About the NLS_TERRITORY Parameter

Specifies: Default conventions for:

Date format
Timestamp format
Decimal character and group separator
Local currency symbol
ISO currency symbol
Dual currency symbol

Acceptable Values: Any territory name that Oracle supports. For a list, see Oracle Database Globalization Support Guide.

Default Value: Set by NLS_LANG, described in "About Locale and the NLS_LANG Parameter".

Sets default values of:

NLS_DATE_FORMAT, described in "About the NLS_DATE_FORMAT Parameter".
NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT and NLS_TIMESTAMP_TZ_FORMAT, described in "About the NLS_TIMESTAMP_FORMAT and NLS_TIMESTAMP_TZ_FORMAT Parameters".
NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS, described in "About the NLS_NUMERIC_CHARACTERS Parameter".
NLS_CURRENCY, described in "About the NLS_CURRENCY Parameter".
NLS_ISO_CURRENCY, described in "About the NLS_ISO_CURRENCY Parameter".
NLS_DUAL_CURRENCY, described in "About the NLS_DUAL_CURRENCY Parameter".

The following example shows how setting NLS_TERRITORY to JAPAN and AMERICA affects the currency symbol.

To try this example in SQL Developer, enter the statements and queries in the SQL Worksheet. For information about the SQL Worksheet, see "Running Queries in SQL Developer". The results shown here are from SQL*Plus; their format is slightly different in SQL Developer.

NLS_TERRITORY Affects Currency Symbol

Note the current value of NLS_TERRITORY.

For instructions, see "Viewing NLS Parameter Values".
If the value in step 1 is not JAPAN, change it:
```
ALTER SESSION SET NLS_TERRITORY=JAPAN;
```

Run this query:

SELECT TO_CHAR(SALARY,'L99G999D99') SALARY
FROM EMPLOYEES
WHERE EMPLOYEE_ID IN (100, 101, 102);

Result:

SALARY
--------------------
          ¥24,000.00
          ¥17,000.00
          ¥17,000.00
 
3 rows selected.

Change the value of NLS_TERRITORY to AMERICA:

ALTER SESSION SET NLS_TERRITORY=AMERICA;

Repeat the query from step 3.

Result:

SALARY
--------------------
          $24,000.00
          $17,000.00
          $17,000.00
 
3 rows selected.

Set NLS_TERRITORY to the value that it had at step 1.

About the NLS_TERRITORY Parameter

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