Help on Domains

Looking at a Web site's address or domain can often provide a clue to who owns the Web site.

Companies or corporations use the .com domain:

• http://www.microsoft.com

However, international companies may use other domains:

• http://www.honda.co.jp

U.S. Government organizations use .gov

• http://www.whitehouse.gov/

However, foreign governments can use a variety of domains:

• United Kingdom: .gov.uk
• France: gouv.fr

U.S. State and Local Governments use the state and then .us

• State of Illinois: http://www.state.il.us
• City of Chicago: http://www.ci.chi.il.us

U.S. Military web sites use .mil

• U.S. Army: http:// www.army.mil

But foreign militaries may again have slightly different variations:

• Royal Navy: http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/
• Canadian Army: http://www.army.forces.gc.ca

Most non-profit organizations use the .org domain.

• United Nations: http://www.un.org
• Doctors Without Borders: http://www.msf.org

U.S. educational institutions use .edu

• University of Chicago: http://www.uchicago.edu

However universities outside the United States may use other domains:

• University of Cambridge: http://www.cam.ac.uk/
• The Sorbonne: http://www.paris4.sorbonne.fr

A variety of other domains are exist which do not commonly fit these trends (.net, .tv, etc.).

BUT REMEMBER...

While some domain names are restricted (such as .gov or .mil), others can be bought by any company or individual looking for an unused domain name for their Web site.

There are also a variety of other domains which do not commonly fit these trends (.net, .tv, etc.). So always be sure to carefully review the content as well as the URL!