.zw

Overview

• .zw is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Zimbabwe.
• Introduced: 6 November 1991.
• Structure: registrations are made at the third level beneath defined second-level categories (for example .co.zw, .ac.zw, .org.zw, .gov.zw, .mil.zw).
• Management: administration is handled regionally
  • Zimbabwe Internet Service Providers Association (ZISPA) is involved in .co.zw registrations and is cited as the registry in some records.
  • The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) appears as a sponsor/manager in delegation records.
  • TelOne is listed as an administrative and technical contact for parts of the space.
  • The University of Zimbabwe (UZ Computer Centre) administers .ac.zw.

History

• The .zw ccTLD was created on 6 November 1991.
• Early management and the first registrations were handled through Prof. John Sheppard of the University of Zimbabwe.
• The first registered second-level names included "mango.zw" and "healthnet.zw"; "mango.zw" is reported as the only remaining direct .zw second-level registration.
• Over time the namespace was subdivided and delegated to different local organizations to manage specific second-level domains.

Usage and Audience

• Intended use: entities connected with Zimbabwe.
• Typical audiences by second-level domain:
  • .co.zw — commercial entities and businesses (administered by ZISPA).
  • .ac.zw — academic institutions (administered by the University of Zimbabwe Computer Centre).
  • .org.zw — non-governmental organisations and similar groups (administered by TelOne/Comone division).
  • .gov.zw and .mil.zw — government and military departments (managed by GISP/TelOne in current arrangements).
• Global usage: .zw domains are used by less than 0.1% of all websites worldwide.

Registration Rules

• Registrations are generally made at the third level beneath defined second-level labels rather than directly under .zw.
• Second-level delegation and management (summary):
  • ZISPA: administration/management of .co.zw registrations.
  • UZ Computer Centre: administration of .ac.zw for academic institutions.
  • TelOne (and government ISP arrangements): management of .org.zw, .gov.zw and .mil.zw registries.
• .co.zw policy highlights (per ZISPA):
  • The .co.zw registry is not an open first-come, first-served registry; registrations can be vetted.
  • Known company or organisation names will not be registered without authority from the rights holder (e.g., a trademark or company confirmation may be required).
  • Names of schools, clubs, churches, etc., must be registered in the name of the organisation, not individuals.
  • Zimbabwean place names are reserved for corresponding national or local government authorities.
  • Cyber-squatting is actively discouraged and the registry seeks to prevent such registrations.
  • Applicants must have a bona fide intention to use the domain name on a regular basis.
  • Registrations must not infringe third-party intellectual property or other rights in any jurisdiction.
• The Wikipedia infobox lists "Restrictions: None" at the top level, while practical restrictions and policies are enforced by the individual second-level registries.

SEO and Brand Impact

• .zw has very low global market share (used by under 0.1% of websites), indicating limited international visibility compared with global gTLDs.
• Local registry policies (particularly for .co.zw) emphasize rights protection and anti-cybersquatting measures, which can support brand protection for legitimate Zimbabwean organisations.

Notable Cases or Examples

• Early notable second-level registrations: "mango.zw" and "healthnet.zw"; "mango.zw" remains as an example of a direct .zw registration.
• Key local operators involved in the .zw space include ZISPA, POTRAZ, TelOne and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ Computer Centre).

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

domain:       ZW

organisation: Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ)
address:      Block A, Emerald office Park
address:      30 The Chase, Emerald Hill
address:      P.O. Box MP 843, Mt Pleasant
address:      Harare
address:      Zimbabwe

contact:      administrative
name:         Manager Internet & Data Operations
organisation: TelOne Pvt Ltd
address:      Cnr Sam Nujoma St. & Samorah Machel Ave
address:      P.O.Box CY 792
address:      Causeway
address:      Harare
address:      Zimbabwe
phone:        +263 4 791701
fax-no:       +263 4 708981
e-mail:       dns-admin@telone.co.zw

contact:      technical
name:         Network Administrator
organisation: TelOne Pvt Ltd
address:      Cnr Sam Nujoma St. & Samorah Machel Ave
address:      P.O.Box CY 792
address:      Causeway
address:      Harare
address:      Zimbabwe
phone:        +263 4 791701
fax-no:       +263 4 708981
e-mail:       support@telone.co.zw

nserver:      NS1.LIQUIDTELECOM.NET 2c0f:fe40:0:0:5:11:11:1 5.11.11.1
nserver:      NS1ZIM.TELONE.CO.ZW 2c0f:f758:0:a:0:0:0:81 41.220.30.81
nserver:      NS2.LIQUIDTELECOM.NET 2c0f:fe40:0:0:5:11:11:10 5.11.11.10
nserver:      NS2ZIM.TELONE.CO.ZW 2c0f:f758:0:a:0:0:0:82 41.220.30.82
nserver:      ZW-NS.ANYCAST.PCH.NET 2001:500:14:6128:ad:0:0:1 204.61.216.128

whois:        

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: 

created:      1991-11-06
changed:      2021-03-11
source:       IANA