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What are the ISO 8859 character sets and how do they compare?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) introduced 8859 as its standard for representing one-byte (8 bit) character sets. It is used primarily to describe Western languages, including a number of variants for Latin, Cyrillic, Hebrew and Arabic scripts. The first 128 characters of all ISO 8859 character sets (hexadecimals 00 to 7F) are identical to the ASCII character set. They also all share a set of control characters (hexadecimals 80 to BF) which are rarely used. Although new sets continue to be proposed, this document will only deal with ISO character sets 8859-1 through 8859-10.

The Latin character sets consist of ISO 8859-1 (Latin-1), 8859-2 (Latin-2), 8859-3 (Latin-3), 8859-4 (Latin-4), 8859-9 (Latin-5) and 8859-10 (Latin-6). Latin-1 codes for the Western European languages and thus is the most frequently encountered 8859 set. It is also identical to the first 255 characters of the Unicode standard. Latin-2 is used to code for the non-Cyrillic languages of Central and Eastern Europe. Latin-3 is used for some Southern European languages and also Esperanto. Latin-4 was designed for the Baltic languages, Lappish and Greenlandic, but has been largely superseded by Latin-6, as it accommodates a broader range of Northern European languages. Latin-5 is used to describe Turkish characters. In addition to the Latin sets, additional 8859 sets code for Cyrillic (8859-5), Arabic (8859-6), Greek (8859-7) and Hebrew (8859-8).

The following chart lists the characters that can be described by 8859 sets and where each set maps them. The number values are in hexadecimal and the names are from the Unicode standard. Only the characters mapped by numbers 160 through 255 (AO - FF) are included, as earlier characters are either identical to US ASCII or are non-printing. The characters are described in the order they appear in Unicode.

Unicode Description ISO 8859 #
Latin sets Non-Latin sets
1 2 3 4 9 10 5 6 7 8
NO-BREAK SPACE A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 A0 AO
INVERTED EXCLAMATION MARK A1 -- -- -- A1 -- -- -- -- --
CENT SIGN A2 -- -- -- A2 -- -- -- -- A2
POUND SIGN A3 -- A3 -- A3 -- -- -- A3 A3
CURRENCY SIGN A4 A4 A4 A4 A4 -- -- A4 -- A4
YEN SIGN A5 -- -- -- A5 -- -- -- -- A5
BROKEN BAR A6 -- -- -- A6 -- -- -- A6 A6
SECTION SIGN A7 A7 A7 A7 A7 A7 FD -- A7 A7
DIAERESIS A8 A8 A8 A8 A8 -- -- -- A8 A8
COPYRIGHT SIGN A9 -- -- -- A9 -- -- -- A9 A9
FEMININE ORDINAL INDICATOR AA -- -- -- AA -- -- -- -- --
LEFT-POINTING DOUBLE ANGLE QUOTATION MARK AB -- -- -- AB -- -- -- AB AB
NOT SIGN AC -- -- -- AC -- -- -- AC AC
SOFT HYPHEN AD AD AD AD AD AD AD AD AD AD
REGISTERED SIGN AE -- -- -- AE -- -- -- -- AE
MACRON AF -- -- AF AF -- -- -- -- --
DEGREE SIGN B0 B0 B0 B0 B0 B0 -- -- BO B0
PLUS-MINUS SIGN B1 -- -- -- B1 -- -- -- B1 B1
SUPERSCRIPT TWO B2 -- B2 -- B2 -- -- -- B2 B2
SUPERSCRIPT THREE B3 -- B3 -- B3 -- -- -- B3 B3
ACUTE ACCENT B4 B4 B4 B4 B4 -- -- -- -- B4
MICRO SIGN B5 -- B5 -- B5 -- -- -- -- B5
PILCROW SIGN B6 -- -- -- B6 -- -- -- -- B6
MIDDLE DOT B7 -- B7 -- B7 B7 -- -- B7 B7
CEDILLA B8 B8 B8 B8 B8 -- -- -- -- B8
SUPERSCRIPT ONE B9 -- -- -- B9 -- -- -- -- B9
MASCULINE ORDINAL INDICATOR BA -- -- -- BA -- -- -- -- BA
RIGHT-POINTING DOUBLE ANGLE QUOTATION MARK BB -- -- -- BB -- -- -- BB BB
VULGAR FRACTION ONE QUARTER BC -- -- -- BC -- -- -- -- BC
VULGAR FRACTION ONE HALF BD -- BD -- BD -- -- -- BD BD
VULGAR FRACTION THREE QUARTERS BE -- -- -- BE -- -- -- -- BE
INVERTED QUESTION MARK BF -- -- -- BF -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH GRAVE C0 -- C0 -- C0 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH ACUTE C1 C1 C1 C1 C1 C1 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH CIRCUMFLEX C2 C2 C2 C2 C2 C2 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH TILDE C3 -- -- C3 C3 C3 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH DIAERESIS C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 C4 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH RING ABOVE C5 -- -- C5 -- C5 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER AE C6 -- -- C6 C6 C6 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH CEDILLA C7 C7 C7 -- C7 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH GRAVE C8 -- C8 -- C8 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH ACUTE C9 C9 C9 C9 C9 C9 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH CIRCUMFLEX CA -- CA -- CA -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH DIAERESIS CB CB CB CB CB CB -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH GRAVE CC -- CC -- CC -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH ACUTE CD CD CD CD CD CD -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH CIRCUMFLEX CE CE CE CE CE CE -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS CF -- CF -- CF CF -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER ETH (ICELANDIC) D0 -- -- -- -- D0 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N WITH TILDE D1 -- D1 -- D1 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH GRAVE D2 -- D2 -- D2 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH ACUTE D3 D3 D3 -- D3 D3 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH CIRCUMFLEX D4 D4 D4 D4 D4 D4 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH TILDE D5 -- -- D5 D5 D5 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH DIAERESIS D6 D6 D6 D6 D6 D6 -- -- -- --
MULTIPLICATION SIGN D7 D7 D7 D7 D7 -- -- -- -- AA
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH STROKE D8 -- -- D8 D8 D8 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH GRAVE D9 -- D9 -- D9 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH ACUTE DA DA DA DA DA DA -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH CIRCUMFLEX DB -- DB DB DB DB -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH DIAERESIS DC DC DC DC DC DC -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER Y WITH ACUTE DD DD -- -- -- DD -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER THORN (ICELANDIC) DE -- -- -- -- DE -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER SHARP S (GERMAN) DF DF DF DF DF DF -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH GRAVE E0 -- E0 -- E0 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH ACUTE E1 E1 E1 E1 E1 E1 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH CIRCUMFLEX E2 E2 E2 E2 E2 E2 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH TILDE E3 -- -- E3 E3 E3 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH DIAERESIS> E4 E4 E4 E4 E4 E4 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH RING ABOVE E5 -- -- E5 E5 E5 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER AE E6 -- -- E6 E6 E6 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER C WITH CEDILLA E7 E7 E7 -- E7 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH GRAVE E8 -- E8 -- E8 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH ACUTE E9 E9 E9 E9 E9 E9 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH CIRCUMFLEX EA -- EA -- EA -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH DIAERESIS EB EB EB EB EB EB -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH GRAVE EC -- EC -- EC -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH ACUTE ED ED ED ED ED ED -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH CIRCUMFLEX EE EE EE EE EE EE -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH DIAERESIS EF -- EF -- EF EF -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER ETH (ICELANDIC) F0 -- -- -- -- F0 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER N WITH TILDE F1 -- F1 -- F1 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH GRAVE F2 -- F2 -- F2 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH ACUTE F3 F3 F3 -- F3 F3 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH CIRCUMFLEX F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 F4 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH TILDE F5 -- -- F5 F5 F5 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH DIAERESIS F6 F6 F6 F6 F6 F6 -- -- -- --
DIVISION SIGN F7 F7 F7 F7 F7 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH STROKE F8 -- -- F8 F8 F8 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH GRAVE F9 -- F9 -- F9 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH ACUTE FA FA FA FA FA FA -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH CIRCUMFLEX FB -- FB FB FB FB -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH DIAERESIS FC FC FC FC FC FC -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER Y WITH ACUTE FD FD -- -- -- FD -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER THORN (ICELANDIC) FE -- -- -- -- FE -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER Y WITH DIAERESIS FF -- -- -- FF -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH MACRON -- -- -- C0 -- C0 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH MACRON -- -- -- E0 -- E0 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH BREVE -- C3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH BREVE -- E3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH OGONEK -- A1 -- A1 -- A1 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH OGONEK -- B1 -- B1 -- B1 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH ACUTE -- C6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER C WITH ACUTE -- E6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- C6 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER C WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- E6 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- C5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER C WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- E5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER C WITH CARON -- C8 -- C8 -- C8 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER C WITH CARON -- E8 -- E8 -- E8 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER D WITH CARON -- CF -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER D WITH CARON -- EF -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER D WITH STROKE -- D0 -- D0 -- A9 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER D WITH STROKE -- F0 -- F0 -- B9 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH MACRON -- -- -- AA -- A2 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH MACRON -- -- -- BA -- B2 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- -- CC -- CC -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- -- EC -- EC -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH OGONEK -- CA -- CA -- CA -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH OGONEK -- EA -- EA -- EA -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER E WITH CARON -- CC -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER E WITH CARON -- EC -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER G WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- D8 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER G WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- F8 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER G WITH BREVE -- -- AB -- D0 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER G WITH BREVE -- -- BB -- F0 -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER G WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- D5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER G WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- F5 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER G WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- AB -- A3 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER G WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- BB -- B3 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER H WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- A6 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER H WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- B6 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER H WITH STROKE -- -- A1 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER H WITH STROKE -- -- B1 -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH TILDE -- -- -- A5 -- A5 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH TILDE -- -- -- B5 -- B5 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH MACRON -- -- -- CF -- A4 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH MACRON -- -- -- EF -- B4 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH OGONEK -- -- -- C7 -- C7 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER I WITH OGONEK -- -- -- E7 -- E7 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER I WITH DOT ABOVE -- -- A9 -- DD -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER DOTLESS I -- -- B9 -- FD -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER J WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- AC -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER J WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- BC -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER K WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- D3 -- A6 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER K WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- F3 -- B6 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER KRA (GREENLANDIC) -- -- -- A2 -- FF -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER L WITH ACUTE -- C5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER L WITH ACUTE -- E5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER L WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- A6 -- A8 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER L WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- B6 -- B8 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER L WITH CARON -- A5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER L WITH CARON -- B5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER L WITH STROKE -- A3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER L WITH STROKE -- B3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N WITH ACUTE -- D1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER N WITH ACUTE -- F1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- D1 -- D1 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER N WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- F1 -- F1 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER N WITH CARON -- D2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER N WITH CARON -- F2 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER ENG (SAMI) -- -- -- BD -- AF -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER ENG (SAMI) -- -- -- BF -- BF -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH MACRON -- -- -- D2 -- D2 -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH MACRON -- -- -- F2 -- F2 -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER O WITH DOUBLE ACUTE -- D5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER O WITH DOUBLE ACUTE -- F5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER R WITH ACUTE -- C0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH ACUTE -- E0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER R WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- A3 -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH CEDILLA -- -- -- B3 -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER R WITH CARON -- D8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH CARON -- F8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH ACUTE -- A6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH ACUTE -- B6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- DE -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH CIRCUMFLEX -- -- FE -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH CEDILLA -- AA AA -- DE -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH CEDILLA -- BA BA -- FE -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER S WITH CARON -- A9 -- A9 -- AA -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER S WITH CARON -- B9 -- B9 -- BA -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER T WITH CEDILLA -- DE -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER T WITH CEDILLA -- FE -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER T WITH CARON -- AB -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN SMALL LETTER T WITH CARON -- BB -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER T WITH STROKE -- -- --