3A — Monaco

---

ARRL DXCC ENTITY RE-EVALUATION MEMORANDUM – 3A

3A — MONACO
Evaluation Under 1947 ARRL DXCC EntityRules

Re-evaluation Memorandum

---

I. 3A — MonacoPURPOSE

Evaluation Basis

This memorandum evaluates the DXCC entity status ofwhether 3A — Monaco under the ARRL DXCC Rules in effect in 1947, the first post-World-War-II ruleset governing the re-established DXCC List. The purpose is to determine whether Monaco qualified as a separate ARRL DXCC Entity atunder the time1947 ARRL DXCC Rules, basedthe framework used in the first official post-WWII DXCC List.

The evaluation includes:

• 1947 political-entity criteria (independent nations, sovereignty, international recognition)
• Status of Monaco as a sovereign principality
• Relationship with France and degree of political dependence
• Criterion of “discrete geopolitical identity” from DeSoto (1935)
• 1947 DXCC administrative and enumerative precedent

Monaco appears on the rules,1947 intent,DXCC andList operatingas practiceone thenof inEurope’s force.traditional, fully separate political entities.

---

I.II. EntityBACKGROUND

Background

Political & Administrative Status (as of 1947)

• The Principality of Monaco is a long-establishedfully sovereign principalitystate located onunder the Mediterranean coastHouse of Europe,Grimaldi.
• bordered on three sides by France. Despite its small physical size, Monaco has existed as an independent political entity for centuries and retained its sovereignty through both World Wars.

At the time of the 1947 DXCC Rules:

• Monaco possessed a recognized sovereign government

• It maintained independent internal administration

• It conducted foreign relations under treaty arrangements with France while retaining separate political identity

• Amateur radio operations were clearly identifiable as originating from Monaco and distinct from France

MonacoSovereignty was widelyinternationally recognized internationally as a separate country well before the establishmentearly 20th century.
• The Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1918 established a defensive alignment with France, but explicitly preserved Monaco’s independent sovereignty.
• Monaco maintained:
– Its own constitution
– Its own government and ministries
– Its own legal and judicial system
– Distinct citizenship and passport system
– Independent international presence
• Population in 1947: approximately 20,000.

Geographic Characteristics

• Monaco is a micro-state on the northern Mediterranean coast.
• Area: ~2 km² even in 1947, prior to major land reclamations.
• Entirely enclaved within the French Riviera but not under French administration.

DXCC Prefix

• Uses 3A, an internationally recognized prefix assigned to Monaco.
• 3A had clear pre-war and post-war amateur radio usage and recognition.

DXCC History

• Monaco was recognized in all pre-war DXCC lists (1937, 1939).
• Included by ARRL in the revived 1947 DXCC List as a distinct political entity.
• Recognition was based entirely on political sovereignty—the determining standard of the DXCC program.period.

---

II.III. ApplicableANALYSIS UNDER THE 1947 ARRL DXCC RulesRULES

The 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules closely followed Clinton B. DeSoto’s originalcategorized DXCC principlesEntities almost exclusively according to:

1. Political Entities
2. Areas with clearly separate colonial administrations or protectorates (per 1947 world political map)

There were no geographic-distance rules, no reef-connectivity tests, and emphasizedno politicaloffshore-island andprinciples.
The geographiconly distinctnessrelevant overquestions formalized measurements or technical criteria. Key characteristics included:were:

1. Entity• Definition

   Is
   it
   • a

     Asovereign DXCCcountry?
     • “country”Does wasit definedmaintain a separate government?
     • Does the international community recognize it as a distinct political or geographic entity

   • Sovereign states qualified automatically

   • Dependencies, protectorates, and special political entities could also qualify

2. Political Emphasis

   • Political separateness and independent administration were primary considerations

   • No minimum land area or population requirements existed

   • Geographic proximity to another country did not disqualify an entity

3. Administrative Simplicity

   • ITU membership or callsign allocation was not a prerequisite

   • DXCC relied on commonly understood international political distinctions

   • The rules were applied qualitatively, not mathematically

---

III. Political Qualification Analysis

A. Sovereign Status

In 1947, Monaco was:

• A sovereign principality

• Governed by its own ruling monarch and institutions

• Internationally recognized as independent of France

Although Monaco relied on France for certain defense and foreign-policy functions by treaty, this relationship did not negate its sovereignty. Similar treaty-based relationships existed for other sovereign states recognized as DXCC entities during this period.

Under the 1947 DXCC Rules, sovereign political status alone was sufficient for entity qualification.distinct from others?

---

B.1. AdministrativePOLITICAL IndependenceENTITY CRITERIA (1947)

1(a) Sovereign State — ✔ PASS

Monaco in 1947 was and remains an internationally recognized independent principality.

1(b) Independent Government — ✔ PASS

Monaco exercised:
• Its own executive (Prince + Government Council)
• Its own legislature (National Council)
• Its own administrative apparatus

France

• had defense oversight but not sovereignty.

  1(c) International Recognition — ✔ PASS

  IndependentMonaco internalwas governancerecognized by:
  • France
  • U.K.
  • U.S. (consular relations pre-WWII and post-WWII)
  • Numerous European states
  Monaco’s sovereignty long predates the 20th century.

1(d)

Distinct Political Identity — ✔ PASS

Separate• Monaco has a unique legal system, monarchy, national symbols, and institutions.
• Completely separate from France in civil, legal, and administrative systemsmatters.

• Distinct civil authority over its territory

Amateur radio operations from Monaco were

administratively and operationally distinct from France, reinforcing its separateness for DXCC purposes.

---

IV. Geographic Considerations

While Monaco is geographically small and contiguous with France on land, geographic separation was not required where political separateness existed.

The 1947 rules did not impose:

• Minimum distance requirements

• Island separation thresholds

• Continental or land-bridge exclusions

DXCC precedent from this era clearly accepted small sovereign states fully surrounded or nearly surrounded by other countries as separate entities.

---

V.1(e) DXCC Precedent and— Continuity✔ PASS

• Monaco appeared on early DXCC country lists and was treated consistentlylisted as a separate entity fromin France.pre-war ItsDXCC inclusionlists.
• alignedThe with:1947 DXCC List re-affirmed all pre-war entities unless the political map had changed.

Conclusion:
Monaco fully satisfies every Political Criterion under the 1947 rules.

---

2. GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY CRITERIA — NOT APPLICABLE (1947)

The 1947 DXCC List did not include modern geographic rules.
Island separation, distance thresholds, and continental shelf tests did not exist.

Monaco is and was included solely because it is a sovereign political entity, not because of any geographic factor.

---

3. SPECIAL-AREA CRITERIA (1947)

No such category existed—no Antarctic rules, no headquarters rules, no enclave provisions.
Not applicable.

---

4. 1947 DELETION CRITERIA — NOT TRIGGERED

Deletion in 1947 required:

1. Long-standingLoss internationalof recognitionsovereignty, or

2. DeSoto’sA principleborder change that DXCCeliminated entitiesthe needentity’s notseparate bepolitical large or geographically isolatedstatus.

DXCCMonaco practicein of1947:
• recognizingRemained fully sovereign
• Was not annexed
• Did not lose political entitiesstatus
• regardlessWas ofcorrectly size

carried

No provision of the 1947 rules would have excluded Monacoforward from pre-war DXCC consideration.lists

Thus no deletion clause applies.

---

VI.V. DeterminationFINAL Under 1947 RulesDETERMINATION

Qualification Outcome: QUALIFIES

Under the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules,✅ 3A — Monaco qualifies unequivocally as aan ARRL DXCC Entity basedunder on:the 1947 DXCC Rules.

Qualification Basis (1947):

✔

• Clear and undisputedFully sovereign political status

  entity
  ✔
Internationally
• recognized

  nation-state
  ✔ Independent internalgovernment administration

  and
legal
• system
  ✔

  DistinctPre-war DXCC entity; re-affirmed in 1947
  ✔ Unique ITU / international amateur radioprefix operations(3A)
  ✔ No conflicting or competing sovereignty

• Full consistency with DXCC intent and precedent

---

VII. Summary Conclusion

Monaco fully satisfiedConclusion:
Under the political-entity criteria of the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules.framework—grounded Itsentirely recognitionin aspolitical sovereignty and global diplomatic recognition—Monaco is indisputably a qualifying DXCC Entity.

was

---

straightforward,

VI. unambiguous,SUMMARY andTABLE

consistentwithboththeletterandspirit DXCCprogram.Itslong-standingrather

Rule (1947)	Pass/Fail	Notes
Sovereign Country	✔ PASS	Independent principality
Separate Government	✔ PASS	Own laws, ministers, judiciary
International Recognition	✔ PASS	Recognized by major powers
Distinct Political Identity	✔ PASS	Not part of theFrance early
continued Geographic inclusionCriteria reflects	DXCC N/A continuity	than No anyisland-distance specialrules exception.in 1947
Deletion Criteria	Not Triggered	Sovereignty intact
Final Status	VALID ENTITY (1947)	Classic political entity

---

References

1. ARRL DXCC Rules, Post-War Edition (1947)

2. Clinton B. DeSoto, W1CBD, “How to Count Countries Worked, A New DX Scoring System,” QST, October 1935

3. ARRL DXCC Country Lists, late 1940s editions

4. Historical records of the Principality of Monaco as a sovereign state

5. Early DXCC program documentation and precedent on sovereign microstates

---