.HT Domain Names
What is a .HT domain?
The .HT domain is a ccTLD (country code top level domain), and the Internet country code for Haiti. Located in the Caribbean, Haiti occupies the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola. This island is nestled between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic. Covering 10,714 square miles, Haiti covers an area slightly smaller than the state of Maryland. With a population estimated at 8,924,553, the official languages spoken are French and Creole.
Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804, after a prolonged slave uprising. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections. Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.
Why should i register a .HT domain name?
A great majority of the domains registered under the .HT ccTLD are through entities associated with Haiti. The .HT domain name presents a great opportunity for local and international companies wanting to represent their business in Haiti. Local domain names give your company a professional image, which demonstrates proof of your commitment to local customers. By targeting the local Haitian market, you can maximize your company's revenues.
Registering ccTLDs offers another way to protect your online identity, as well as that of your business. We all know how important it is to protect our personal identity. The same should be true when considering the identity of your business or trademark online. Your assets are important whether in the form of a bank account or a domain name, and they need to be protected. When you register your trademark in a ccTLD domain, you are taking one more step to protect what is critical to you and your livelihood. By purchasing your trademark in a ccTLD, you do not have to worry about a competitor acquiring that name. Think how much easier it is to be the original owner instead of attempting to procure the domain from another party.
If you are looking to own domains with shorter names or more common words, ccTLDs may be the way to go. As we all know, attempting to obtain these types of domain in more popular extensions is futile. Most ccTLD domains are still becoming populated, dramatically increasing the chances that your domain is available. Additionally, ccTLDs lend themselves greatly to domain hacks. With a domain like .HT, there are endless possibilities (ex: heig.HT, weig.HT, or draug.HT).
Are there any restrictions for registering a .HT?
There are no restrictions for registering a top level .HT domain. Registration for these domains is open to anyone, similar to .COM, .NET, or .ORG.