<P> An amateur radio operator is someone who uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two - way personal communications with other amateur operators on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service . Amateur radio operators have been granted an amateur radio license by a governmental regulatory authority after passing an examination on applicable regulations, electronics, radio theory, and radio operation . As a component of their license, amateur radio operators are assigned a call sign that they use to identify themselves during communication . There are about three million amateur radio operators worldwide . </P> <P> Amateur radio operators are also known as radio amateurs or hams . The term "ham" as a nickname for amateur radio operators originated in a pejorative usage (like "ham actor") by operators in commercial and professional radio communities, and dates to wired telegraphy . The word was subsequently adopted by amateur radio operators . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Number of amateur radio operators </Th> <Th>% population </Th> <Th> Year of Report </Th> <Th> Source </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United States </Td> <Td> 801,424 </Td> <Td> 0.248 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Japan </Td> <Td> 435,581 </Td> <Td> 0.343 </Td> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thailand </Td> <Td> 176,278 </Td> <Td> 0.275 </Td> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Germany </Td> <Td> 75,262 </Td> <Td> 0.092 </Td> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Canada </Td> <Td> 69,183 </Td> <Td> 0.201 </Td> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Republic of China </Td> <Td> 68,692 </Td> <Td> 0.296 </Td> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Spain </Td> <Td> 58,700 </Td> <Td> 0.127 </Td> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United Kingdom </Td> <Td> 58,426 </Td> <Td> 0.094 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Korea </Td> <Td> 42,632 </Td> <Td> 0.082 </Td> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Russia </Td> <Td> 38,000 </Td> <Td> 0.026 </Td> <Td> 1993 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td> 32,053 </Td> <Td> 0.016 </Td> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Italy </Td> <Td> 30,000 </Td> <Td> 0.049 </Td> <Td> 1993 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Indonesia </Td> <Td> 27,815 </Td> <Td> 0.011 </Td> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> France </Td> <Td> 14,160 </Td> <Td> 0.02 </Td> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ukraine </Td> <Td> 17,265 </Td> <Td> 0.037 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Argentina </Td> <Td> 16,889 </Td> <Td> 0.042 </Td> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Poland </Td> <Td> 16,000 </Td> <Td> 0.041 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Australia </Td> <Td> 15,328 </Td> <Td> 0.067 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> India </Td> <Td> 15,679 </Td> <Td> 0.001 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Malaysia </Td> <Td> 10,509 </Td> <Td> 0.0004 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Denmark </Td> <Td> 8,668 </Td> <Td> 0.156 </Td> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Slovenia </Td> <Td> 6,500 </Td> <Td> 0.317 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Africa </Td> <Td> 6,000 </Td> <Td> 0.012 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Austria </Td> <Td> 5,967 </Td> <Td> 0.068 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Norway </Td> <Td> 5,302 </Td> <Td> 0.106 </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Finland </Td> <Td> 5,000 </Td> <Td> 0.090 </Td> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Romania </Td> <Td> 3,527 </Td> <Td> 0.018 </Td> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> Number of amateur radio operators </Th> <Th>% population </Th> <Th> Year of Report </Th> <Th> Source </Th> </Tr>

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