What is an ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code?

It is the three-letter country code from the ISO 3166 standard, such as GBR for the United Kingdom or USA for the United States. The extra letter makes it more readable and mnemonic than the two-letter code, which is why passports and many databases use it.

Where are alpha-3 codes used?

They appear in machine-readable passports, international banking, the Olympics and other sport, and large datasets where readability matters. The World Bank and many statistical agencies key country data on alpha-3 codes.

How is alpha-3 different from alpha-2?

Both identify the same country, but alpha-3 uses three letters (GBR) and alpha-2 uses two (GB). Alpha-3 is more self-explanatory, while alpha-2 is shorter and underpins country internet domains. They are not interchangeable in a field that specifies one or the other.

Are alpha-3 codes always derived from the country name?

Often but not always. Many are intuitive abbreviations like FRA for France or DEU for Germany, where the code reflects the local name Deutschland. Others, such as CHE for Switzerland from the Latin Confoederatio Helvetica, are less obvious, so a lookup is useful.

Does this tool need an internet connection?

No. The full country table is built into the tool and the search runs in your browser, so it works offline and transmits nothing.

ISO 3166 Alpha-3 Country Code Lookup

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The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 standard assigns every country a readable three-letter code, such as GBR or USA. These are the codes printed in machine-readable passports and used across banking, international sport, and large datasets. This tool finds the alpha-3 code for any country and shows the related alpha-2 and numeric forms.

How it works

ISO 3166-1 defines three codes per country. The alpha-3 code is favoured where human readability matters because three letters carry more meaning than two: FRA clearly reads as France, and DEU reflects Germany’s local name, Deutschland. A few are non-obvious, like CHE for Switzerland, derived from the Latin Confoederatio Helvetica, which is exactly why a lookup helps. The tool matches your text against both the alpha-3 code and the country name.

Tips and example

To find a code, type the country name — searching Switzerland returns the non-obvious CHE. To verify a code you already have, type it, such as KOR, to confirm it is South Korea. Each result also lists the alpha-2 and numeric codes so you can convert between the three representations at a glance.