A Regional Internet Registry (RIR) is an organisation overseeing the allocation and registration of Internet number resources within a particular region of the world. Resources include IP addresses (both IPv4 and IPv6) and Autonomous System numbers. In computer networking, an IP address (internet protocol address) is a unique number that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP). ... IPv4 is version 4 of the Internet Protocol (IP) and it is the first version of the Internet Protocol to be widely deployed. ... Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is a network layer standard used by electronic devices to exchange data across a packet-switched internetwork. ... In the Internet, an autonomous system (AS) is a collection of IP networks and routers, under the control of one or more entities, that presents a common routing policy to the Internet. ...

There are currently 5 RIRs in operation:

• American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) [1] for North America
• RIPE Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) [2] for Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia
• Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) [3] for Asia and the Pacific region
• Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC) [4] for Latin America and the Caribbean region
• African Network Information Centre (AfriNIC) [5] for Africa

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) delegates Internet resources to the RIRs, and in turn, the RIRs follow their regional policies for further sub-delegation of resources to their customers, which include Internet Service Providers and end-user organizations. The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Canada, the United States, and portions of the Caribbean. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... RIPE NCC logo The RIPE Network Coordination Centre is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The office building that houses APNIC in Brisbane, Australia. ... Asia is the largest and most populous region or continent depending on the definition. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ... The Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry (LACNIC) is the Regional Internet Registry for Latin America and the Caribbean. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... Central America and the Caribbean (detailed pdf map) The Caribbean, (Spanish: Caribe; French: Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Dutch: Cariben or Caraïben, or more commonly Antillen) or the West Indies, is a group of islands and countries which are in or border the Caribbean Sea which lies on... AfriNIC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa. ... A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses of IANA, see IANA (disambiguation). ... An Internet service provider (ISP, also called Internet access provider) is a business or organization that offers users access to the Internet and related services. ...

Collectively, the RIRs participate in the Number Resource Organization (NRO) [6] formed as a body to represent their collective interests, undertake joint activities, and coordinate RIR activities globally. The Number Resource Organization (NRO) is an unincorporated organisation reuniting four Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) - APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC and RIPE NCC. It came into existence on October 24, 2003, when the four RIRs entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to undertake joint activities, including joint technical projects...

The NRO has entered into an agreement with ICANN for the establishment of the Address Supporting Organisation (ASO), which undertakes coordination of global IP addressing policies within the ICANN framework. ICANN (pronounced I can) is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. ...

See also

• ICANN
• Number Resource Organization
• National Internet Registry
• Local Internet Registry