You may not be familiar with the Public Interest Registry (PIR), but every .ORG Web site, and every person who visits a .ORG Web site, uses PIR's services.

PIR, a not-for-profit corporation created by the Internet Society (ISOC) in 2002, manages the .ORG top-level domain (TLD) and plays a number of roles in helping .ORG thrive. PIR's primary responsibility is managing the database of .ORG domain names (Internet addresses), which it does with support from its technical provider, Afilias Limited. That database connects individuals surfing the Web to the .ORG sites they seek.

Managing this database, however, is just the beginning of PIR's work. PIR also provides services that improve the quality of .ORG. For example, once you register a .ORG domain name, it is available for you to use, to launch a live Web site or to send and receive e-mail, within five (and most often within two) minutes. Other TLDs may take as long as two days to provide the same service. PIR also works with registrars, the organizations through which individuals register domain names, to better understand and meet .ORG customers' needs.

Finally, like most .ORGs, PIR is a nonprofit organization working for positive change. It uses its resources to expand Internet access around the world, particularly in developing areas, and to promote growth of the Internet and its capabilities.

Find out more about how PIR is working to improve the .ORG community and strengthen the Internet.