ISOCode

ISOCode refers to the standardized identifiers issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to uniquely identify countries, languages, currencies, scripts, and related entities in data exchange and information systems. These codes are defined in specific ISO standards and are widely used to enable clear, language- and region-neutral communication across organizations and countries.

Several ISO standards define different types of codes. ISO 3166 covers country and subdivision codes; ISO 639 defines language codes; ISO 4217 specifies currency codes; ISO 15924 codes writing systems or scripts. Each standard specifies the format, assignment rules, and procedures for updating the codes, enabling consistent interpretation across software, databases, and documents.

Typical ISO codes vary by standard. They are usually fixed-length and written in uppercase, though the exact characters depend on the domain. Examples include ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes such as US for the United States and FR for France; ISO 639-1 codes such as en for English; ISO 4217 currency codes such as USD for the United States dollar; and ISO 15924 script codes such as Latn for the Latin script.

Maintenance and governance: ISO codes are maintained by ISO member bodies and updated through formal processes that may involve national authorities and industry stakeholders. Codes can be added, retired, or revised as geopolitical, linguistic, or economic circumstances change, with careful guidance to minimize disruption to existing data.

Usage: ISO codes are embedded in software, databases, international shipping, travel documents, finance, and government records. They provide compact, universally understood identifiers that support interoperability and global commerce. See also ISO 3166, ISO 639, ISO 4217, ISO 15924.