wf-domain Domain

The domain extension .wf is the country-specific top-level domain of the French overseas territory Wallis and Futuna. It concerns two groups of islands in the South Pacific Ocean between the Fiji Islands and Samoa. The area consists of the three recognised kingdoms of Uvea, Sigave and Alo, with the two archipelagos being 225 kilometres apart. Geographically, the two archipelagos are assigned to Polynesia. The islands have a population of around 11,500 people, the majority of whom are Polynesians. The remaining inhabitants of the islands are descendants of the French conquerors. Many Wallisians and Futunians live as emigrants in New Caledonia. The islands have a pure and traditional subsistence economy in the form of coconut and vegetable cultivation. In addition, domestic pigs are kept and fishing is practised. The islanders are 40 percent self-sufficient. The main trading partner is France, to which handicraft products are also exported. The infrastructure on the islands is only weakly developed. Hardly any of the islanders have permanent access to the WWW.

Allocation guidelines of the domain extension

Even though the domain ending .wf had already been launched on 14 November 1997, it was initially not possible to apply for a domain address with that ending. Eleven years after the launch of this domain extension, 13 domain addresses were registered in 2008 at the request of the Government of Wallis and Futuna. Since 6 December 2011, any private person or company, regardless of their domicile or registered office in the archipelago, can register a domain address ending in .wf. However, this only applies to private individuals and companies with residence or company headquarters in the European Union, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland. In order to register such a domain, private individuals must provide their date and place of birth.

Meaning

The importance of the domain extension .wf is very small. The reason for this is the lack of interest within the island state. Websites for the purpose of advertising services or products are not needed, because what is not consumed or needed in the own country is available for export to France and private persons rarely have access to the WWW.