# International Amateur Radio Union

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international confederation of national organisations that allows a forum for common matters of concern to amateur radio operators worldwide, and collectively represents matters to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The International Amateur Radio Union was founded in 1925 and, as of July 2021, it is composed of 172 national member societies.

## History

Following an informal meeting in 1924 of representatives from France, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Luxembourg, Canada, and the United States, a plan was formulated to hold an International Amateur Congress in Paris, France, in April 1925. This Congress was held for the purpose of founding an international amateur radio organization. The Congress was attended by representatives of 23 countries in Europe, Americas, and Asia. A constitution for the IARU was adopted on April 17, and the formation of the International Amateur Radio Union was ratified on April 18, 1925. In the current era, this is the date (April 18) on which World Amateur Radio Day is celebrated.
The protocol of the congress was written in English, French and Esperanto.

## Governance

The IARU has an elected President and Vice President, an appointed Secretary and other officials (including regional representatives) forming an Administrative Council. These office holders are presently Timothy Ellam, VE6SH (Canada), President; Ole Garpestad, LA2RR (Norway), Vice-President; and Joel Harrison, W5ZN (United States), Secretary. The IARU International Secretariat (IARUIS) is operated by a member society after election by members. Currently, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) operates the IARUIS from its headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, US.

## Regional organisation

The IARU is organised into three regions, named Region 1, Region 2, and Region 3. These regions correspond to the regulatory regions used by the International Telecommunication Union. Each region has an Executive Committee, typically composed of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and several Directors. These regional officers are elected by representatives from the member societies at triennial regional conferences. Coordinators may be appointed by the Executive Committee of their region to support particular areas within the region, or to promote certain amateur radio activities within the region. All three regions have appointed Coordinators for Amateur Radio Direction Finding, emergency communications, monitoring for electromagnetic interference, and radio propagation.

### IARU Region 1

IARU Region 1 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and northern Asia. IARU Region 1 has the largest number of member societies among the three IARU regions, and has been the source of several international initiatives. IARU Region 1 lobbying efforts led to the creation of the 30 meter, 17 meter, and 12 meter amateur radio bands, improving the standardization of reciprocal licensing, promoting Amateur Radio Direction Finding and initiating youth related activities, known as "the Youngsters On the Air project" (YOTA)
Executive officers:
* President: Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR
* Vice-President: Hani Raad, OD5TE
* Secretary: Mats Espling, SM6EAN
* Treasurer: Andreas Thiemann, HB9JOE
| Country | Member Society | Abbreviation and website (if available) |
| Albania | Albanian Amateur Radio Association | AARA |
| Algeria | Association of Algerian Radio Amateurs | ARA |
| Andorra | Andorran Amateur Radio Union | URA |
| Armenia | Federation of Radiosport of the Republic of Armenia | FRRA |
| Austria | Austrian Amateur Radio Society | OEVSV |
| Azerbaijan | Federation of Radiosport of the Republic of Azerbaijan | FRS |
| Bahrain | Bahrain Amateur Radio Society | BARS |
| Belarus | Belarusian Federation of Radioamateurs and Radiosportsmen | BFRR |
| Belgium | Royal Union of Belgian Radio Amateurs | UBA |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Amateur Radio Association of Bosnia and Hercegovina | ARAuBiH |
| Botswana | Botswana Amateur Radio Society | BARS |
| Bulgaria | Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs | BFRA |
| Burkina Faso | Burkina Faso Amateur Radio Association | ARBF |
| Burundi | Burundian Amateur Radio and Television Association | ABART |
| Cameroon | Cameroon Amateur Radio Association | ARTJ |
| Ivory Coast | Ivorian Amateur Radio Association | ARAI |
| Croatia | Croatian Amateur Radio Association | HRS |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Amateur Radio Society | CARS |
| Czech Republic | Czech Radio Club | CRK Archived 2023-04-09 at the Wayback Machine |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Congolese Amateur Radio Association | ARAC |
| Denmark | Danish Amateur Radio Experimenters | EDR |
| Djibouti | Djibouti Amateur Radio Association | ARAD |
| Egypt | Egyptian Radio Amateurs Society for Development | ERASD |
| Estonia | Estonian Radio Amateurs' Union | ERAU |
| Eswatini | Radio Society of Eswatini | RSE |
| Ethiopia | Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society | EARS |
| Faroe Islands | Radio Amateurs of the Faroe Islands | FRA |
| Finland | Finnish Amateur Radio League | SRAL |
| France | Network of French Transmitters | REF |
| Gabon | Gabonese Amateur Radio Association | AGRA |
| Gambia | Radio Society of The Gambia | RSTG |
| Georgia | National Association of Radio Amateurs of Georgia | NARG |
| Germany | German Amateur Radio Club | DARC |
| Ghana | Ghana Amateur Radio Society | GARS |
| Gibraltar | Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society | GARS |
| Greece | Radio Amateur Association of Greece | RAAG |
| Guinea | Guinean Amateur Radio Association | ARGUI |
| Hungary | Hungarian Amateur Radio Association | MRASZ |
| Iceland | Icelandic Radio Amateurs | IRA |
| Iraq | Iraqi Amateur Radio Society | IARS |
| Ireland | Irish Radio Transmitters Society | IRTS |
| Israel | Israel Amateur Radio Club | IARC |
| Italy | Italian Amateur Radio Association | ARI |
| Jordan | Royal Jordanian Radio Amateur Society | RJRAS |
| Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan Federation of Radiosport and Radio Amateur | KFRR |
| Kenya | Amateur Radio Society of Kenya | ARSK |
| Kosovo | Kosovo Amateur Radio Association | SHRAK |
| Kuwait | Kuwait Amateur Radio Society | KARS |
| Kyrgyzstan | Amateur Radio Union of the Kyrgyz Republic | ARUKR |
| Latvia | Latvian Amateur Radio League | LRAL |
| Lebanon | Radio Amateurs of Lebanon | RAL Archived 2023-06-15 at the Wayback Machine |
| Lesotho | Lesotho Amateur Radio Society | LARS |
| Liberia | Liberia Radio Amateur Association | LRAA |
| Liechtenstein | Amateur Radio Association of Liechtenstein | AFVL |
| Lithuania | Lithuanian Amateur Radio Society | LRMD |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg Amateur Radio Society | RL |
| Mali | Club of Radio Amateurs and Affiliates of Mali | CRAM |
| Malta | Malta Amateur Radio League | MARL |
| Mauritius | Mauritius Amateur Radio Society | MARS |
| Moldova | Amateur Radio Society of Moldova | ARM |
| Monaco | Monegasque Amateur Radio Association | ARM |
| Mongolia | Mongolian Radio Sport Federation | MRSF |
| Montenegro | Montenegrin Amateur Radio Pool | MARP |
| Morocco | Royal Moroccan Amateur Radio Association | ARRAM |
| Mozambique | Mozambique Amateur Radio League | LREM |
| Namibia | Namibian Amateur Radio League | NARL |
| Netherlands | Dutch Association for Experimental Radio Research | VERON |
| Nigeria | Nigeria Amateur Radio Society | NARS |
| North Macedonia | Radio Amateur Society of North Macedonia | RSM |
| Norway | Norwegian Radio Relay League | NRRL |
| Oman | Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society | ROARS |
| Poland | Polish Amateur Radio Union | PZK |
| Portugal | Network of Portuguese Transmitters | REP |
| Qatar | Qatar Amateur Radio Society | QARS |
| Republic of the Congo | Congolese Amateur Radio Union | URAC |
| Romania | Romanian Federation of Amateur Radio | FRR |
| Russia | Russian Amateur Radio Union | SRR |
| Rwanda | Rwanda Amateur Radio Union | RARU |
| San Marino | Radio Amateur Association of the Republic of San Marino | ARRSM |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Amateur Radio Society | SARS |
| Senegal | Senegalese Amateur Radio Association | ARAS Archived 2021-07-26 at the Wayback Machine |
| Serbia | Amateur Radio Union of Serbia | SRS |
| Seychelles | Seychelles Amateur Radio Association | SARA |
| Sierra Leone | Sierra Leone Amateur Radio Society | SLARS |
| Slovakia | Slovak Amateur Radio Association | SZR |
| Slovenia | Association of Radio Amateurs of Slovenia | ZRS |
| South Africa | South African Radio League | SARL |
| Spain | Spanish Amateur Radio Union | URE |
| Sudan | Sudan Amateur Radio Union | SARU |
| Sweden | Swedish Society of Radio Amateurs | SSA |
| Switzerland | Union of Swiss Short Wave Amateurs | USKA |
| Syria | Syrian Scientific Technical Amateur Radio Society | SSTARS |
| Tajikistan | Tajik Amateur Radio League | TARL |
| Tanzania | Tanzania Amateur Radio Club | TARC |
| Tunisia | Tunisian Amateur Radio Association | ARAT |
| Turkey | Turkish Amateur Radio Association | TRAC |
| Turkmenistan | League of Radio Amateurs of Turkmenistan | LRT |
| Uganda | Uganda Amateur Radio Society | UARS |
| Ukraine | Ukrainian Amateur Radio League | UARL |
| United Arab Emirates | Emirates Amateur Radio Society | EARS Archived 2019-06-29 at the Wayback Machine |
| United Kingdom | Radio Society of Great Britain | RSGB |
| Zambia | Radio Society of Zambia (withdrawn) | RSZ |
| Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe Amateur Radio Society | ZARS |

### IARU Region 2

IARU Region 2 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in the Americas. The organization of IARU Region 2 was founded in 1964 when representatives from 15 national radio societies attended the First Panamerican Radio Amateur Congress in Mexico City, Mexico. Antonio Pita, XE1CCP was the region's first elected president.
Executive officers:
* President: Ramón Santoyo, XE1KK
* Vice-President: José Arturo Molina, YS1MS
* Secretary: George Gorsline, VE3YV
* Treasurer: John Bellows, K0QB
| Country | Member society | Abbreviation and website (if available) |
| Anguilla | Anguilla Amateur Radio Society | AARS |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Radio Society | ABARS |
| Argentina | Argentine Radio Club | RCA |
| Aruba | Aruba Amateur Radio Club | AARC |
| Bahamas | Bahamas Amateur Radio Society | BARS |
| Barbados | Amateur Radio Society of Barbados | ARSB |
| Belize | Belize Amateur Radio Club | BARC |
| Bermuda | Radio Society of Bermuda | RSB |
| Bolivia | Radio Club of Bolivia | RCB |
| Brazil | League of Brazilian Amateur Radio Transmitters | LABRE |
| British Virgin Islands | British Virgin Islands Radio League | BVIRL |
| Canada | Radio Amateurs of Canada | RAC |
| Cayman Islands | Cayman Amateur Radio Society | CARS |
| Chile | Chilean Radio Club | RCCH |
| Colombia | Colombian Amateur Radio League | LCRA |
| Costa Rica | Radio Club of Costa Rica | RCCR |
| Cuba | Cuban Amateur Radio Federation | FRC |
| Curaçao | Dutch Caribbean Association for Experimental Radio Research | VERONA |
| Dominica | Dominica Amateur Radio Club | DARCI |
| Dominican Republic | Radio Club of the Dominican Republic | RCD Archived 2019-06-29 at the Wayback Machine |
| Ecuador | Guayaquil Radio Club | GRC |
| El Salvador | El Salvador Amateur Radio Club | CRAS |
| Grenada | Grenada Amateur Radio Society | GARS |
| Guatemala | Guatemala Amateur Radio Club | CRAG |
| Guyana | Guyana Amateur Radio Association (suspended) | GARA |
| Haiti | Haitian Radio Club | RCH |
| Honduras | Radio Club of Honduras | RCH |
| Jamaica | Jamaica Amateur Radio Association | JARA |
| Mexico | Mexican Federation of Radio Experimenters | FMRE |
| Montserrat | Montserrat Amateur Radio Society | MARS |
| Nicaragua | Nicaraguan Radio Experimenters' Club | CREN |
| Panama | Panamanian Amateur Radio League | LPRA |
| Paraguay | Radio Club of Paraguay | RCP |
| Peru | Radio Club of Peru | RCP |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Amateur Radio Society | SKNAARS |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | St. Vincent & the Grenadines Amateur Radio Club | SVGARC |
| Suriname | Association of Radio Amateurs of Suriname (suspended) | VRAS |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society | TTARS |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Turks and Caicos Amateur Radio Society | TACARS |
| United States | American Radio Relay League (IARU International Secretariat) | ARRL |
| Uruguay | Radio Club of Uruguay | RCU |
| Venezuela | Radio Club of Venezuela | RCV |

### IARU Region 3

IARU Region 3 includes the member societies representing amateur radio operators in Australia, most of Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Although most of their membership is located in other IARU regions, the American Radio Relay League and the Radio Society of Great Britain are full member societies of IARU Region 3. The ARRL represents amateur radio operators in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and other dependent territories in the Pacific Ocean. The RSGB represents amateur radio operators in the British Indian Ocean Territory. IARU Region 3 has a special emphasis on promoting the harmonization of license qualifications in an effort to promote easier reciprocal operations by amateur radio operators in the region.
Executive officers:
* President: Wisnu Widjaja, YB0AZ
* Secretary: Shizuo Endo, JE1MUI
| Country | Member society | Abbreviation and website (if available) |
| Australia | Wireless Institute of Australia | WIA |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh Amateur Radio League | BARL |
| Brunei | Brunei Darussalam Amateur Radio Association | BDARA Archived 2010-02-18 at the Wayback Machine |
| China | Chinese Radio Amateurs Club | CRAC |
| Republic of China | Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League | CTARL |
| Fiji | Fiji Association of Radio Amateurs | FARA |
| French Polynesia | Oceanian Radio and Astronomy Club | CORA |
| Hong Kong | Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society | HARTS |
| India | Amateur Radio Society of India | ARSI |
| Indonesia | Organisasi Amatir Radio Indonesia | ORARI |
| Japan | Japan Amateur Radio League | JARL |
| Macau | Macau Amateur Radio Society | ARM |
| Malaysia | Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters' Society | MARTS Archived 2008-04-08 at the Wayback Machine |
| Myanmar | Burma Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (suspended) | BARTS |
| New Caledonia | New Caledonian Amateur Radio Association | ARANC |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters | NZART |
| Pakistan | Pakistan Amateur Radio Society | PARS |
| Papua New Guinea | Papua New Guinea Amateur Radio Society (suspended) | PNGARS |
| Philippines | Philippine Amateur Radio Association | PARA |
| Pitcairn Islands | Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association | PIARA |
| Samoa | Samoa Amateur Radio Club | SARC |
| Singapore | Singapore Amateur Radio Transmitting Society | SARTS |
| Solomon Islands | Solomon Islands Radio Society | SIRS |
| South Korea | Korean Amateur Radio League | KARL |
| Sri Lanka | Radio Society of Sri Lanka | RSSL |
| Thailand | Radio Amateur Society of Thailand under The Royal Patronage of His Majesty The King | RAST |
| Tonga | Amateur Radio Club of Tonga | ARCOT |
| Vanuatu | Vanuatu Amateur Radio Society | VARS |
| Vietnam | Vietnam Amateur Radio Club | VARC |

### Countries without IARU member societies

* = Amateur radio licenses not issued in this country
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 3 |
| Angola Benin Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Guinea-Bissau Libya Madagascar Malawi Mauritania Niger Palestine Somalia South Sudan Sudan Togo Uzbekistan Vatican City Yemen* | Greenland Saint Lucia | Afghanistan Bhutan Cambodia Cook Islands Federated States of Micronesia Iran Kiribati Laos Maldives Marshall Islands Nauru Nepal Niue North Korea* Palau Timor-Leste Tuvalu |

## GAREC - Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conferences

The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference or "GAREC" is a yearly conference held by the International Amateur Radio Union for discussion of amateur radio operation during natural disasters and other emergencies with the motto, "Saving lives through emergency communications". GAREC was first held in Tampere, Finland in 2005, coinciding with the adoption of the Tampere Convention, a globally binding emergency communications treaty that had been signed in Tampere in 1998. In later conferences, the venue has attempted to rotate in sequence through ITU Regions 1, 2 and 3 (though not necessarily in that particular order).

## Radiosport

The IARU organises and promotes radiosport activities throughout the world. The IARU promulgates the rules used for high-speed telegraphy and sponsors regional and world championships. The IARU also promulgates the rules used by most competitions in amateur radio direction finding, including IARU-sponsored regional and world championships. The IARU also sponsors the annual IARU HF World Championship in amateur radio contesting. The IARU does not directly administer any of these radiosport events, but authorises and sponsors them through host organisations.

## Operating Station and the WAC Award

The IARU maintains a radio station at its headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Its callsign is NU1AW. As an amateur radio station licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission the "1" stands for its location in the New England area. "NU" was taken from the pre-1928 era when amateurs made up their own prefixes, and informally used these letters to show they were in "North America—USA". The "AW" suffix represents the connection with the American Radio Relay League, whose own station is W1AW. NU1AW is frequently active during amateur radio contests.
For many years the IARU has issued the Worked All Continents certificate to amateurs who contact fellow hams in the six permanently populated continental areas of the world. Special awards and endorsements for various bands and modes are also available.