What is .gov?
{{More citations needed}}{{Infobox top level domain |name=.gov |background=#FC0 |image=[[Image:Dotgov-tld.svg|frameless]] |introduced=1985 |type=[[Generic top-level domain]] |status=Active |registry=[[General Services Administration]] |sponsor=General Services Administration |intendeduse=[[Governmental]] entities |actualuse=[[United States of America]] government; formerly federal-only but later expanded to include state and local entities |restrictions=Must meet eligibility requirements and submit authorization letter |structure=Registrations at second level permitted |document=[[RFC:920|RFCs 920]] [[RFC:1591|1951]] and [[RFC:2146|2146]] |disputepolicy=None |website=[http://www.dotgov.gov/ Dotgov.gov] }} The domain name '''gov''' is the [[generic top-level domain]] used by government websites used in the [[United States]] at the federal, state, and local levels. It was one of the first top-level domains, made in January 1985.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About {{!}} .gov|url=https://home.dotgov.gov/about/|access-date=2021-11-11|website=home.dotgov.gov}}</ref> The U.S. is the only country that has a government-specific top-level domain in addition to its [[ccTLD]]. Other countries typically use a second-level domain for this purpose, e.g., .gov.au for [[Australia]], .gov.uk for the [[United Kingdom]], .gc.ca for [[Canada]], and .gouv.fr for [[France]]. Since the United States controls the .gov [[Top Level Domain]], it would be impossible for another country to create a domain ending in .gov, for example, .jp.gov. Some U.S. federal agencies use .fed.us rather than .gov. The [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] and its subsidiary organizations use [[.mil]]. Some U.S. governmental entities use other domains, such as the use of [[.com]] domains by the [[United States Postal Service]] ([http://www.usps.com/ usps.com]) and the [[United States Army]] ([http://www.goarmy.com/ goarmy.com]). [[Internet]] purists consider these usages to be improper, as these are governmental or military entities rather