# ISO 3166

*Last updated: 2026-06-26*

> Unambiguous country identification in customs declarations, shipping documents, and logistics platforms is what ISO 3166 delivers – a globally applied standard published by the International Organization for Standardization.

Unambiguous country identification in customs declarations, shipping documents, and logistics platforms is what ISO 3166 delivers – a globally applied standard published by the International Organization for Standardization. It has three parts: ISO 3166-1 assigns two-letter alpha-2 codes (e.g., US, GB, DE) and numeric codes to sovereign states; ISO 3166-2 covers administrative subdivisions such as states and provinces; ISO 3166-3 preserves codes for countries that no longer exist. In daily freight and customs work, ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes appear in virtually every document – CMR consignment notes, air waybills, customs entries, and logistics software all require machine-readable country identifiers. These codes are distinct from vehicle nationality plates and from SWIFT/BIC country identifiers, which follow separate conventions.

**Source:** [https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html](https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html)

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | ISO 3166 |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 116 |
| Last updated | 2026-06-26 |
| Source | https://www.iso.org/iso-3166-country-codes.html |

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