Internet address

An Internet address, such as http://www.microsoft.com, is called a URL (uniform resource locator). This address works the same as a telephone number or a street address - in other words it is the address that will take you to the site/information you are looking for.

An Internet address indicates a number of things, such as:

Commercial web sites

	The following are commercial web sites, distinguished by the co or com designator at the end.
	www.xsinet.co.za
	www.xsinet.co.za

Academic or educational web sites

	The following are academic or educational web sites, identified by the ac or edu.
	www.wits.ac.za
	www.harvard.edu

Organisation's web sites

	The following is a web site of an organisation, identified by the org designator.
	www.saep.org

Network web sites

	The following is a web site of a network, identified by the net designator.
	www.itn.net

Different countries

	Country indicators are usually given at the end of the address. See the following examples:
	www.mweb.co.za		The za designator is for South Africa.
	www.nla.gov.au		The au designator is for Australia, and so on.
	Note that United States of America web sites do not have a country indicator at the end of the address.