Block Visitors by Country Using htaccess

You can use the .htaccess file to block visitors from certain countries by using the mod_geoip module. Here is the basic process for doing this:

1. Make sure that the mod_geoip module is installed on your server. This module allows you to use the visitor’s IP address to determine their country of origin.
2. Download a GeoIP database file. This file contains a list of IP address ranges and the corresponding countries they belong to. You can download the GeoIP database from the MaxMind website (https://www.maxmind.com/en/geoip-demo).
3. Place the GeoIP database file in a directory on your server. You will need to specify the path to this file in the .htaccess file.
4. Edit your .htaccess file and add the following lines:

SetEnvIf GEOIP_COUNTRY_CODE XX BlockCountry
Deny from env=BlockCountry

Replace “XX” with the two-letter country code of the country you want to block. You can specify multiple countries by separating the codes with a pipe symbol (|).

5. Save the .htaccess file and upload it to your server.

Keep in mind that blocking visitors by country can have unintended consequences and may not be the best solution for all websites. It is usually better to address security or spam issues directly, rather than blocking entire countries.