A country abbreviation usually comes in two standard sizes: a two letter code such as DE for Germany and a three letter code such as DEU. Both come from the international standard ISO 3166, and you will see them on shipping forms, websites, passports and online checkout pages. Sports events often add a third set, which is why Germany shows up as GER on a scoreboard.
This section covers those country codes, the Canadian province abbreviations people mail letters to, a few city nicknames that are really acronyms, and the airport codes printed on every bag tag. Each place below links to a page that shows every code it uses and where each one belongs.
Quick facts
Two letter codes
ISO alpha-2, like DE, FR, CA; also used for most web domainsThree letter codes
ISO alpha-3, like DEU, FRA, CAN; used on passports and in dataSports codes
Olympic style codes, like GER, SUI, NEDAirport codes
Three letters, like LAX and BNANot to be confused with
US state postal codes, which are also two letters
Three kinds of country abbreviation codes
Most confusion comes from the fact that one country can have three different short forms, each made for a different job.
- Two letter ISO codes (alpha-2) are the most common. They appear in address forms, language settings and most country web domains, such as .fr for France.
- Three letter ISO codes (alpha-3) are easier to read at a glance. They are printed in the machine readable strip of most passports and used in trade and statistics tables.
- Sports codes are three letters too, but they were set by sports bodies long ago and sometimes differ from the ISO code.
None of these codes take periods, and all are written in capitals. In a normal sentence, though, style guides prefer the full country name or a written short form such as U.S. or U.K.
The United States is a good example of all three side by side. Its two letter code is US, its three letter code is USA, and its sports code is also USA. On an international shipping label you would usually write US or the full name, United States, in the country line.
Country codes for Europe
Several European codes come from the country's own name in its own language, which explains the ones that do not match English.
| Country | Two letter | Three letter | Sports code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | DE | DEU | GER |
| France | FR | FRA | FRA |
| Spain | ES | ESP | ESP |
| Italy | IT | ITA | ITA |
| Switzerland | CH | CHE | SUI |
| Austria | AT | AUT | AUT |
| Netherlands | NL | NLD | NED |
| Sweden | SE | SWE | SWE |
| Denmark | DK | DNK | DEN |
| Ireland | IE | IRL | IRL |
| Ukraine | UA | UKR | UKR |
DE comes from Deutschland and ES from España. CH for Switzerland is from the Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica, chosen so that no one of the country's languages is favored. Do not read UA as a short form of United Arab Emirates; that country uses AE.
Codes for the Americas, Asia and Oceania
| Country | Two letter | Three letter | Sports code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | CA | CAN | CAN |
| Australia | AU | AUS | AUS |
| China | CN | CHN | CHN |
| India | IN | IND | IND |
| Philippines | PH | PHL | PHI |
CA is a classic trap. On an international form it means Canada, but on a US address it means California. AU is Australia, not Austria, which uses AT. When a form asks for a country, the field label usually tells you which standard it wants: a two box field expects the alpha-2 code.
At an online checkout: the country menu shows "CA" next to a maple leaf flag. The site is using the two letter ISO code, so CA here is Canada, and your state or province goes in its own box.
Provinces, neighborhoods and city nicknames
Inside a country, places get their own short forms. These are not ISO country codes, but they show up in the same kinds of places: mailing labels, maps and street signs.
- Ontario: ON is the two letter code Canada Post uses on mail, and Ont. is the older written abbreviation.
- DUMBO: Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, a Brooklyn neighborhood whose name is a true acronym.
Canadian province codes look a lot like US state codes, and both are two capital letters with no periods. For the US side, with every state's postal code and its older written form, see state abbreviations.
Airport codes on tickets and bag tags
Airports use three letter codes set by the airline industry. Many are obvious, but some keep letters from an old name.
| Code | Airport | Why these letters |
|---|---|---|
| LAX | Los Angeles International Airport | LA plus an X to fill out three letters |
| BNA | Nashville International Airport | From Berry Field Nashville, the airport's old name |
Airport codes do not follow country codes. A city can have several airports, each with its own code, and the letters may not match the city name at all. When booking, check the airport name next to the code, not only the letters.
Tips for using a country abbreviation correctly
- Match the form. If a form shows two boxes, use the two letter ISO code. If it shows three, use the alpha-3 code, not the sports code.
- Write names in running text. In an essay or email, write Germany, not DE. Save codes for forms, labels and tables.
- Watch the look-alikes. AT is Austria, AU is Australia. CH is Switzerland, CN is China. DK is Denmark, DE is Germany.
- Remember the UK quirk. The ISO code for the United Kingdom is GB, even though its web domain ends in .uk.
- Do not add periods to codes. Write NL, not N.L.
For the general rules on letters and short forms, see how to abbreviate and acronym vs abbreviation.
Questions people ask
What is a country abbreviation?
It is a short code that stands for a country. The most common are the two letter and three letter codes from the ISO 3166 standard, such as FR and FRA for France.
Why is Germany abbreviated DE?
DE comes from Deutschland, the country's name in German. Its three letter code is DEU, and sports events use GER.
Why is Switzerland CH?
CH stands for Confoederatio Helvetica, the Latin name of the Swiss Confederation. Using Latin avoids picking one of the country's four national languages.
Is the country code for the United Kingdom UK or GB?
The ISO code is GB, with GBR as the three letter version. The web domain .uk is an exception, so you will see both.
Are airport codes the same as country codes?
No. Airport codes are three letters assigned to individual airports, like LAX for Los Angeles International. They have nothing to do with ISO country codes.