The alphabetic form used to identify and locate a unique entity on the internet from its translated numeric address. Domain names are resolved into valid IP attributes by database nodes called Domain Name Server / Service / System (DNS). A "fully qualified domain name" (FQDN) contains its domain name, hostname (ie: server, network), classification (ie: net, com, org, edu, gov, mil, int), and protocol type (eg: http, ftp); subdomains or subdirectories may be indicated by suffix extensions. If no country code is specified in the path, then the domain is located in the USA. Due to internet expansion, additional top level domain (TLD) name extensions were approved for registration by ICANN through InterNIC on 16 Nov 2000; including: biz, info, coop, name, aero, museum, pro. Country codes adapted for alternative worldwide TLD registrations include: bz (Belize ), cc (Cocos / Keeling Islands), tv (Tuvalu ), ws (Western Samoa). See URL, internet address, IP, TCP/IP, homepage, web server.