Why India’s Country Code is +91: The Story Behind the Numbers

Country codes play a vital role in facilitating communication across borders. Whether you are dialling a number, sending a text, or registering on a social media website or mobile application, country codes are very important.

For India, the country code is +91. Ever wondered why India's country code is +91? Why each country has a unique country code?

Image Credits: By Ssolbergj (talk) - Inkscape ., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia

The Origins of Country Codes

The concept of country codes dates back to the mid - 20th century when international telephone services began to expand.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations, responsible for subjects related to information and communication technologies, played a key role in developing a standardized system for international dialling.

In 1960, the ITU established the International Numbering Plan, known as E.164. This plan allocated specific numeric codes to each country to identify, simplify and standardize international calling. These codes are prefixed with a "+" sign and the allocation of these codes is influenced by geopolitical and regional considerations.

The Allocation of +91 to India

When the ITU was allocating country codes, they divided the world into 9 regions, each designated by the first digit of their respective country codes. India was categorized in the Zone 9, which was assigned to South Asia, Central Asia and parts of the Middle East as well. India being one of the largest and the most populous countries in the region was assigned the country code +91.

Within Zone 9, the country codes were distributed in a manner that made it easier to manage and route international calls. This allocation was based on the need for a structured and efficient system for global telecommunication.

Understanding the Numbering Plan

The ITU's E.164 numbering plan is structured to accommodate a wide range of countries and territories, each with its own unique code.

Here's a breakdown of how the numbering plan is organized:

• Zone 1: North America (Example: United States +1, Canada +1)

• Zone 2: Africa and some Atlantic Islands (Example: South Africa +27)
  

• Zone 3 and 4: Europe (Example: United Kingdom +44, Germany +49)

• Zone 5: Mexico, Central America and South America (Example: Brazil +55)

• Zone 6: Southeast Asia and Oceania (Example: Australia +61)

• Zone 7: Russia and Kazakhstan (Example: Russia +7)

• Zone 8: East Asia (Example: Japan +81)

• Zone 9: South and Central Asia, the Middle East (Example: India +91)

The first digit of the country code signifies the geographical region while the subsequent digitals are assigned to specific countries in that particular region. For India, the code +91 was chosen based on regional factors in South and Central Asia.

Here's a list of all the countries with their unique country codes:

Image Credits: Wikimedia

A

• Afghanistan: +93

• Albania: +355

• Algeria: +213

• Andorra: +376

• Angola: +244

• Antigua and Barbuda: +1-268

• Argentina: +54

• Armenia: +374

• Australia: +61

• Austria: +43

• Azerbaijan: +994

B

• Bahamas: +1-242

• Bahrain: +973

• Bangladesh: +880

• Barbados: +1-246

• Belarus: +375

• Belgium: +32

• Belize: +501

• Benin: +229

• Bhutan: +975

• Bolivia: +591

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: +387

• Botswana: +267

• Brazil: +55

• Brunei: +673

• Bulgaria: +359

• Burkina Faso: +226

• Burundi: +257

C

• Cabo Verde: +238

• Cambodia: +855

• Cameroon: +237

• Canada: +1

• Central African Republic: +236

• Chad: +235

• Chile: +56

• China: +86

• Colombia: +57

• Comoros: +269

• Democratic Republic of the Congo: +243

• Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville): +242

• Costa Rica: +506

• Côte d’Ivoire: +225

• Croatia: +385

• Cuba: +53

• Cyprus: +357

• Czech Republic: +420

D

• Denmark: +45

• Djibouti: +253

• Dominica: +1-767

• Dominican Republic: +1-809, +1-829, +1-849

E

• East Timor (Timor-Leste): +670

• Ecuador: +593

• Egypt: +20

• El Salvador: +503

• Equatorial Guinea: +240

• Eritrea: +291

• Estonia: +372

• Eswatini: +268

• Ethiopia: +251

F

• Fiji: +679

• Finland: +358

• France: +33

G

• Gabon: +241

• Gambia: +220

• Georgia: +995

• Germany: +49

• Ghana: +233

• Greece: +30

• Grenada: +1-473

• Guatemala: +502

• Guinea: +224

• Guinea-Bissau: +245

• Guyana: +592

H

• Haiti: +509

• Honduras: +504

• Hungary: +36

I

• Iceland: +354

• India: +91

• Indonesia: +62

• Iran: +98

• Iraq: +964

• Ireland: +353

• Israel: +972

• Italy: +39

J

• Jamaica: +1-876

• Japan: +81

• Jordan: +962

K

• Kazakhstan: +7

• Kenya: +254

• Kiribati: +686

• North Korea: +850

• South Korea: +82

• Kosovo: +383

• Kuwait: +965

• Kyrgyzstan: +996

L

• Laos: +856

• Latvia: +371

• Lebanon: +961

• Lesotho: +266

• Liberia: +231

• Libya: +218

• Liechtenstein: +423

• Lithuania: +370

• Luxembourg: +352

M

• Madagascar: +261

• Malawi: +265

• Malaysia: +60

• Maldives: +960

• Mali: +223

• Malta: +356

• Marshall Islands: +692

• Mauritania: +222

• Mauritius: +230

• Mexico: +52

• Micronesia: +691

• Moldova: +373

• Monaco: +377

• Mongolia: +976

• Montenegro: +382

• Morocco: +212

• Mozambique: +258

• Myanmar (Burma): +95

N

• Namibia: +264

• Nauru: +674

• Nepal: +977

• Netherlands: +31

• New Zealand: +64

• Nicaragua: +505

• Niger: +227

• Nigeria: +234

• North Macedonia: +389

• Norway: +47

O

• Oman: +968

P

• Pakistan: +92

• Palau: +680

• Panama: +507

• Papua New Guinea: +675

• Paraguay: +595

• Peru: +51

• Philippines: +63

• Poland: +48

• Portugal: +351

Q

• Qatar: +974

R

• Romania: +40

• Russia: +7

• Rwanda: +250

S

• Saint Kitts and Nevis: +1-869

• Saint Lucia: +1-758

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: +1-784

• Samoa: +685

• San Marino: +378

• Sao Tome and Principe: +239

• Saudi Arabia: +966

• Senegal: +221

• Serbia: +381

• Seychelles: +248

• Sierra Leone: +232

• Singapore: +65

• Slovakia: +421

• Slovenia: +386

• Solomon Islands: +677

• Somalia: +252

• South Africa: +27

• Spain: +34

• Sri Lanka: +94

• Sudan: +249

• South Sudan: +211

• Suriname: +597

• Sweden: +46

• Switzerland: +41

• Syria: +963

T

• Taiwan: +886

• Tajikistan: +992

• Tanzania: +255

• Thailand: +66

• Togo: +228

• Tonga: +676

• Trinidad and Tobago: +1-868

• Tunisia: +216

• Turkey: +90

• Turkmenistan: +993

• Tuvalu: +688

U

• Uganda: +256

• Ukraine: +380

• United Arab Emirates: +971

• United Kingdom: +44

• United States: +1

• Uruguay: +598

• Uzbekistan: +998

V

• Vanuatu: +678

• Vatican City: +39

• Venezuela: +58

• Vietnam: +84

Y

• Yemen: +967

Z

• Zambia: +260

• Zimbabwe: +263

A few other factors that influenced the assignment of country codes include:

Simplicity and Memorability: The ITU aimed to assign codes that are easy to remember and dial.

Routing Efficiency: The numbering plan was designed to optimize the routing of international calls, to ensure efficient routing and to minimize the chances of misrouting or delays.

Expansion and Growth: The numbering plan was also assigned based on the potential of growth of telecommunications.

The Importance of Country Codes Today

While the allocation of country codes to India and other countries occurred several decades ago, they remain important even in today's digital age. They facilitate voice communication and play a crucial role in various forms of digital communication such as SMS, video calls, internet services, app-based messaging services, online platforms, international business operations and more.

As technology continues to evolve, the importance of these codes remains, ensuring seamless communication across borders and fostering a truly global community.