.ws

Infobox Top level domain
name=.ws
background=#CCF


introduced=1995
type=Country code top-level domain
status=Active
registry=SamoaNIC (Computer Services Ltd. Samoa)
sponsor=Government of Samoa
intendeduse=Entities connected with Samoa
actualuse=Small use Compared to more popular domains;restrictions=None
structure=Registrations are directly at second level
document= [http://www.samoanic.ws/legal/ Policies]
disputepolicy=UDRP
website= [http://www.samoanic.ws/ SamoaNIC]

.ws is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Samoa. It is administered by SamoaNIC, for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Samoa.

The .ws domain is an abbreviation for "Western Samoa", the nation's official name when two-letter country codes were standardized in the 1970s. While there are no geographic restrictions on registration of 2nd level .WS domains, there are restrictions on registration of 3rd level .WS domains (.com.ws, .org.ws, .net.ws, .gov.ws, etc).

.ws domains are also used as an alternative to .com, using "ws" as an abbreviation for "website".

2nd level domains:
* .WS, .COM.WS, and .NET.WS registration is open to the general public.
* .ORG.WS, .GOV.WS, and .EDU.WS registration is restricted.

External links

* [http://www.iana.org/root-whois/ws.htm IANA .ws whois information]
* [http://www.samoanic.ws/ SamoaNIC.ws] (for registrants in Samoa and some nearby countries)