ISO 3166 (country codes) Maintenance Agency Web pages move

[John Clews]

In message <5.0.2.1.2.20020224155343.00acda00@pop.iquebec.com> Alain LaBont=
 writes:

> For example, if Qu=E9bec (a territory currently 3 times as big as France)>
> eventually became a country it would have its code...

Yes, as Quebec does not already have a country code.

However, if Greenland decided to become fully independent from
Denmark, there would not be a new code, as GL already exists for
Greenland (some associated territories also have "country codes" as
they stand now).

> and the current numeric code for Canada would designate a different
> territory...

Yes, as happened for YU Yugoslavia.

> Would that mean even a different numeric code for the new country
> designated as Canada?

No. The numeric codes are set by the United Nations Statistical
Office, in New York, and adopted verbatim by the ISO 3166/MA.

In passing, I too deplore the recent change to the 3-letter code for
Romania. That would have less practical implications in IT systems
than any changes to the 2-letter code.

The recent change to the 3-letter code would have been done by the
ISO 3166/MA, and not by the United Nations Statistical Office.

Best regards

John Clews

--
John Clews,
Keytempo Limited (Information Management),
8 Avenue Rd, Harrogate, HG2 7PG
Email: Scripts2@sesame.demon.co.uk
tel: +44 1423 888 432;

Committee Member of ISO/IEC/JTC1/SC22/WG20: Internationalization;
Committee Member of ISO/TC37/SC2/WG1: Language Codes