Dot Scot: New Web Domain Is Launched

Scotland now has its own national domain name - and both the yes and no referendum campaigns have been among the first to sign up.

Yes Scotland, Better Together, NHS Scotland and the Scottish government are among 50 businesses and organisations to use the .scot domain name.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the domain would help promote Scotland all over the world.

"It is entirely right that Scotland should have its own distinctive and recognisable internet domain, in particular one that will resonate internationally, helping to promote Scottish business and culture throughout the world," she said.

The domain will be open for all to purchase from September 23, and expressions of interest can be registered at http://nic.scot .

Gavin McCutcheon, director of the not-for-profit Dot Scot Registry, said: "It’s a community domain intended for everybody who lives and works in Scotland, and for the 50 million people around the globe who are part of Scotland’s diaspora."

The domain went live at noon on Tuesday.

The .scot domain name follows the launch of .london, after the internet domain registration group Icann increased the number of top level domains available.

Wales is due to get .wales and .cymru domain names in early 2015. The Welsh government has already said it will be making the switch from .gov