ISO 3166-2:GB

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Short description: Entry for the United Kingdom in ISO 3166-2

ISO 3166-2:GB is the entry for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions (e.g., provinces or states) of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.[1] The codes and structures used are provided to the ISO by British Standards and the Office for National Statistics.

Currently for the United Kingdom, ISO 3166-2 codes are defined for the following subdivisions:

  • 3 countries and 1 province
  • 25 two-tier counties, 36 metropolitan districts, 58 unitary authorities, 32 London boroughs and 1 city corporation (England)
  • 11 districts (Northern Ireland)
  • 32 council areas (Scotland)
  • 22 unitary authorities (Wales)

Each code consists of two parts, separated by a hyphen. The first part is GB, the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code of the United Kingdom. The second part is three letters, which is the British Standard BS 6879 three-letter code of the subdivision.

Though GB is the United Kingdom's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code, UK is exceptionally reserved for the United Kingdom on the request of the country. Its main usage is the .uk internet ccTLD and, on 28 September 2021, UK replaced GB as the official country code on car registration plates.[2]

Current codes

Subdivision names are listed as in the ISO 3166-2 standard published by the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency (ISO 3166/MA).

BS 6879 gives alternative name forms in Welsh (cy) for some of the Welsh unitary authorities (together with alternative code elements). Since this part of ISO 3166 does not allow for duplicate coding of identical subdivisions, such alternative names in Welsh and code elements are shown for information purposes only in square brackets after the English name of the subdivision.[1]

Countries and province

Code Subdivision name (en) Subdivision category
GB-ENG  England country
GB-NIR  Northern Ireland province
GB-SCT  Scotland country
GB-WLS  Wales [Cymru GB-CYM] country

Wales was changed from being described as a principality to being described as a country in the December 2011 update to the standard. England and Scotland were maintained as country and Northern Ireland was maintained as province.[3]


Included for completeness

Code Name
GB-EAW England and Wales
GB-GBN Great Britain
GB-UKM United Kingdom

The codes GB-EAW, GB-GBN, and GB-UKM are only mentioned in remark part 2 in the ISO website where they are 'included for completeness'.[1]

Second-level subdivisions

Code Subdivision name (en) Subdivision category Parent subdivision
GB-CAM Cambridgeshire two-tier county England
GB-CMA Cumbria two-tier county England
GB-DBY Derbyshire two-tier county England
GB-DEV Devon two-tier county England
GB-DOR Dorset two-tier county England
GB-ESX East Sussex two-tier county England
GB-ESS Essex two-tier county England
GB-GLS Gloucestershire two-tier county England
GB-HAM Hampshire two-tier county England
GB-HRT Hertfordshire two-tier county England
GB-KEN Kent two-tier county England
GB-LAN Lancashire two-tier county England
GB-LEC Leicestershire two-tier county England
GB-LIN Lincolnshire two-tier county England
GB-NFK Norfolk two-tier county England
GB-NYK North Yorkshire two-tier county England
GB-NTT Nottinghamshire two-tier county England
GB-OXF Oxfordshire two-tier county England
GB-SOM Somerset two-tier county England
GB-STS Staffordshire two-tier county England
GB-SFK Suffolk two-tier county England
GB-SRY Surrey two-tier county England
GB-WAR Warwickshire two-tier county England
GB-WSX West Sussex two-tier county England
GB-WOR Worcestershire two-tier county England
GB-LND London, City of city corporation England
GB-BDG Barking and Dagenham London borough England
GB-BNE Barnet London borough England
GB-BEX Bexley London borough England
GB-BEN Brent London borough England
GB-BRY Bromley London borough England
GB-CMD Camden London borough England
GB-CRY Croydon London borough England
GB-EAL Ealing London borough England
GB-ENF Enfield London borough England
GB-GRE Greenwich London borough England
GB-HCK Hackney London borough England
GB-HMF Hammersmith and Fulham London borough England
GB-HRY Haringey London borough England
GB-HRW Harrow London borough England
GB-HAV Havering London borough England
GB-HIL Hillingdon London borough England
GB-HNS Hounslow London borough England
GB-ISL Islington London borough England
GB-KEC Kensington and Chelsea London borough England
GB-KTT Kingston upon Thames London borough England
GB-LBH Lambeth London borough England
GB-LEW Lewisham London borough England
GB-MRT Merton London borough England
GB-NWM Newham London borough England
GB-RDB Redbridge London borough England
GB-RIC Richmond upon Thames London borough England
GB-SWK Southwark London borough England
GB-STN Sutton London borough England
GB-TWH Tower Hamlets London borough England
GB-WFT Waltham Forest London borough England
GB-WND Wandsworth London borough England
GB-WSM Westminster London borough England
GB-BNS Barnsley metropolitan district England
GB-BIR Birmingham metropolitan district England
GB-BOL Bolton metropolitan district England
GB-BRD Bradford metropolitan district England
GB-BUR Bury metropolitan district England
GB-CLD Calderdale metropolitan district England
GB-COV Coventry metropolitan district England
GB-DNC Doncaster metropolitan district England
GB-DUD Dudley metropolitan district England
GB-GAT Gateshead metropolitan district England
GB-KIR Kirklees metropolitan district England
GB-KWL Knowsley metropolitan district England
GB-LDS Leeds metropolitan district England
GB-LIV Liverpool metropolitan district England
GB-MAN Manchester metropolitan district England
GB-NET Newcastle upon Tyne metropolitan district England
GB-NTY North Tyneside metropolitan district England
GB-OLD Oldham metropolitan district England
GB-RCH Rochdale metropolitan district England
GB-ROT Rotherham metropolitan district England
GB-SHN Saint Helens St. Helens


metropolitan district England
GB-SLF Salford metropolitan district England
GB-SAW Sandwell metropolitan district England
GB-SFT Sefton metropolitan district England
GB-SHF Sheffield metropolitan district England
GB-SOL Solihull metropolitan district England
GB-STY South Tyneside metropolitan district England
GB-SKP Stockport metropolitan district England
GB-SND Sunderland metropolitan district England
GB-TAM Tameside metropolitan district England
GB-TRF Trafford metropolitan district England
GB-WKF Wakefield metropolitan district England
GB-WLL Walsall metropolitan district England
GB-WGN Wigan metropolitan district England
GB-WRL Wirral metropolitan district England
GB-WLV Wolverhampton metropolitan district England
GB-BAS Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority England
GB-BDF Bedford unitary authority England
GB-BBD Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority England
GB-BPL Blackpool unitary authority England
GB-BCP Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority England
GB-BRC Bracknell Forest unitary authority England
GB-BNH Brighton and Hove unitary authority England
GB-BST Bristol, City of unitary authority England
GB-BKM Buckinghamshire unitary authority England
GB-CBF Central Bedfordshire unitary authority England
GB-CHE Cheshire East unitary authority England
GB-CHW Cheshire West and Chester unitary authority England
GB-CON Cornwall unitary authority England
GB-DAL Darlington unitary authority England
GB-DER Derby unitary authority England
GB-DUR Durham, County unitary authority England
GB-ERY East Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority England
GB-HAL Halton unitary authority England
GB-HPL Hartlepool unitary authority England
GB-HEF Herefordshire unitary authority England
GB-IOW Isle of Wight unitary authority England
GB-IOS Isles of Scilly unitary authority England
GB-KHL Kingston upon Hull unitary authority England
GB-LCE Leicester unitary authority England
GB-LUT Luton unitary authority England
GB-MDW Medway unitary authority England
GB-MDB Middlesbrough unitary authority England
GB-MIK Milton Keynes unitary authority England
GB-NEL North East Lincolnshire unitary authority England
GB-NLN North Lincolnshire unitary authority England
GB-NNH North Northamptonshire unitary authority England
GB-NSM North Somerset unitary authority England
GB-NBL Northumberland unitary authority England
GB-NGM Nottingham unitary authority England
GB-PTE Peterborough unitary authority England
GB-PLY Plymouth unitary authority England
GB-POR Portsmouth unitary authority England
GB-RDG Reading unitary authority England
GB-RCC Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority England
GB-RUT Rutland unitary authority England
GB-SHR Shropshire unitary authority England
GB-SLG Slough unitary authority England
GB-SGC South Gloucestershire unitary authority England
GB-STH Southampton unitary authority England
GB-SOS Southend-on-Sea unitary authority England
GB-STT Stockton-on-Tees unitary authority England
GB-STE Stoke-on-Trent unitary authority England
GB-SWD Swindon unitary authority England
GB-TFW Telford and Wrekin unitary authority England
GB-THR Thurrock unitary authority England
GB-TOB Torbay unitary authority England
GB-WRT Warrington unitary authority England
GB-WBK West Berkshire unitary authority England
GB-WNH West Northamptonshire unitary authority England
GB-WIL Wiltshire unitary authority England
GB-WNM Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority England
GB-WOK Wokingham unitary authority England
GB-YOR York unitary authority England
GB-ANN Antrim and Newtownabbey district NIR
GB-AND Ards and North Down district NIR
GB-ABC Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon district NIR
GB-BFS Belfast City district NIR
GB-CCG Causeway Coast and Glens district NIR
GB-DRS Derry and Strabane district NIR
GB-FMO Fermanagh and Omagh district NIR
GB-LBC Lisburn and Castlereagh district NIR
GB-MEA Mid and East Antrim district NIR
GB-MUL Mid-Ulster district NIR
GB-NMD Newry, Mourne and Down district NIR
GB-ABE Aberdeen City council area SCT
GB-ABD Aberdeenshire council area SCT
GB-ANS Angus council area SCT
GB-AGB Argyll and Bute council area SCT
GB-CLK Clackmannanshire council area SCT
GB-DGY Dumfries and Galloway council area SCT
GB-DND Dundee City council area SCT
GB-EAY East Ayrshire council area SCT
GB-EDU East Dunbartonshire council area SCT
GB-ELN East Lothian council area SCT
GB-ERW East Renfrewshire council area SCT
GB-EDH Edinburgh, City of council area SCT
GB-ELS Eilean Siar council area SCT
GB-FAL Falkirk council area SCT
GB-FIF Fife council area SCT
GB-GLG Glasgow City council area SCT
GB-HLD Highland council area SCT
GB-IVC Inverclyde council area SCT
GB-MLN Midlothian council area SCT
GB-MRY Moray council area SCT
GB-NAY North Ayrshire council area SCT
GB-NLK North Lanarkshire council area SCT
GB-ORK Orkney Islands council area SCT
GB-PKN Perth and Kinross council area SCT
GB-RFW Renfrewshire council area SCT
GB-SCB Scottish Borders council area SCT
GB-ZET Shetland Islands council area SCT
GB-SAY South Ayrshire council area SCT
GB-SLK South Lanarkshire council area SCT
GB-STG Stirling council area SCT
GB-WDU West Dunbartonshire council area SCT
GB-WLN West Lothian council area SCT
GB-BGW Blaenau Gwent unitary authority WLS
GB-BGE Bridgend [Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr GB-POG] unitary authority WLS
GB-CAY Caerphilly [Caerffili GB-CAF] unitary authority WLS
GB-CRF Cardiff [Caerdydd GB-CRD] unitary authority WLS
GB-CMN Carmarthenshire [Sir Gaerfyrddin GB-GFY] unitary authority WLS
GB-CGN Ceredigion [Sir Ceredigion] unitary authority WLS
GB-CWY Conwy unitary authority WLS
GB-DEN Denbighshire [Sir Ddinbych GB-DDB] unitary authority WLS
GB-FLN Flintshire [Sir y Fflint GB-FFL] unitary authority WLS
GB-GWN Gwynedd unitary authority WLS
GB-AGY Isle of Anglesey [Sir Ynys Môn GB-YNM] unitary authority WLS
GB-MTY Merthyr Tydfil [Merthyr Tudful GB-MTU] unitary authority WLS
GB-MON Monmouthshire [Sir Fynwy GB-FYN] unitary authority WLS
GB-NTL Neath Port Talbot [Castell-nedd Port Talbot GB-CTL] unitary authority WLS
GB-NWP Newport [Casnewydd GB-CNW] unitary authority WLS
GB-PEM Pembrokeshire [Sir Benfro GB-BNF] unitary authority WLS
GB-POW Powys unitary authority WLS
GB-RCT Rhondda Cynon Taff [Rhondda CynonTaf] unitary authority WLS
GB-SWA Swansea [Abertawe GB-ATA] unitary authority WLS
GB-TOF Torfaen [Tor-faen] unitary authority WLS
GB-VGL Vale of Glamorgan, The [Bro Morgannwg GB-BMG] unitary authority WLS
GB-WRX Wrexham [Wrecsam GB-WRC] unitary authority WLS

Changes

The following changes to the entry have been announced in newsletters by the ISO 3166/MA since the first publication of ISO 3166-2 in 1998. ISO stopped issuing newsletters in 2013.

Newsletter Date issued Description of change in newsletter Code/Subdivision change
Newsletter I-2 2002-05-21 Various corrections of name forms i.e. deletion of name adjuncts
Newsletter I-8 2007-04-17 Modification of the administrative structure Subdivisions deleted:
GB-CHA Channel Islands
GB-IOM Isle of Man (see IM)
GB-GSY Guernsey (see GG)
GB-JSY Jersey (see JE)
Newsletter I-9 2007-11-28 Modification of administrative structure
Newsletter II-2 2010-06-30 Update and reorganization of the subdivision data and update of the list source Subdivisions added:
GB-BDF Bedford
GB-CBF Central Bedfordshire
GB-CHE Cheshire East
GB-CHW Cheshire West and Chester
Subdivisions deleted:
GB-BDF Bedfordshire
GB-CHS Cheshire
GB-IOS Isles of Scilly
Newsletter II-3 2011-12-13
(corrected
2011-12-15)
NL II-2 correction for administrative name changes. Status change:
WLS Wales principality → country

The following changes to the entry are listed on ISO's online catalogue, the Online Browsing Platform:[1]

Effective date of change Short description of change (en)
2022-11-29 Deletion of two-tier county GB-NTH; Addition of unitary authority GB-NNH, GB-WNH; Change of category name from two-tier county to unitary authority for GB-BKM; Update List Source
2022-03-03 Correction of parent subdivision of GB-PEM
2021-11-25 Addition of subdivision categories country and province in eng & fra; Modification of remark part 2; Addition of country GB-ENG, GB-WLS, GB-SCT; Addition of province GB-NIR; Addition of parent subdivisions
2020-11-24 Deletion of GB-BMH, GB-POL; Addition of GB-BCP; Correction of spelling for GB-BFS, GB-DRS, GB-DUR, GB-MUL, GB-RCT, GB-SCB; Modification of remark, part 2; Update List Source
2019-11-22 Change of subdivision name of GB-ABC, GB-DRS; Modification of remark part 2; Update List Source
2015-11-27 Deletion of Northern Ireland district council areas GB-ANT, GB-ARD, GB-ARM, GB-BLA, GB-BLY, GB-BNB, GB-CKF, GB-CSR, GB-CLR, GB-CKT, GB-CGV, GB-DRY, GB-DOW, GB-DGN, GB-FER, GB-LRN, GB-LMV, GB-LSB, GB-MFT, GB-MYL, GB-NYM, GB-NTA, GB-NDN, GB-OMH, GB-STB; change of subdivision category from district council area to district GB-BFS; addition of Northern Ireland districts GB-ANN, GB-AND, GB-ABC, GB-CCG, GB-DRS, GB-FMO, GB-LBC, GB-MEA, GB-MUL, GB-NMD; update List Source
2014-12-18 Alignment of the English and French short names upper and lower case with UNTERM; update of the remarks in French
2014-10-30 Re-add GB-IOS
2011-12-13 NL II-2 correction for administrative name changes.
2010-06-30 Update and reorganization of the subdivision data and update of the list source

See also

  • Subdivisions of the United Kingdom
    • Subdivisions of England
    • Subdivisions of Northern Ireland
    • Subdivisions of Scotland
    • Subdivisions of Wales
  • FIPS region codes of the United Kingdom
  • NUTS codes of the United Kingdom
  • Chapman codes
  • Neighbouring countries: CY (via Akrotiri and Dhekelia), IE

References

External links