so-domain Domain

.so The domain for Somalia

The domain .so is the country specific top-level domain for Somalia. It was introduced on August 28, 1997 and is currently administered in Mogadishu by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Posts. Since 9 March 2018, the National Communications Authority has full control of the .so domain.

Due to the civil war, the domain was not accessible until 01.11.2010. With the takeover by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Post it was restarted. To reflect the .so domain used, the ISO 3166-1 code of the country was also changed on 11 July 2013.

The domain can be used by anyone. It is often criticised that the registry has not issued clear guidelines as to what can be done in case of disputes about domain names. This is because the allocation is based without exception on the "first-come, first-served" rule. This rule also applies to the owners of registered trademarks who, in case of doubt, have no claim to their domain name.

Both natural persons and legal entities can register under the domain .so in accordance with the NEXUS requirements. This regulation requires that the person must prove a company or residence within Somalia or must demonstrate a legitimate and provable connection. Both must exist both at the time of registration and afterwards.

No proof is required to register the domain. In individual cases, however, the registry checks afterwards whether the conditions are fulfilled. If the information is not correct or if the proof cannot be provided, it is up to the registry to suspend, delete or transfer the domain.

Compared to other domains, the domain of Somalia is only used very little. This is because 60 percent of Somalis live as nomads, while 25 percent live as farmers. Only 15 percent of Somalis live in the city. According to statistics, only 7 percent of girls and 13 percent of boys attend school. Internet use is correspondingly limited in comparison with other African countries.

Geographically, Somalia is located in the Horn of Africa in the east of Africa. The capital, where the awarding authority is also located, is Mogadishu. The Somali people represent the majority of the population in the country. Somalia borders on Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and the Indian Ocean.

The country has been in civil war since 1991. An internationally recognized transitional government governs, but it controls only a small part of the country and has comparatively little influence. The transitional government is repeatedly challenged by Somali clans, radical Islamic groups and pirates.