Addresses around the world
Country Name in International Addresses
Where to write the destination country on international mail, why it goes on its own line and which language and spelling to use.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
The country is the first thing international mail is sorted by. A parcel that leaves its country of origin must be routed to the right national system before anything else can happen, so the country line is the most important line on the label.
Where to put it
Write the country on its own line, at the very bottom of the address. Do not combine it with the city or postal code on the same line. This is true even in regions where the rest of the address is written from large to small; the destination country remains in a clearly identifiable place. See small-to-large vs large-to-small address order.
Which language
Write the country in a language that the sorting staff at the point of origin will recognise: usually the language of the sending country, or a widely understood form. The rest of the address stays as the recipient writes it. This avoids confusion when the label passes through hubs that do not read the destination's script.
Full name, not initials
Use the full country name. Initials and informal abbreviations can be read as something else, and not every sorting operator knows them. Two-letter country codes are mostly used in electronic data, not on handwritten labels, though a code may appear in a prefix before the postal code in some systems.
Country and postal code prefix
Some regions put a country prefix before the postal code, for incoming international mail. If the destination expects it, it supplements the country name; it does not replace it.
Name variations
Countries can have short and long names, formal and informal forms, or several spellings in different languages. Use a form the carrier's form accepts. If your online form includes a country dropdown, choose from the list rather than typing.
Common slips
- Leaving the country off because "it is obvious".
- Writing it on the same line as the city.
- Using a region name in place of the country.
- Writing it in a script the origin staff cannot read.
Summary
One line, full name, clear language. Put the country last and make it easy to read; everything else depends on it.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the country name go?
On its own line at the bottom of the address, below the city and postal code, for international mail.
Should I write the country in capitals?
Capitals are widely recommended for the country line because they stand out for sorting staff and machines.