Update on history of `uk' top level, greatly condensed from David
Pick's emailed account.
diff --git a/Tools/world/world b/Tools/world/world
index f573cac..581d585 100755
--- a/Tools/world/world
+++ b/Tools/world/world
@@ -279,12 +279,12 @@
"net": "networking",
"org": "non-commercial",
"int": "international",
- # this isn't in the same class as those above, but for some reason (of
- # which I am not aware), `uk' is the common practice country code for the
- # United Kingdom. AFAICT, the official `gb' code is routinely ignored!
- # If you have a clue as to why this is, or if there is an official
- # document describing this, please let me know. ISO3166 certainly makes
- # no mention of this.
+ # This isn't in the same class as those above, but is included here
+ # because `uk' is the common practice country code for the United Kingdom.
+ # AFAICT, the official `gb' code is routinely ignored! David Pick
+ # <D.M.Pick@qmw.ac.uk> tells me that `uk' was long in use before ISO3166,
+ # but in reverse order (e.g. uk.ac.qmc) and this was just carried over
+ # into the New World of the Internet.
#
# See <url:http://www.ripe.net/docs/ripe-159.html#222123>
"uk": "United Kingdom (common practice)",