For Countries That Own Shorter Web Site Suffixes, Extra Cash From Abroad

The sale of country codes by governments that secured two-letter combinations that double as widely recognized words or symbols is not new. The island nation of Tuvalu, for example, has sold its code, “.tv,” for more than a decade. With a few exceptions, Internet addresses that end with country codes have failed to catch on with consumers, and “.com” remains the suffix of choice for marketers seeking to establish their Web credentials. Now companies that market country codes like “.me,” “.tv” and “.co,” for Colombia, are stepping up their efforts to sell them worldwide.