.kz

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


introduced=1994
type=Country code top-level domain
status=Active
registry=KazNIC
sponsor=Association of IT Companies of Kazakhstan
intendeduse=Entities connected with Kazakhstan
actualuse=Popular in Kazakhstan
restrictions=None for second-level names; some restrictions for third-level names depending on which second-level name they are under
structure=Registrations are made directly at the second level, or at the third level beneath second-level categories
document= [http://www.nic.kz/rules/index.jsp Rules]
disputepolicy= [http://www.nic.kz/rules/policy.jsp Dispute resolution policy]
website= [http://www.nic.kz/ KazNIC] |

.kz is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Kazakhstan.

Registrations can be made directly at the second level (with no requirement of Kazakhstan presence) or at the third level beneath categories which have specific restrictions, and are generally limited to Kazakhstan-related entities. The categories are:

* ORG.KZ - nonprofit organizations
* EDU.KZ - licensed educational organizations
* NET.KZ - Licensed networks of data communications
* GOV.KZ - Governmental organizations
* MIL.KZ - Ministry of Defense
* COM.KZ - Commercial organizations; registered trademark protection

Controversy

A minor incident was caused when the right to use the domain name www.borat.kz, the website of Sacha Baron Cohen's Kazakh character, Borat, was suspended. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/borat-banished/2005/12/14/1134500892058.html "Kazakhs cut Borat"] , TheAge.com.au (source:Reuters), Dec 14, 2005] The domain-issuing body said that they took this action since false names were given for the site's administrators, and also because the site www.borat.kz was hosted outside Kazakhstan. However, the underlying cause of the action was in order to censor the content of the site: "We've done this so he can't badmouth Kazakhstan under the .kz domain name," Nurlan Isin, President of the Association of Kazakh IT Companies, told Reuters. "He can go and do whatever he wants at other domains."

ee also

*Media of Kazakhstan
*Communications in Kazakhstan‎

External links

* [http://www.iana.org/root-whois/kz.htm IANA .kz whois information]
* [http://www.nic.kz/ .kz domain registration website]

Notes