What is .gl?
.gl has a second life online. Because of what the letters suggest, it's picked up a following for short links (Google ran goo.gl for years), beyond Greenland's borders. Legally it remains Greenland's ccTLD.
A little context on Greenland: the capital is Nuuk, the main language is Greenlandic, the currency is the krone (DKK) and the international dialing code is +299.
IANA lists TELE Greenland A/S as the manager of .gl, with an address in Greenland. The registry's website is http://www.nic.gl. ccTLD managers set their own policies — who can register, which second-level names exist, pricing to registrars — so those rules differ from country to country.
On the technical side, .gl is served by 5 authoritative name servers, 2 of them reachable over IPv6. It is also DNSSEC-signed: the root zone carries a DS record for .gl, which lets validating resolvers check its answers cryptographically. Registration data is published over WHOIS (the WHOIS server is whois.nic.gl).
.gl FAQ
What country is .gl?
.gl is the country-code top-level domain for Greenland, in North America. Online it's also used for short links (Google ran goo.gl for years).
What does .gl mean?
Officially, .gl is simply the ISO 3166-1 code for Greenland. Online, it's also used for short links (Google ran goo.gl for years) — a "domain hack" that uses the letters for what they spell.
What does .gl mean in an email address?
Only that the sender's domain is registered under .gl. Because .gl is also used for short links (Google ran goo.gl for years), it doesn't necessarily mean the person is in Greenland.
Who owns the .gl domain?
IANA lists TELE Greenland A/S as the manager of .gl: it runs the registry and sets the rules for Greenland's ccTLD. Individual .gl names belong to whoever registers them.
Can I register a .gl domain from the US?
It depends on TELE Greenland A/S's policy. Some ccTLDs are open to anyone in the world, while others require a local address, company or trademark. Check the registry (http://www.nic.gl) or an accredited registrar before you buy.
Is .gl DNSSEC-signed?
Yes. The root zone has a DS record for .gl, so DNSSEC validation works all the way down from the root.
How do I look up who owns a .gl domain?
Query the registry's registration data service: the WHOIS server is whois.nic.gl. Many registrants use privacy services, so personal details may be hidden.
Sources
Data from IANA root zone version 2026102000. Last changed August 4, 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
