July 14, 2012
Over 7 million domain names were registered during the first quarter of this year, bringing the total number to the equivalent of one name for every 30 people on the planet.
According to Verisign's latest latest Domain Name Industry Brief, Q1 saw a registration growth rate of 3.3 percent over Q4 last year. The number of otal active registrations has grown by over 23,000,000 since the first quarter of 2011.
Of the 233 million names globally, .com and .net Top-Level Domains (TLDs) reached a combined total of approximately 116.7 million active names.
Verisign estimates 88 percent of .com and .net domain names resolve to a "website". However, those websites may be million-page online destinations; or as simple as a one-page under construction site, a brochure-ware presence or parked domain pages.
Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) numbered 94.9 million domain names by the end of Q1, a 16.2 percent increase over the same period last year.
While there are more than more than 290 ccTLDs extensions globally, the top ten make up 60 percent of all registrations. In terms of top ccTLDs, Australia's au domain space made the top 10 list again .. but only just.
1. .de (Germany)
2. .uk (United Kingdom)
3. .tk (Tokelau)
4. .nl (Netherlands)
5. .ru (Russian Federation)
6. .eu (European Union)
7. .cn (China)
8. .br (Brazil)
9. .ar (Argentina)
10. .au (Australia)
Verisign said its average daily Domain Name System (DNS ) query load during Q1 was 66 billion, peaking at 74 billion. Compared to the first quarter last year, the daily average increased 16 percent and the peak figure jumped 10 percent.
Verisign's latest Domain Name Industry Brief can be viewed in full here (PDF). Previous reports archived back to March in 2008 can be downloaded here.
Have a web site or blog? Get our free domain news widget.
How to register a name: Enter your choice in the search tool and click 'GO'. If after the check the domain names search results show your choice is available, you will then have the option to proceed to purchase registration; which is a very quick and easy process - start a search and find your ideal website address now.
AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1996
1300 863 436