Think of a telephone country code as the very first piece of information a phone network needs to connect you globally. It's a short numeric prefix, assigned and managed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), that you dial to reach a specific country from anywhere else in the world. Without it, your international call simply won't know where to begin its journey.
Decoding International Phone Numbers
Successfully calling someone in another country all comes down to understanding the different parts of an international phone number. It's a lot like addressing a letter: you start with the country, then the city, the street, and finally the specific house number. Each part of the phone number guides your call one step closer to its destination.
An international number isn't just a long string of digits. It's a precise, structured sequence that phone networks around the globe rely on to route your call correctly. Getting every component right—and in the right order—is absolutely essential.
The Anatomy of an International Number
Every international phone number is made up of four key parts. Each one plays a distinct role in getting your call from point A to point B, no matter the distance.
Here’s a breakdown of the standard structure:
- International Prefix: This is what you dial first to tell your carrier you're making a call out of the country. The plus sign (
+) is now the universal standard for this prefix, which is why it's best to save all your international contacts this way. - Telephone Country Code: A unique 1- to 3-digit code for a specific country or group of countries. For example,
+44is for the United Kingdom. - Area or City Code: This narrows down the location within the destination country, routing the call to a particular city or region. For instance,
20is a common code for London. - Local Subscriber Number: This is the final, unique number assigned to the specific home, business, or mobile phone you want to reach.
Putting it all together, a number for London might look like this: +44 20 7946 0123.
Understanding Prefixes and Trunk Codes
Two things often trip people up when dialing internationally: the + sign and the extra zero you sometimes see at the beginning of a local number. Let’s clear that up.
The + symbol is your best friend for international dialing. It acts as a universal substitute for the specific International Direct Dialing (IDD) code (or "exit code") your home country requires. From the U.S. or Canada, you'd dial 011 to call out, while from most of Europe you'd dial 00. Using the + tells your phone to automatically use the correct exit code for whatever country you're in.
Key Takeaway: Always save international numbers in your phone's contacts starting with the
+symbol. It makes the number universally callable, saving you the headache of looking up local exit codes when you travel.
The other common hurdle is the trunk code. This is usually a 0 that's added to the front of a phone number for calls made within that same country. When you're dialing in from abroad, you must drop this leading zero.
For example, a UK number might be written locally as 020 7946 0123. To call it from another country, you drop the 0 and add the prefix and country code, making it +44 20 7946 0123. Forgetting to remove that trunk code is one of the most frequent mistakes people make and a primary reason calls fail to connect.
How to Dial an International Number Correctly
Making a call across borders can feel a bit tricky at first, but it really just boils down to a simple, logical formula. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to connect with anyone, anywhere in the world, without a second thought. The whole trick is just putting the right pieces of the phone number together in the correct order.
It’s all about combining your country's exit code (or a simpler shortcut), the telephone country code of your destination, and the local number. Thankfully, modern smartphones have made this much easier than it used to be. Let's walk through it step-by-step.
The Standard International Dialing Sequence
Every successful international call follows these four steps. This method works universally, whether you're calling from a mobile phone or a landline.
- Start with the Plus Symbol (+): Always begin with the
+sign. This little symbol is a universal stand-in for your country's specific exit code (like011for the US or00for most of Europe). Using the+is the most reliable way to start, no matter where you're calling from. - Add the Telephone Country Code: Right after the
+, punch in the country code for the person you're trying to reach. For example, you’d use44for the United Kingdom or1for the United States. - Drop the Trunk Prefix (the Leading Zero): This is where most people get tripped up. If the local number you were given starts with a
0, you need to remove it. That zero is a "trunk code" used only for calls made inside that country. - Dial the Rest of the Number: Now, just dial the remaining digits. This part is usually the area code followed by the local subscriber number.
Practical Example: Calling the UK from the US
Let's say you have a London landline number:020 7946 0123.
Here’s what you would actually dial:+44 20 7946 0123.
See what happened? The+takes the place of the US exit code (011),44is the UK country code, and we dropped the leading0from the020area code.
Using a Web Dialer for Simplicity
If you or your team are constantly making international calls, using a dedicated platform can make life a whole lot easier. Tools like CallSky.io, for instance, have an interface that takes all the guesswork out of the equation.
The platform’s web dialer is built for this very purpose. You just pick the country from a dropdown menu, and it automatically fills in the correct telephone country code. This is a lifesaver for sales and support teams who connect with customers in over 180 countries and can't afford dialing errors. To dive deeper into the specifics of global calling, take a look at our guide on how to call international numbers.
Here’s what the CallSky.io dialer looks like. Notice how the country flag and code are already set for you.
This kind of integrated system helps prevent those common dialing mistakes and lets teams manage shared contacts and credits, which makes global communication feel a lot more straightforward and affordable.
Special Cases and Regional Numbering Plans
You'd think every country has its own unique telephone code, and for the most part, you'd be right. But the global system has some interesting quirks. A handful of countries actually share a single code under what are known as regional numbering plans, which usually spring from deep historical, economic, or geographical ties.
Understanding these shared systems is key if you regularly call within these regions. It's the reason a call from the United States to Canada feels just like calling another state—no complex international dialing required. This makes communication a breeze, but it can also trip you up if you aren't aware of how it works.
The biggest and best-known example is the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). It’s a unique setup where the United States, Canada, and 20 other territories all share the country code +1. Created way back in 1947, the NANP makes calling from New York to Toronto or Jamaica incredibly straightforward. The plan serves over 600 million people, and the call volume between the US and Canada alone is immense. To give you some perspective, Americans made a whopping 64 billion minutes of international calls in 2004, a huge leap from just 2 billion in 1980, with Canada being a top destination.
The North American Numbering Plan Explained
Within the NANP, dialing between member countries couldn't be simpler. If you're calling from Miami to Montreal, you just dial it like you would a domestic long-distance call from Miami to Los Angeles: 1 + Area Code + Local Number. This setup completely removes the need for international exit codes and makes managing contacts across North America and the Caribbean much easier.
One crucial thing to remember, though: just because these calls use the same country code doesn't make them domestic. Your carrier will still bill them as international calls, so it's always smart to check your provider's rates to sidestep any surprise charges. Of course, when you're calling somewhere like Europe, which uses a different set of country codes, the rules change. We cover that process from start to finish in our guide on how to dial Europe from the USA.
The basic steps for any international call follow a standard sequence.
This flowchart shows the standard dialing process, which is exactly what integrated plans like the NANP simplify for any calls made within their zone.
Other Shared Numbering Plans
The NANP might be the most famous, but it's not the only shared numbering plan out there. A few other regions have similar setups designed to make cross-border communication feel more local.
- Russia and Kazakhstan: Both countries use the country code +7. This is a remnant of the unified telecommunications network from the Soviet Union era.
- Integrated Territories: You'll also find smaller territories that fall under the numbering plan of a larger neighbor. For example, San Marino and Vatican City are both integrated into Italy's system, so they share the country code +39.
These shared plans are a great reminder that country codes aren't just about technical routing. They often reflect the deep geopolitical and economic relationships that connect nations and make it easier for people to stay in touch across borders.
Common International Calling Problems and How to Fix Them
It’s happened to all of us: you dial an international number, you're sure it's correct, and you get an "invalid number" error or just dead air. It’s frustrating, but the good news is that the fix is almost always simple. These problems usually stem from small, easy-to-miss dialing mistakes, not a major network issue.
The number one reason calls fail is leaving in the trunk code. This is usually a '0' at the beginning of a local number, which is only needed for calls inside that country. When you're dialing from abroad, you have to drop that leading '0' after you've put in the country code. Forgetting this step is the most common pitfall.
Why Your Call Won't Go Through
If you've checked the number and it still won’t connect, don't worry. Let's run through a few other common culprits. Once you know what to look for, these are a breeze to fix.
- You forgot the plus sign (+): That little '+' symbol is crucial. It acts as the universal stand-in for your country's exit code, telling your phone carrier, "Hey, this is an international call!" Without it, the call won't even leave the starting gate.
- You've got the wrong country code: It's surprisingly easy to mix up codes, especially for countries with similar names or regions. Always take a second to double-check you have the right telephone country code before you hit dial.
- Your carrier has a block on it: Not all phone plans come with international calling enabled right out of the box. You might need to give your service provider a quick call to have them activate it on your account.
Dealing with Call Quality and Costs
Getting the call to connect is one thing; having a clear conversation without breaking the bank is another. Poor audio quality or a shocking phone bill can be just as disruptive as a call that never goes through, especially for a business. Choppy audio or dropped calls often come down to the quality of the carrier networks handling the connection.
For any business, call reliability isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. This is where platforms like CallSky.io really shine. They're built from the ground up to solve this problem, using a network of top-tier carriers and offering 99.9% uptime with automatic failover to make sure your calls are always crisp, clear, and connected.
To keep costs from spiraling out of control, you have to stay on top of your usage. Modern calling platforms give you the tools to do just that. For instance, a finance manager can jump into CallSky.io's dashboard and see detailed reports on call status, duration, and the precise cost of every single international call as it happens. That kind of real-time data is invaluable for managing your telecom budget and spotting any billing issues immediately.
Complete Telephone Country Code Reference Table
When you're dialing internationally, getting the telephone country code right is the first—and most critical—step. A wrong number means a failed call, wasted time, and potential frustration. This is where a reliable reference comes in handy.
We've put together a complete, alphabetically sorted list of every country, its official ISO code, and its specific country code. Think of this as your go-to resource for seamless global communication. You’ll probably want to bookmark this page for quick lookups.
For any business reaching out globally, this table is an essential tool. Teams using a modern calling platform like CallSky.io can pair this list with their web dialer, ensuring sales reps and recruiters can connect with anyone in over 180 countries without a single dialing mistake.
How to Use This Reference Table
Finding the code you need is simple. Just scroll down to the country you're calling in the "Country Name" column, and you'll find the prefix you need in the "Country Code" column.
- Country Name: The country or territory's common English name.
- ISO Code: The standard two-letter country code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2), which is often used for data management and software integrations.
- Country Code: The numerical prefix assigned by the ITU. This is the actual telephone country code you need to dial.
- International Prefix (IDD): The code you'd dial from within that country to make an international call out of it. This is included for comprehensive reference.
Whether you're making a single personal call or running a global sales campaign, this table is built to be your definitive guide.
Searchable List of International Telephone Country Codes
Below is the complete, searchable reference list of international telephone country codes. We've organized it alphabetically by country name to make finding what you're looking for fast and easy.
Pro Tip: When you save international numbers in your phone, always start with a
+sign followed by the country code. This universal format guarantees the number will work correctly, no matter where you're calling from in the world.
Now, let's get to the list.
| Country Name | ISO Code | Country Code | International Prefix (IDD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | AF | +93 | 00 |
| Albania | AL | +355 | 00 |
| Algeria | DZ | +213 | 00 |
| American Samoa | AS | +1-684 | 011 |
| Andorra | AD | +376 | 00 |
| Angola | AO | +244 | 00 |
| Anguilla | AI | +1-264 | 011 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | AG | +1-268 | 011 |
| Argentina | AR | +54 | 00 |
| Armenia | AM | +374 | 00 |
| Aruba | AW | +297 | 00 |
| Australia | AU | +61 | 0011 |
| Austria | AT | +43 | 00 |
| Azerbaijan | AZ | +994 | 00 |
| Bahamas | BS | +1-242 | 011 |
| Bahrain | BH | +973 | 00 |
| Bangladesh | BD | +880 | 00 |
| Barbados | BB | +1-246 | 011 |
| Belarus | BY | +375 | 810 |
| Belgium | BE | +32 | 00 |
| Belize | BZ | +501 | 00 |
| Benin | BJ | +229 | 00 |
| Bermuda | BM | +1-441 | 011 |
| Bhutan | BT | +975 | 00 |
| Bolivia | BO | +591 | 00 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | BA | +387 | 00 |
| Botswana | BW | +267 | 00 |
| Brazil | BR | +55 | 00 |
| British Virgin Islands | VG | +1-284 | 011 |
| Brunei | BN | +673 | 00 |
| Bulgaria | BG | +359 | 00 |
| Burkina Faso | BF | +226 | 00 |
| Burundi | BI | +257 | 00 |
| Cambodia | KH | +855 | 001 |
| Cameroon | CM | +237 | 00 |
| Canada | CA | +1 | 011 |
| Cape Verde | CV | +238 | 00 |
| Cayman Islands | KY | +1-345 | 011 |
| Central African Republic | CF | +236 | 00 |
| Chad | TD | +235 | 00 |
| Chile | CL | +56 | 00 |
| China | CN | +86 | 00 |
| Colombia | CO | +57 | 00 |
| Comoros | KM | +269 | 00 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic | CD | +243 | 00 |
| Congo, Republic of the | CG | +242 | 00 |
| Cook Islands | CK | +682 | 00 |
| Costa Rica | CR | +506 | 00 |
| Croatia | HR | +385 | 00 |
| Cuba | CU | +53 | 119 |
| Curacao | CW | +599 | 00 |
| Cyprus | CY | +357 | 00 |
| Czech Republic | CZ | +420 | 00 |
| Denmark | DK | +45 | 00 |
| Djibouti | DJ | +253 | 00 |
| Dominica | DM | +1-767 | 011 |
| Dominican Republic | DO | +1-809, +1-829, +1-849 | 011 |
| Ecuador | EC | +593 | 00 |
| Egypt | EG | +20 | 00 |
| El Salvador | SV | +503 | 00 |
| Equatorial Guinea | GQ | +240 | 00 |
| Eritrea | ER | +291 | 00 |
| Estonia | EE | +372 | 00 |
| Eswatini (Swaziland) | SZ | +268 | 00 |
| Ethiopia | ET | +251 | 00 |
| Faroe Islands | FO | +298 | 00 |
| Fiji | FJ | +679 | 00 |
| Finland | FI | +358 | 00 |
| France | FR | +33 | 00 |
| French Guiana | GF | +594 | 00 |
| French Polynesia | PF | +689 | 00 |
| Gabon | GA | +241 | 00 |
| Gambia | GM | +220 | 00 |
| Georgia | GE | +995 | 00 |
| Germany | DE | +49 | 00 |
| Ghana | GH | +233 | 00 |
| Gibraltar | GI | +350 | 00 |
| Greece | GR | +30 | 00 |
| Greenland | GL | +299 | 00 |
| Grenada | GD | +1-473 | 011 |
| Guadeloupe | GP | +590 | 00 |
| Guam | GU | +1-671 | 011 |
| Guatemala | GT | +502 | 00 |
| Guinea | GN | +224 | 00 |
| Guinea-Bissau | GW | +245 | 00 |
| Guyana | GY | +592 | 001 |
| Haiti | HT | +509 | 00 |
| Honduras | HN | +504 | 00 |
| Hong Kong | HK | +852 | 001 |
| Hungary | HU | +36 | 00 |
| Iceland | IS | +354 | 00 |
| India | IN | +91 | 00 |
| Indonesia | ID | +62 | 001 |
| Iran | IR | +98 | 00 |
| Iraq | IQ | +964 | 00 |
| Ireland | IE | +353 | 00 |
| Israel | IL | +972 | 00 |
| Italy | IT | +39 | 00 |
| Jamaica | JM | +1-876 | 011 |
| Japan | JP | +81 | 010 |
| Jordan | JO | +962 | 00 |
| Kazakhstan | KZ | +7 | 810 |
| Kenya | KE | +254 | 000 |
| Kiribati | KI | +686 | 00 |
| Kuwait | KW | +965 | 00 |
| Kyrgyzstan | KG | +996 | 00 |
| Laos | LA | +856 | 00 |
| Latvia | LV | +371 | 00 |
| Lebanon | LB | +961 | 00 |
| Lesotho | LS | +266 | 00 |
| Liberia | LR | +231 | 00 |
| Libya | LY | +218 | 00 |
| Liechtenstein | LI | +423 | 00 |
| Lithuania | LT | +370 | 00 |
| Luxembourg | LU | +352 | 00 |
| Macau | MO | +853 | 00 |
| Madagascar | MG | +261 | 00 |
| Malawi | MW | +265 | 00 |
| Malaysia | MY | +60 | 00 |
| Maldives | MV | +960 | 00 |
| Mali | ML | +223 | 00 |
| Malta | MT | +356 | 00 |
| Marshall Islands | MH | +692 | 011 |
| Martinique | MQ | +596 | 00 |
| Mauritania | MR | +222 | 00 |
| Mauritius | MU | +230 | 00 |
| Mexico | MX | +52 | 00 |
| Micronesia | FM | +691 | 011 |
| Moldova | MD | +373 | 00 |
| Monaco | MC | +377 | 00 |
| Mongolia | MN | +976 | 001 |
| Montenegro | ME | +382 | 00 |
| Montserrat | MS | +1-664 | 011 |
| Morocco | MA | +212 | 00 |
| Mozambique | MZ | +258 | 00 |
| Myanmar (Burma) | MM | +95 | 00 |
| Namibia | NA | +264 | 00 |
| Nauru | NR | +674 | 00 |
| Nepal | NP | +977 | 00 |
| Netherlands | NL | +31 | 00 |
| New Caledonia | NC | +687 | 00 |
| New Zealand | NZ | +64 | 00 |
| Nicaragua | NI | +505 | 00 |
| Niger | NE | +227 | 00 |
| Nigeria | NG | +234 | 009 |
| North Korea | KP | +850 | 00 |
| North Macedonia | MK | +389 | 00 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | MP | +1-670 | 011 |
| Norway | NO | +47 | 00 |
| Oman | OM | +968 | 00 |
| Pakistan | PK | +92 | 00 |
| Palau | PW | +680 | 011 |
| Palestine | PS | +970 | 00 |
| Panama | PA | +507 | 00 |
| Papua New Guinea | PG | +675 | 00 |
| Paraguay | PY | +595 | 00 |
| Peru | PE | +51 | 00 |
| Philippines | PH | +63 | 00 |
| Poland | PL | +48 | 00 |
| Portugal | PT | +351 | 00 |
| Puerto Rico | PR | +1-787, +1-939 | 011 |
| Qatar | QA | +974 | 00 |
| Reunion | RE | +262 | 00 |
| Romania | RO | +40 | 00 |
| Russia | RU | +7 | 810 |
| Rwanda | RW | +250 | 00 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | KN | +1-869 | 011 |
| Saint Lucia | LC | +1-758 | 011 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VC | +1-784 | 011 |
| Samoa | WS | +685 | 00 |
| San Marino | SM | +378 | 00 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | ST | +239 | 00 |
| Saudi Arabia | SA | +966 | 00 |
| Senegal | SN | +221 | 00 |
| Serbia | RS | +381 | 00 |
| Seychelles | SC | +248 | 00 |
| Sierra Leone | SL | +232 | 00 |
| Singapore | SG | +65 | 00 |
| Sint Maarten | SX | +1-721 | 00 |
| Slovakia | SK | +421 | 00 |
| Slovenia | SI | +386 | 00 |
| Solomon Islands | SB | +677 | 00 |
| Somalia | SO | +252 | 00 |
| South Africa | ZA | +27 | 00 |
| South Korea | KR | +82 | 001 |
| South Sudan | SS | +211 | 00 |
| Spain | ES | +34 | 00 |
| Sri Lanka | LK | +94 | 00 |
| Sudan | SD | +249 | 00 |
| Suriname | SR | +597 | 00 |
| Sweden | SE | +46 | 00 |
| Switzerland | CH | +41 | 00 |
| Syria | SY | +963 | 00 |
| Taiwan | TW | +886 | 002 |
| Tajikistan | TJ | +992 | 810 |
| Tanzania | TZ | +255 | 000 |
| Thailand | TH | +66 | 001 |
| Timor-Leste | TL | +670 | 00 |
| Togo | TG | +228 | 00 |
| Tonga | TO | +676 | 00 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | TT | +1-868 | 011 |
| Tunisia | TN | +216 | 00 |
| Turkey | TR | +90 | 00 |
| Turkmenistan | TM | +993 | 810 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | TC | +1-649 | 011 |
| Tuvalu | TV | +688 | 00 |
| Uganda | UG | +256 | 000 |
| Ukraine | UA | +380 | 00 |
| United Arab Emirates | AE | +971 | 00 |
| United Kingdom | GB | +44 | 00 |
| United States | US | +1 | 011 |
| Uruguay | UY | +598 | 00 |
| US Virgin Islands | VI | +1-340 | 011 |
| Uzbekistan | UZ | +998 | 810 |
| Vanuatu | VU | +678 | 00 |
| Vatican City | VA | +379 | 00 |
| Venezuela | VE | +58 | 00 |
| Vietnam | VN | +84 | 00 |
| Yemen | YE | +967 | 00 |
| Zambia | ZM | +260 | 00 |
| Zimbabwe | ZW | +263 | 00 |
Hopefully, this comprehensive list makes your next international call a little bit easier. Having the right information on hand is the key to connecting confidently.
A Better Way to Make International Calls with CallSky.io
Knowing the right telephone country code is one thing, but actually making the call without getting hit with a massive bill is another. We've all seen those traditional international calling plans—they're often a maze of high rates, confusing contracts, and rigid per-seat pricing that just doesn’t make sense for a growing team. It's a lot of unnecessary friction for businesses just trying to connect with people around the world.
This is where modern calling platforms come in. They're built specifically to sidestep these old-school headaches. If you're curious about the tech behind it, understanding what a VoIP phone number entails is a great starting point. It's the technology that makes more flexible and affordable communication possible.
A Smarter Calling Model for Teams
Forget getting locked into expensive monthly subscriptions. A platform like CallSky.io flips the script with a straightforward pay-as-you-go credit model. Your whole team shares from one central pool of credits, which means no more juggling multiple accounts or paying for seats you aren't even using.
This puts you completely in control of your costs. The credits never expire, and you can top them up whenever you need to.
For any organization, this is a much more logical way to operate.
- Shared Credit Pools: Just add credit to a single balance for your entire organization to use.
- Centralized Management: Add new team members and manage everyone’s access from one simple dashboard.
- Verified Caller IDs: You can make sure your official company number shows up on every outbound call, so you always look professional.
Shifting away from the old, restrictive per-seat subscription model lets your business scale its global communications on its own terms. You only ever pay for the minutes you actually use, which turns a fixed operational cost into a flexible, variable one.
Get Started in Minutes
The best part? It’s incredibly simple to get going. There’s no complicated, drawn-out setup process. You can literally sign up, add a small amount of credit, and start making crystal-clear international calls in just a few minutes.
This kind of speed is a game-changer, especially for sales and recruiting teams who can't afford to wait around when they need to reach global prospects.
If you want to see how a credit-based system can slash your international calling expenses, check out the options at CallSky.io. It’s the perfect way to put your new knowledge of country codes to work with a tool that's both cost-effective and dead simple to use.
Common Questions About Country Codes
Even when you have all the pieces, a few questions tend to pop up again and again when dialing internationally. Let's clear up some of the most common ones you'll run into when using a telephone country code.
Why Do Some Countries Share a Country Code?
You might notice that certain countries share the same country code. This usually happens because of deep historical connections or geographical proximity, leading them to join a unified numbering plan.
The most famous example is the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). Under this system, the United States, Canada, and a bunch of Caribbean nations all fall under the country code +1. Another one is Russia and Kazakhstan, which both use +7. These integrated plans were set up to make calling between these neighboring countries much simpler.
Country Code vs. Area Code
It’s easy to mix these two up, but they serve very different purposes.
A country code is the 1- to 3-digit number you dial first to route a call to a specific country from another. Think of it as the international address. For example, +44 gets you to the United Kingdom.
An area code comes after the country code and narrows the call down to a specific city, state, or region within that country. For instance, after dialing +44, you'd dial '20' for London.
Do Mobile Phones Need Country Codes?
Absolutely. You always need the country code when calling a mobile number from another country. It doesn't matter if it's a landline or a cell phone; mobile numbers are tied to the network of their home country.
So, if you're trying to reach a friend's mobile in the UK, you have to start with the UK country code, +44, no matter where you are in the world. This is a universal rule for all international calls.
Ready to stop worrying about dialing mistakes and high costs? With CallSky.io, you can make crystal-clear international calls using a simple pay-as-you-go system. Sign up in minutes and start calling today.