gr-domain Domain

.gr The domain for Greece

The domain .gr is a country specific top level domain. It is administered by the registry ICS-FORTH GR and was put into operation in February 1989. The domain is active and has a usage of about 0.4 million registered domains.

The use of the domain enjoys great popularity within Greece. With the exception of a few second-level domains, it is possible to freely choose the level at which the website is registered. Since 2018, a country-specific domain based on the Greek alphabet has also been in operation. This is also used, but does not enjoy the same popularity as the original domain.

The registration of a .gr domain is more complex than the registration of other domains. Therefore, the activation takes between two and six days. This is due to the fact that the processing on site is still done on paper. Since October 2010, it has been possible to submit electronic applications for the provision of the domain, but they still have to go through the bureaucratic structure on site.

The domain is now freely available. Until August 2004, the registration was subject to stricter guidelines, which were controlled by the registry. Until 2004, the .gr domain may only be registered to private individuals or companies from Greece. In addition, it was regulated that a private person could only receive two domains, while the limit for companies was set at ten domains.

These conditions were lifted in August 2004. No new regulations were established. Accordingly, the use is also possible for persons or companies that cannot show a location in Greece. Also the administrative contact person does not have to stay in Greece any longer.

In addition to the country-specific top-level domain .gr, there are different second-level domains for Greece. These include .com for use by commercial organisations or .edu for use by educational institutions. Special second-level domains such as .gov or .edu cannot be used by private persons, as they are reserved for governmental authorities or educational institutions.

Greece has been known since ancient times as a centre for trade, culture and science, which is why it is often referred to as the cradle of Europe. The Olympic Games, which enjoy great popularity worldwide, were held here in ancient times. Greece adopted a republican form of government in 1974, after this decision was taken in a referendum.