.ws

.ws is the country-code top-level domain for Samoa. The letters came from the country's former name, Western Samoa, and the namespace remains Samoa's national ccTLD even though it is marketed and registered internationally.

Outside Samoa, .ws is often interpreted informally as “website.” The official registry makes the domain globally accessible and states that people can register and administer .ws names regardless of location. That has allowed the extension to be used for general websites as well as projects with a genuine Samoa connection.

The “website” interpretation is a branding use, not the official origin of the country code. Because many users may not know either meaning immediately, a .ws domain works best when the main brand name is memorable enough to carry the identity on its own.

Registration of standard .ws names is unrestricted by location. The registry has special treatment and pricing for some very short names, so a particular label can differ from an ordinary registration even though there is no general residency requirement.