I'm stuck in a meeting today and likely will miss the call in. But... Here's some factoids to consider. Data at
http://www.unece.org/etrades/codesindex.htm may help to point the way to a best solution. This page is in frames with a menu down the left side. Click on Country & Currency Codes , then Country & Currency and you'll see four menu items. The first two are (1) Countries and (2) Currencies per country . When you examine (1), notice that they do not list the numeric equivalents from 3266-1, nor do they list the alpha3 codes. Notice also at the top that they tell you how to get a copy of ISO 3266-1, and that they provide the data on this web page as an ACCESS database table . This data is complete up to 2001-07-13. When you examine (2) notice that alpha2 country codes are given, and alpha3 and numeric currency codes are given. Again, they also tell you how to get a copy of ISO 3266-1, and that they provide the data on this web page as an ACCESS database table . This data is complete up to 2001-07-13. On either (1) or (2), when you click on the link at the top of the page, the latest, updated ISO country code list , you'll see the following words of caution: Please note: The Alpha-3 (three-letter) code elements are not available from our website. They are not published free of charge by ISO. The three-digit numeric code given in ISO 3166-1 is developed and maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division in New York. My guess is if they charge for this extra letter (and who knows why on Earth they would) they likely have copyrights or some such that they enforce - just a guess. In answer to a question Bill raised a while back, no this data is not available in a web services form - everything provided seems to lead to a screen scrape or download situation. I downloaded a free set of codes, LOCODE 2001.1, and I note they ONLY provide the alpha2 codes. And in this ZIP is some text that might serve us well to consider when we publish or offer to maintain such lists. Part of this disclaimer is: File: N:LOCODELOC00DISKETTELOC00-P1.ASC 11/04/00, 09:36:24 UN/LOCODE MANUAL Part I 1. DISCLAIMERS 1.1 General Disclaimer 1 The designations employed and the presentation of the material in the United Nations Code for ports and other locations (UN/LOCODE) do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 1.1.2 Reference to any private entity (company) does not imply recognition or endorsement by the United Nations. 1.1.3 UN/LOCODE is provided as a service to users, in the framework of the trade facilitation effort undertaken within the United Nations Secretariat. The Secretariat has no means of verifying the accuracy of the contents of UN/LOCODE but endeavours to obtain approval thereof by national authorities and international bodies concerned. The indication of status is intended to enable users to assess the credibility of the code entries; particular care should be exercised in using codes with status RQ (Request under consideration). The United Nations Secretariat assumes no responsibility for any economic or other damage consequential to the use of UN/LOCODE. 1.1.4 The presentation of location names in the UN/LOCODE does not imply the expression of any opinion concerning the legal status of any spelling of such names. The UN/LOCODE is provided purely as a service to its users in the framework of trade facilitation. In that context, the presentation of location names in the UN/LOCODE should be regarded as the standard spelling of those names acceptable for purposes associated with trade and transport.