Most country code TLDs (ccTLDs) signal to search engines that your site targets a specific country. For example, a .de domain tells Google your site is aimed at a German audience.
However, Google recognizes that some ccTLDs are used so widely as generic domains that they no longer imply a specific country. These are called generic country code TLDs (gccTLDs). If you use one of these, Google will not assume your site targets a particular country — they're treated the same as .com or .org for geo-targeting purposes.
The full list
The following ccTLDs are treated as generic by Google:
- .ad — Andorra
- .as — American Samoa
- .bz — Belize
- .cc — Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- .cd — Democratic Republic of the Congo
- .co — Colombia
- .dj — Djibouti
- .fm — Federated States of Micronesia
- .gg — Guernsey
- .io — British Indian Ocean Territory
- .la — Laos
- .me — Montenegro
- .ms — Montserrat
- .nu — Niue
- .sc — Seychelles
- .sr — Suriname
- .su — Soviet Union (former)
- .tv — Tuvalu
- .tk — Tokelau
- .ws — Samoa
Notable additions
Google has expanded this list over time. Some notable recent additions:
- .ai — Anguilla (widely used for artificial intelligence)
- .dev — While technically a gTLD (not a ccTLD), it's worth noting that Google owns this extension and treats it as fully generic
What this means for you
If you're using a ccTLD from the list above, you don't need to worry about Google limiting your search visibility to a single country. Your site will be treated the same as a .com for international search rankings.
If your ccTLD is not on this list (e.g., .de, .fr, .uk), Google will assume your site primarily targets that country's audience. You can override this in Google Search Console, but it's worth considering before choosing your domain.
For the latest information, check Google's documentation on multi-regional sites.