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IANA, or the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, is not a Regional Internet Registry (RIR). Instead, it is responsible for global IP address allocation and the management of the domain name system. IANA's primary function includes the allocation of IP address space to the various RIRs, as well as managing the root zone of the Domain Name System.

In contrast, the other entities listed—RIPE NCC, AFRINIC, and APNIC—are all Regional Internet Registries. RIPE NCC serves Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia; AFRINIC is responsible for Africa; and APNIC handles the Asia-Pacific region. These organizations specifically allocate and manage IP addresses within their respective regions, making them integral to the structure of internet governance and resource distribution worldwide. Hence, identifying IANA as separate from these RIRs highlights its different role in the broader context of internet infrastructure management.