning," some sites use the TLD for machine-learning related content.
    • General adoption outside Mali is limited.

    Registration Rules

    • Registrations are possible directly at the second level and at the third level beneath specific second-level labels.
    • Common second-/third-level labels and intended uses:
      • .com.ml — companies
      • .net.ml — internet providers
      • .org.ml — associations (must show registration); international organizations permitted but must be registered with local administration
      • .edu.ml — local schools
      • .presse.ml — local press
      • .gov.ml — governmental organisations
    • Domain names of between one and three characters are treated as premium names and priced higher.
    • Dispute policy: UDRP.

    SEO and Brand Impact

    • The TLD is associated with Mali and, secondarily, with "ML" (machine learning), which drives some niche usage.
    • A large number of free registrations during the Freenom partnership increased availability but the TLD remains relatively uncommon outside Mali.

    Notable Cases or Examples

    • Typo-squatting / misdirected military emails:
      • Mistyped military addresses ending in .ml (rather than .mil) led to U.S. Armed Forces emails being sent to .ml domains such as army.ml and navy.ml.
      • Dutch entrepreneur Johannes Zuurbier, who assumed operational control of .ml under the Freenom arrangement in 2013, reported receiving emails that included crew and staff lists, maps, photos of installations, naval inspection reports and passwords.
      • Zuurbier attempted to alert the United States government (via Dutch diplomats) about classified information received in 2014.
      • Examples of content reported to have been sent to .ml addresses include a 2023 travel itinerary for Chief of Staff James McConville, information concerning Kurdistan Workers' Party efforts, and Australian Department of Defence documents regarding F-35 issues.
      • Zuurbier's contract expired on 17 July 2023 and control of the .ml registry reverted to the Malian government (AGETIC).

    Operator

    Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication

    Whois

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

domain:       ML

organisation: Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication
address:      ACI 2000 Hamdallaye,
address:      BP E 5467
address:      Bamako
address:      Mali

contact:      administrative
name:         Chef Service Gestion du .ml
organisation: Agence des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication
address:      ACI 2000 Hamdallaye,
address:      BP E 5467
address:      Bamako
address:      Mali
phone:        +223 77 28 52 51
fax-no:       +223 20 29 94 13
e-mail:       ml@agetic.gouv.ml

contact:      technical
name:         Adama TRAORE
organisation: Agence des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication
address:      Hamdallaye ACI 2000, cour Bibliothèque Nationale
address:      Bamako Mali BPE 5467
address:      Mali
phone:        +223 20 23 04 04
e-mail:       dotml@agetic.gouv.ml

nserver:      A.NIC.ML 196.10.220.136
nserver:      B.NIC.ML 165.90.218.166 2c0f:f900:2:3:0:0:0:2
nserver:      C.NIC.ML 2001:500:14:6144:ad:0:0:1 204.61.216.144
nserver:      D.NIC.ML 196.216.168.37 2001:43f8:120:0:0:0:0:37

whois:        whois.nic.ml

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.nic.ml

created:      1993-09-29
changed:      2025-03-03
source:       IANA

    Registrars