# Heard & McDonald Islands -- why a top level domain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 6, 2025, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687 "2025-04-06T03:52:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/1 "2025-04-06T03:52:37Z")
Trump set tariffs on pretty much all countries (except Russia, N Korea and Cuba) but also on some non-countries. One of those non-countries was the Heard & McDonald Islands, which are inhabited by penguins but not humans. We then found out that they were included (probably by an AI) because they have a top level domain (.hm). So why do they have a top level domain? Are there servers there catering to (double click rule applies) [PENGUIN LUST urges from hell](http://www.penguinlust.com/)? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/2 "2025-04-06T04:07:20Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > why do they have a top level domain? The answer is “because they have an ISO 3066-1 country code.” But that just transfers the question to “why do they have an ISO country code?” The answer to that question is “because the territory appears in the United Nations Statistics Division ‘Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49)’ list.” (This list is one of the two authoritative sources for entries in ISO 3066-1.) > **[UNSD — Methodology](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)** > > United Nations Statistics Divisin - Methodology But that raises the next question: Why are they in the UNSD country or region list? Search seems to run dry here. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/3 "2025-04-06T04:47:57Z")
Probably for the same reason the British Indian Ocean Territory has a top-level domain - someone saw an opportunity for profit. A LOT of techies and indie game developers use .io for their projects. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/4 "2025-04-06T06:22:15Z")
Not an answer to your turtles-all-the-way-down question, but some more info on the four territory domains that Australia administers (3 populated with humans, one by seals as well as penguins). > **[Australia's 'Other' Domains | Domain Registration AU](https://www.domainregistration.com.au/news/2014/1401-australian-domains.php)** > > In addition to .AU, there are four other country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) representing Australia and its territories such as .NF, .CC, .CX, .HM & more. [https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-technology-communications/internet/internet-governance/domain-names](https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-technology-communications/internet/internet-governance/domain-names) ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/5 "2025-04-06T09:49:46Z")
I think the answer is that outlying territories of other countries (used to be called “colonies”, but that word is out of fashion today) typically get treated as sort-of-nation-like status for purposes such as ISO country codes - other examples are the Falklands, St Helena, or French Polynesia. Heard & McDonald is such an outlying territory under Australian law, and it has this status despite not having a population. And based on that status it got a TLD. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/6 "2025-04-06T09:54:58Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Are there servers there catering to… You serious? No. Nobody has even been to the islands for nearly a decade. There is nothing there. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/7 "2025-04-06T09:57:03Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > You serious? Not that part. I do occasionally include a little joke in my posts. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/8 "2025-04-06T10:00:46Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > So why do they have a top level domain? Things that make you go .hm ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/9 "2025-04-06T14:06:02Z")
Servers in no way have to physically located anywhere near the “country”. Perhaps, if you got the dough you can lease a domain from Australia. A quick ping shows that “google.hm” maps to an IP address in DNS but doesn’t connect to anything. OTOH, WHOIS says it’s an invalid or unsupported domain. Tuvalu is a great example of a small country which has an amazing number of websites under it’s top level domain “.tv”. Income from leasing those domains is a major source of income. Tuvalu has a pop. of 10,000+ and is very worried about rising sea levels. At some point the whole population may need to be evacuated giving a 0 population country with a lot of domains. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/10 "2025-04-06T14:15:15Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > No. Nobody has even been to the islands for nearly a decade. There is nothing there. Perfect for an evil lair … or … Fortress of Solitude. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/11 "2025-04-06T14:18:22Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Nobody has even been to the islands for nearly a decade. There is nothing there. That’s just what the penguins want you to think. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/12 "2025-04-06T14:20:50Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Servers in no way have to physically located anywhere near the “country”. The penguins want you to think that, too. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/13 "2025-04-06T14:20:52Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That’s just what the penguins want you to think. I have a theory about penguins. 👽 ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/14 "2025-04-06T20:41:10Z")
Only 10% tariff on guano. A bargain! ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/15 "2025-04-06T21:55:21Z")
American Samoa also gets a TLD, (.as) for the same reason. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/16 "2025-04-06T22:08:46Z")
Considering the competence displayed by whoever composed the original list of tariffs, it’s somewhat amazing American Samoa didn’t get one. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2025, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/17 "2025-04-06T22:29:36Z")
I assume the original UN list is simple - if it’s part of the country it’s the country, just as if it’s an independent country. If it’s a separate territory that’s not really an integral “part of the country” it’s separate. I suppose the country’s own definition is the reference for this. South Georgia is another example. Obbviously not part of the UK, but controlled by it. (Actually includes the South Sandwich Islands). So give it a separate listing and designation in the UN. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/18 "2025-04-07T00:07:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > A LOT of techies and indie game developers use .io for their projects. The Cook Islands internet authority was quick to realize the potential misuses of **.ck**. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/19 "2025-04-07T09:18:38Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Things that make you go .hm That generated a nerdy giggle, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687/20 "2025-04-07T19:09:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Things that make you go .hm Should we all just assume you registered that web name and we shouldn’t try? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heard-mcdonald-islands-why-a-top-level-domain/1016687.md?page=2)