ISO Country Code Reference
Look up any country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2, alpha-3 and numeric codes, plus historical code transitions like SU dissolving into 15 successor states.
Data last maintained
ISO Country Code Reference
Look up any country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2, alpha-3 and numeric codes, plus historical code transitions like SU dissolving into 15 successor states.
Data last maintained
About ISO Country Code Reference
ISO 3166-1 and historical records
The table focuses on ISO 3166 country and territory identifiers: alpha-2, alpha-3, and numeric codes for current entries, plus ISO 3166-3 style historical records when an entry has been withdrawn or replaced.
Search by code, name, continent, or status
Use the search box for country names, alpha-2 codes, alpha-3 codes, numeric codes, or continent text. The continent and status filters help separate current entries from historical transitions, and successor or predecessor notes appear when the data includes them.
Not a legal or geopolitical ruling
ISO code references do not decide legal recognition, visa eligibility, customs rules, tax residency, sanctioned-party screening, or political status. For official forms and regulated workflows, confirm the required code list with the receiving institution or government source.
FAQ
Common questions and answers about this topic.
What is ISO 3166?
ISO 3166 is the international standard maintained by ISO for country and subdivision codes. ISO 3166-1 covers current countries; ISO 3166-3 records former codes such as SU (USSR) or YU (Yugoslavia).
What is the difference between alpha-2 and alpha-3?
Alpha-2 (two letters, e.g. TW) is the most common form, used in domains and i18n locale prefixes. Alpha-3 (three letters, e.g. TWN) is more readable and used in passports and the Olympics.
How is numeric different from the letter codes?
Numeric uses three digits (e.g. 158) and is language-independent, so it works regardless of script. It is common in UN datasets and multi-language data integration.
What is Taiwan's ISO code?
Taiwan's ISO 3166-1 codes are TW (alpha-2), TWN (alpha-3), and 158 (numeric). The ISO official name is "Taiwan, Province of China", but most localized contexts simply call it Taiwan.
What happened to the SU code after the Soviet Union dissolved?
After 1991 SU was retired from ISO 3166-1 and moved to ISO 3166-3 as a "withdrawn" code, with 15 successor states (RU, UA, BY, KZ, UZ, TJ, KG, TM, AM, AZ, GE, MD, LT, LV, EE) each getting their own alpha-2.
When would I actually use these codes?
Filling cross-border forms (country dropdown), integrating multi-country databases (unifying country column schema), writing i18n / l10n locale prefixes, or researching historical code transitions.
Why does the same numeric code appear for multiple countries (like 104 for both BUR and MMR)?
When a country renames itself or its government changes (e.g. Burma → Myanmar), ISO typically keeps the original numeric code for continuity in UN statistics. The old alpha-2/alpha-3 retires to ISO 3166-3 while the new code inherits the numeric.
What about ISO 3166-2 subdivision codes? Can I look them up here?
This tool covers only ISO 3166-1 (country codes) and ISO 3166-3 (former country codes). ISO 3166-2 has 5,000+ subdivision codes worldwide and is out of scope; consult the official ISO Online Browsing Platform for that.
Do Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao have special status in ISO 3166?
All three have their own alpha-2 codes (TW, HK, MO) in ISO 3166-1. The official ISO names include qualifiers — "Taiwan, Province of China", "Hong Kong" and "Macao" (both listed as Special Administrative Regions). They are treated as separate entries for coding purposes, regardless of the political naming.
Data Sources
This tool's data is compiled from the authoritative sources below.
- ISO 3166 Country Codes(opens in a new tab)
- ISO 3166-1:2020(opens in a new tab)
- ISO 3166-3:2020(opens in a new tab)
- UN M49 Standard Country or Area Codes(opens in a new tab)
Data last maintained