It is now three years since the relaunch of the ccTLD for Montenegro, .ME, and they are celebrating with over 530,000 registrations in 200 countries.

“In that time, the dot-ME domain has transitioned from one country’s Web identity to the most effective personal domain name extension in the world,” says Predrag Lesic, Executive Director of the .ME Registry. “Dot-ME has truly ‘gone global,’ having registered more than 530,000 domains in 200 countries.”

The popularity of the ccTLD in English-speaking countries was not unexpected given the popular use of the word “me”. American registrations account for more than half (52.92%) of .ME registrations while another 7.68 per cent of registrants are located in the United Kingdom. Then comes German (3.82%), Canada (3.81%) and Japan (3.63%).

But, it is the percentage of .ME growth quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year that proves the domain is a consistent top choice among persons and companies looking to be sure their web address stands out from the crowd. During the Registry’s last fiscal year (July 2010-June 2011), the registration of .ME domains grew by 27 per cent; which, according to VeriSign’s May 2011 Domain Name Industry Brief, is more than three times the average industry increase during the report’s measured 12-month period (7.9%).

.ME has also become extraordinarily popular recently for its value in the world of mobile apps and as a URL shortener for some of the world’s biggest companies, such as WordPress (WP.Me), Facebook (FB.Me), Yahoo (ME.Me), VKontakte (VK.Me) and Time Magazine (TI.Me).

“Some might argue that dot-ME has put the young country of Montenegro in a worldwide spotlight,” notes Lesic. “We certainly are proud of dot-ME’s international presence and of the Registry’s accomplishments in successfully marketing the domain for its value, simplicity and brand presence online.”

To register your .ME domain name, check out Europe Registry here.