ARRL DXCC ENTITY RE-EVALUATION MEMORANDUM – CN

CN — MOROCCO
Evaluation Under 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules

I. PURPOSE

This memorandum evaluates whether CN — Morocco qualified as a valid ARRL DXCC Entity under the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules, the ruleset governing DXCC classifications during the immediate post-WWII era.

The evaluation includes:

• Morocco’s political and administrative status in 1947
• Whether protectorates qualified as DXCC Political Entities
• Morocco’s distinct territorial and governmental structure
• Prefix and telecommunications identity
• Whether Morocco satisfied all criteria for DXCC recognition in 1947

Morocco appears on the DXCC List under prefix CN.

II. BACKGROUND

Political & Administrative Status (as of 1947)

In 1947, “Morocco” consisted of:

1. French Protectorate of Morocco

• Established by Treaty of Fez (1912)
• Sultan remained nominal sovereign
• French Resident-General exercised administrative authority
• Separate legal, administrative, and judicial system
• A defined territorial jurisdiction separate from “France proper”

2. Spanish Protectorate of Morocco

• Distinct northern region (Rif + Tetouan)
• Administered by Spain independently of French Morocco
• Separate governance, military administration, and civil authority

3. Tangier International Zone

• Administered jointly by multiple European powers
• Had separate statutes, laws, courts, and administration
• Not part of French or Spanish Morocco
• Recognized worldwide as a free-international zone

DXCC-relevant point:
Even though Morocco was not sovereign in 1947, its protectorate status qualified it as a distinct political entity, per 1947 DXCC rules.

International Standing

• Recognized globally as a distinct pre-sovereign territorial unit
• Appeared in diplomatic atlases, colonial registers, and global governance lists
• Territorial borders firmly established

DXCC Prefix Identity

• “CN” was reserved to represent Morocco
• Not shared with France (F), Algeria (F), or Spain (EA)
• Radio administration (though under French oversight) was Morocco-specific

DXCC Context (1947)

The 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules recognized:

Sovereign nations
Colonies and protectorates
Mandates and Trust Territories
Distinct political administrative regions
Geographically separate island groups

Morocco qualifies directly under Category 2: Protectorates.

III. ANALYSIS UNDER THE 1947 DXCC RULES

1. POLITICAL ENTITY CRITERIA (1947)

1(a) Sovereign State — FAIL (not required)

• Morocco was not fully independent until 1956
• DXCC rules did not require sovereignty for protectorates

1(b) Protectorate Status — ✔ PASS

• Morocco was an internationally recognized French protectorate
• Spanish Morocco had its own protectorate status
• DXCC explicitly recognized protectorates as qualifying entities

1(c) Distinct Administration — ✔ PASS

• French Morocco had internal ministries, courts, policing, and administration distinct from France
• Spanish Morocco had separate administration distinct from Spain
• Tangier was an internationalized zone with unique governance

This qualifies as “separate political administration” under the 1947 rules.

1(d) International Recognition — ✔ PASS

• The French Protectorate of Morocco was acknowledged worldwide as a discrete territorial unit
• Tangier and Spanish Morocco added further evidence of political separation

1(e) Distinct Prefix Identity — ✔ PASS

• “CN” was recognized as the operational prefix for the Moroccan territory
• Not conflated with France, Spain, Algeria, or other neighbors

Conclusion:
Morocco meets all the Political-Entity requirements listed in the 1947 DXCC Rules.

2. GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY CRITERIA (1947)

Not required, but considered.

2(a) Above high tide — ✔ PASS

Continental territory.

2(b) 100-mile island rule — N/A

Political qualification supersedes geographic tests.

2(c) Geographic distinctiveness — ✔ PASS

A well-defined landmass with clear borders.

3. SPECIAL-AREA CRITERIA (1947) — NOT APPLICABLE

Morocco was neither:

• A UN Trust Territory
• A Mandate
• An international scientific zone
• An Antarctic-type territory

No special-area provisions apply.

4. 1947 DELETION CRITERIA — NOT TRIGGERED

Deletion required:

Territorial assimilation, or
Loss of separate political identity

Neither applied in 1947.

• Morocco retained its protectorate status
• French and Spanish administrations were intact
• Tangier remained an international zone
• No absorption into France or Spain occurred

V. FINAL DETERMINATION

✅ CN — MOROCCO qualifies as an ARRL DXCC Entity under the 1947 DXCC Rules.

Qualification Basis (1947):

✔ Internationally recognized protectorate
✔ Multiple distinct administrative regions (French, Spanish, Tangier)
✔ Clear territorial identity separate from France and Spain
✔ Unique prefix block (CN)
✔ Fully meets DXCC Political-Entity criteria used in the late 1940s
✔ Consistent with recognition of other protectorates (e.g., 9K Kuwait, 5N Nigeria, C5 Gambia)

Conclusion:
Under the 1947 ARRL DXCC Rules, Morocco is a valid Political DXCC Entity, qualifying through its legally recognized protectorate and administrative distinctness.

VI. SUMMARY TABLE

Rule (1947)	Pass/Fail	Notes
Sovereign State	❌	Not independent until 1956
Protectorate Status	✔ PASS	French & Spanish protectorates
Distinct Administration	✔ PASS	Separate governance structures
International Recognition	✔ PASS	Seen as discrete territory
Distinct Prefix	✔ PASS	CN
Geographic Criteria	N/A	Political path
Deletion Criteria	Not Triggered	Admin. distinctness retained
Final Status	VALID ENTITY (1947)	Protectorate Political Entity

References

ARRL DXCC Rules, Post–World War II Edition (1947)
Clinton B. DeSoto, W1CBD, “How to Count Countries Worked, A New DX Scoring System,” QST, October 1935
ARRL DXCC Country Lists, late-1930s through late-1940s editions
Historical records of the Sultanate of Morocco and French/Spanish protectorates (pre-1956)
Early DXCC precedent involving North African protectorates and colonial territories