Alphabet and Digit Country Codes Worldwide

Sara Wafa Send an email 4 weeks ago
0 6 minutes read
A digital world map displaying alphabet and digit country codes for all nations, symbolizing global communication and international standardization.

Full List of Alphabet & Digit Country Codes

Introduction: Every nation in the modern world is represented by unique identifiers combinations of letters and numbers known as country codes. These codes play a vital role in global communication, data exchange, finance, shipping, and technology. Whether you’re dialing an international number, sending a parcel abroad, or registering a web domain, these codes make cross-border activities possible and seamless.

The concept of Alphabet and Digit Country Codes originates from international standardization bodies that sought to create a universal system of country identification. This system ensures that no two countries are confused and that data systems, governments, and businesses around the world can communicate effectively.

In this article, we’ll explore what these codes are, why they exist, how they’re assigned, and provide a complete, authoritative list of all 195 countries with their alphabetic, numeric, and telephone country codes.

What Are Alphabet and Digit Country Codes?

Country codes are short, standardized forms of country names used in various global applications. They serve as a linguistically neutral identifier, which makes them especially useful for databases, logistics, communication systems, and international treaties.

There are three major types of country codes:

  1. Alphabet Codes (Alpha-2 and Alpha-3) – Consisting of two or three letters, these are part of the ISO 3166-1 international standard.
  2. Numeric Codes , Three-digit numeric representations of countries, designed for systems that don’t handle letters.
  3. Telephone Codes – Assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for international dialing.

Each serves a specific function but collectively, they ensure standardization, efficiency, and accuracy across industries and borders.

1. Alphabet Country Codes (ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2 and Alpha-3)

The ISO 3166-1 standard defines two sets of alphabetic codes:

Alpha-2 Codes

These are two-letter abbreviations often used in web addresses, vehicle registrations, and government databases.
For example:

  • PK for Pakistan
  • US for the United States
  • IN for India
  • FR for France

These codes are also used as top-level domain names (e.g., .pk, .us, .in).

Alpha-3 Codes

These are three-letter identifiers that provide a clearer connection to a country’s name and are widely used in international statistics, diplomacy, and shipping.
For example:

  • PAK for Pakistan
  • USA for United States
  • IND for India
  • FRA for France

Alpha-3 codes are particularly valuable in multilingual environments because they avoid translation confusion.

2. Numeric Country Codes (ISO 3166-1 Numeric)

Numeric codes are three-digit numbers assigned to each country. They are particularly useful in systems that use numerical data exclusively such as banking, trade systems, and older digital frameworks that may not support letters.

For example:

  • 586 for Pakistan
  • 840 for United States
  • 356 for India
  • 250 for France

These codes are used by organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in global data reporting.

3. International Telephone Codes (ITU E.164 Standard)

When making an international call, the prefix you dial such as +92 or +1 is the telephone country code.
These are assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to ensure consistent international calling structures.

Examples include:

  • +92 for Pakistan
  • +1 for the United States and Canada
  • +44 for the United Kingdom
  • +81 for Japan

Telephone codes are not random; they often follow regional patterns. For example, most African nations use codes starting with +2, while Europe predominantly uses +3 and +4.

4. The Importance of Country Code Standardization

Without global standards like ISO 3166 and ITU E.164, international systems would quickly fall into chaos. Each organization might assign its own abbreviations, leading to confusion and inconsistency.

Standardized country codes help to:

  • Facilitate international trade and shipping – Customs, invoices, and export data use ISO codes.
  • Ensure accurate global communication – Telecom networks rely on ITU codes to route calls.
  • Simplify data exchange – Government, business, and research databases recognize uniform codes.
  • Promote global identification – Every country is uniquely represented, regardless of language or script.

For example, the United Nations Statistics Division relies heavily on numeric and alphabetic codes when publishing world economic data.

5. Examples of Alphabet and Digit Codes in Daily Life

You might not realize it, but you encounter country codes every day.

  • When visiting a website like “bbc.co.uk,” the “.uk” represents the United Kingdom’s ISO Alpha-2 code.
  • When dialing abroad, you use ITU telephone codes like “+91” for India.
  • When filling out immigration or customs forms, you may see Alpha-3 codes like “PAK” or “USA.”
  • In international sports, Olympic teams use Alpha-3 codes such as “GBR” (United Kingdom) or “BRA” (Brazil).

These codes form the foundation of global communication, quietly operating behind the scenes.

Comprehensive Table of Alphabet and Digit Country Codes (All 195 Countries)

Below is the complete reference table listing all countries recognized by the United Nations, including their Alpha-2, Alpha-3, Numeric, and Telephone Codes.

[The full table of 195 countries, as included in the previous version, remains the same.]

6. How Country Codes Are Assigned

Country codes are determined by international bodies:

  • ISO (International Organization for Standardization): Maintains the 3166 standard, updated periodically to reflect geopolitical changes (such as new countries or name changes).
  • ITU (International Telecommunication Union): Assigns telephone codes based on region, capacity, and connectivity infrastructure.

For example, when South Sudan gained independence in 2011, ISO assigned new codes (Alpha-2: SS, Alpha-3: SSD, Numeric: 728), and ITU allocated telephone code +211.

7. Regional Code Groupings and Patterns

Each region tends to follow identifiable patterns:

  • Africa: Numeric codes generally range from 012–894, with many phone codes beginning with +2.
  • Europe: Uses Alpha-2 codes reflecting original local names (e.g., DE for Deutschland, ES for España).
  • Asia: Features diverse codes due to linguistic differences (e.g., JP for Japan, CN for China).
  • Americas: Often use codes that align with English or Spanish abbreviations (e.g., US, BR, AR).

These patterns ensure codes remain meaningful while being easy to categorize.

8. The Evolution and Future of Country Codes

The use of country codes continues to evolve with digital transformation. In the modern world:

  • Digital platforms like Google, Facebook, and Netflix use ISO codes for regional content targeting.
  • Banking systems rely on codes for IBAN (International Bank Account Number) validation.
  • AI and machine learning systems use standardized codes for global datasets.

As more countries change names or merge (like the recent transformations in African and Asian regions), ISO regularly updates the list. You can always find the latest version on ISO’s official website (iso.org).

Conclusion

Country codes may look simple, but they are the backbone of the global identification system that keeps our world organized. From the smallest island nations to the largest economies, every country is represented through its alphabet and digit country codes, enabling consistent communication, commerce, and cooperation across borders.

In an increasingly digital and interconnected age, these codes remain crucial silently powering everything from your phone call to a friend abroad, to an online purchase shipped across continents.

Complete List of Alphabet and Digit Country Codes

Below is a comprehensive table listing all 195 countries with their Alpha-2, Alpha-3, Numeric, and Telephone Codes.

Full List of Alphabet & Digit Country Codes. ⬇️

Country Name Alpha-2 Code Alpha-3 Code Numeric Code Telephone Code
AfghanistanAFAFG004+93
AlbaniaALALB008+355
AlgeriaDZDZA012+213
AndorraADAND020+376
AngolaAOAGO024+244
Antigua and BarbudaAGATG028+1-268
ArgentinaARARG032+54
ArmeniaAMARM051+374
AustraliaAUAUS036+61
AustriaATAUT040+43
AzerbaijanAZAZE031+994
BahamasBSBHS044+1-242
BahrainBHBHR048+973
BangladeshBDBGD050+880
BarbadosBBBRB052+1-246
BelarusBYBLR112+375
BelgiumBEBEL056+32
BelizeBZBLZ084+501
BeninBJBEN204+229
BhutanBTBTN064+975
BoliviaBOBOL068+591
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBABIH070+387
BotswanaBWBWA072+267
BrazilBRBRA076+55
Brunei DarussalamBNBRN096+673
BulgariaBGBGR100+359
Burkina FasoBFBFA854+226
BurundiBIBDI108+257
CambodiaKHKHM116+855
CameroonCMCMR120+237
CanadaCACAN124+1
Cape VerdeCVCPV132+238
Central African RepublicCFCAF140+236
ChadTDTCD148+235
ChileCLCHL152+56
ChinaCNCHN156+86
ColombiaCOCOL170+57
ComorosKMCOM174+269
Congo (Brazzaville)CGCOG178+242
Congo (Kinshasa)CDCOD180+243
Costa RicaCRCRI188+506
CroatiaHRHRV191+385
CubaCUCUB192+53
CyprusCYCYP196+357
Czech RepublicCZCZE203+420
DenmarkDKDNK208+45
DjiboutiDJDJI262+253
DominicaDMDMA212+1-767
Dominican RepublicDODOM214+1-809
EcuadorECECU218+593
EgyptEGEGY818+20
El SalvadorSVSLV222+503
Equatorial GuineaGQGNQ226+240
EritreaERERI232+291
EstoniaEEEST233+372
EswatiniSZSWZ748+268
EthiopiaETETH231+251
FijiFJFJI242+679
FinlandFIFIN246+358
FranceFRFRA250+33
GabonGAGAB266+241
GambiaGMGMB270+220
GeorgiaGEGEO268+995
GermanyDEDEU276+49
GhanaGHGHA288+233
GreeceGRGRC300+30
GrenadaGDGRD308+1-473
GuatemalaGTGTM320+502
GuineaGNGIN324+224
Guinea-BissauGWGNB624+245
GuyanaGYGUY328+592
HaitiHTHTI332+509
HondurasHNHND340+504
HungaryHUHUN348+36
IcelandISISL352+354
IndiaININD356+91
IndonesiaIDIDN360+62
IranIRIRN364+98
IraqIQIRQ368+964
IrelandIEIRL372+353
IsraelILISR376+972
ItalyITITA380+39
JamaicaJMJAM388+1-876
JapanJPJPN392+81
JordanJOJOR400+962
KazakhstanKZKAZ398+7
KenyaKEKEN404+254
KiribatiKIKIR296+686
KuwaitKWKWT414+965
KyrgyzstanKGKGZ417+996
LaosLALAO418+856
LatviaLVLVA428+371
LebanonLBLBN422+961
LesothoLSLSO426+266
LiberiaLRLBR430+231
LibyaLYLBY434+218
LiechtensteinLILIE438+423
LithuaniaLTLTU440+370
LuxembourgLULUX442+352
MadagascarMGMDG450+261
MalawiMWMWI454+265
MalaysiaMYMYS458+60
MaldivesMVMDV462+960
MaliMLMLI466+223
MaltaMTMLT470+356
Marshall IslandsMHMHL584+692
MauritaniaMRMRT478+222
MauritiusMUMUS480+230
MexicoMXMEX484+52
MicronesiaFMFSM583+691
MoldovaMDMDA498+373
MonacoMCMCO492+377
MongoliaMNMNG496+976
MontenegroMEMNE499+382
MoroccoMAMAR504+212
MozambiqueMZMOZ508+258
MyanmarMMMMR104+95
NamibiaNANAM516+264
NauruNRNRU520+674
NepalNPNPL524+977
NetherlandsNLNLD528+31
New ZealandNZNZL554+64
NicaraguaNINIC558+505
NigerNENER562+227
NigeriaNGNGA566+234
North KoreaKPPRK408+850
North MacedoniaMKMKD807+389
NorwayNONOR578+47
OmanOMOMN512+968
PakistanPKPAK586+92
PalauPWPLW585+680
PanamaPAPAN591+507
Papua New GuineaPGPNG598+675
ParaguayPYPRY600+595
PeruPEPER604+51
PhilippinesPHPHL608+63
PolandPLPOL616+48
PortugalPTPRT620+351
QatarQAQAT634+974
RomaniaROROU642+40
RussiaRURUS643+7
RwandaRWRWA646+250
Saint Kitts and NevisKNKNA659+1-869
Saint LuciaLCLCA662+1-758
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVCVCT670+1-784
SamoaWSWSM882+685
San MarinoSMSMR674+378
Sao Tome and PrincipeSTSTP678+239
Saudi ArabiaSASAU682+966
SenegalSNSEN686+221
SerbiaRSSRB688+381
SeychellesSCSYC690+248
Sierra LeoneSLSLE694+232
SingaporeSGSGP702+65
SlovakiaSKSVK703+421
SloveniaSISVN705+386
Solomon IslandsSBSLB090+677
SomaliaSOSOM706+252
South AfricaZAZAF710+27
South KoreaKRKOR410+82
South SudanSSSSD728+211
SpainESESP724+34
Sri LankaLKLKA144+94
SudanSDSDN729+249
SurinameSRSUR740+597
SwedenSESWE752+46
SwitzerlandCHCHE756+41
SyriaSYSYR760+963
TaiwanTWTWN158+886
TajikistanTJTJK762+992
TanzaniaTZTZA834+255
ThailandTHTHA764+66
Timor-LesteTLTLS626+670
TogoTGTGO768+228
TongaTOTON776+676
Trinidad and TobagoTTTTO780+1-868
TunisiaTNTUN788+216
TurkeyTRTUR792+90
TurkmenistanTMTKM795+993
TuvaluTVTUV798+688
UgandaUGUGA800+256
UkraineUAUKR804+380
United Arab EmiratesAEARE784+971
United KingdomGBGBR826+44
United StatesUSUSA840+1
UruguayUYURY858+598
UzbekistanUZUZB860+998
VanuatuVUVUT548+678
Vatican CityVAVAT336+379
VenezuelaVEVEN862+58
VietnamVNVNM704+84
YemenYEYEM887+967
ZambiaZMZMB894+260
ZimbabweZWZWE716+263

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Sara Wafa Send an email 4 weeks ago
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