How do I know which country or region my customer belongs to?
How WhatsApp Determines Country or Region
WhatsApp determines a customer’s country or region based on the country calling code and network prefix embedded in their phone number (MSISDN). This is important for regional billing, compliance, and analytics.
How Country Detection Works
- WhatsApp reads the international dialing code (e.g.,
+91,+1,+44) - It then maps this prefix to a region using Meta’s internal country-code list
- This classification affects conversation billing, rate tiering, and compliance routing
Where Can I See This Info?
Platform Area | Can You See Country? | How to Find It |
|---|---|---|
Inbox/Chat Panel | Yes | Hover over or view full phone number |
Conversation Reports | Yes | Region field is included in exports |
Customer Profile View | Yes | Country is auto-populated on creation |
API Payload | Yes | |
Example Lookups
Phone Number | Country |
|---|---|
India | |
United Kingdom | |
United States | |
United Arab Emirates |
Edge Cases to Watch Out For
- Global toll-free or VOIP numbers may not map cleanly to a country
- Number masking by some telcos can obscure real origin
- Carrier portability doesn’t affect billing—WhatsApp uses the original prefix
Why This Matters
Your customer’s region determines:
- Which conversation category pricing applies (especially for international rates)
- Opt-in and messaging rules for region-specific regulations
- Routing eligibility if using rule-based inbox assignment
Related FAQs
- How are WhatsApp conversations categorized and billed?
- What are authentication-international rates?
- How can I export customer profiles with country data?
Updated on: 21/09/2025