Rou

rou is most commonly encountered as the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code for Romania. In this international standard, the three-letter code ROU is used to identify Romania in data exchanges, statistics, logistics, and information systems. It sits alongside the two-letter code RO and the numeric code 642, which are used in different coding schemes to reference the same country. The code is designed to be language- and script-neutral, enabling consistent country identification across platforms and countries.

In international sport and the Olympic movement, Romania is likewise designated by the code ROU. National teams and athletes are listed under this code in competition results, rankings, and official records maintained by organizations such as the International Olympic Committee and various international federations. This usage mirrors the broader purpose of ISO alpha-3 codes: to provide stable, recognizable country identifiers in multilingual and multinational contexts.

Lowercase rou occasionally appears in nonstandard contexts, such as internal identifiers within databases, project codes, or textual references. However, rou is not a separate country name, language code, or official designation in standardized coding systems. It should not be assumed to carry the same authority as the official uppercase ROU in ISO, IOC, or related standards. For internet domains, Romania uses the .ro country-code top-level domain, not rou.