.de domain country code top level domain (ccTLD) for Germany

What is a .DE domain?

The .DE domain is the country code top level domain (ccTLD) for Germany. Located in Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, Germany is nestled between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. Germany covers 137,846.58 square miles, an area slightly smaller than Montana. According to a census in June 2008, the country’s population was 82,369,552 people, making Germany the second most populous country in Europe after Russia. Although, other dialects are spoken, the native language is German.

Why should I register a .DE domain name?

Deutschland is the German word for Germany, hence DE being the country code. .DE is the second most popular ccTLD in the world, after .CN, and the third most popular TLD (after .COM and .CN).

The name is based on the first two letters of the German name for Germany (Deutschland). Prior to 1989, East Germany had a separate ISO 3166-1 code (dd), and had a never delegated ccTLD, .dd.

.de is currently the most popular ccTLD in terms of number of registrations with .uk being the second most popular ccTLD and .nl being third. It is second after .com among all TLDs.

The first point of registration for .de domains was at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Dortmund. uni-dortmund.de was among the first registered .de-domains. As of 23 October 2009, DENIC allowed the registration of single- and two-letter domains as well as number-only domains.

Are there any restrictions for registering a .DE?

Yes. To register .DE domain names, you must have an administrative contact located within German borders. This includes a postal residence, not a P.O. Box.