How do you dial your calls?

When you want to make an international call, knowing thearea code of the destinationcountry is essential. Whether you’re trying to reach business partners, friends or family abroad, the correct use of international dialing codes facilitates your exchanges and ensures the success of your calls.

Understanding international telephone codes

An international telephone code is a unique prefix assigned to each member country or region of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This code, made up of one or more digits, must be dialed before the local telephone number when making an international call. It identifies the recipient’s country and ensures correct routing of the call through the world’s telephone networks.

How to use telephone codes

To dial an international call oruse certified multipurpose numbers, follow these simple steps:

1. Dial the international prefix: this is generally “00” for most European countries, or “+”, which is obtained by pressing and holding the “0” key on cell phones.
2. Enter the country code: Each country has its own code. For example, “33” for France, “1” for the United States (USA) and the area code for Canada.
3. Dial the local number: After the country code, enter the local phone number of your correspondent, omitting the first zero if there is one.

List of country codes

This list is a starting point to familiarize yourself with the most commonly used area codes. For a complete list, refer to an official directory or to the International Telecommunication Union website, or discover our content dedicated to international area codes or overseas department and region codes.

Knowledge of international dialing codes is essential for effective international calling. Whether for work, leisure or personal relations, correct use of these codes guarantees smooth, uninterrupted communication with the whole world. Familiarize yourself with these prefixes, ensure the success of your international communications and access, whatever your operator, to all your international correspondents.