The Commonwealth is made up of 53 countries that were formerly under British rule. It is sometimes referred to as the Commonwealth of Nations. All of these countries subscribe to The Commonwealth Charter and the Commonwealth’s values. An essential feature of the Commonwealth is that it treats all its member states as equals and grants them an equal voice in shaping the Commonwealth priorities and policies. All members are accorded equal treatment regardless of their economic status and size.

The Commonwealth nations meet every two years in a convention known as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The countries meet to discuss issues affecting the member nations as well as the world. The headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations is in Malborough House in London. The Commonwealth is the world's largest organization of countries outside of the United Nations.

What is the Purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations?

The Balfour Declaration established the Commonwealth of Nations on November 19, 1926. It was formalized through the Statute of Westminster on December 11, 1931. The London Declaration in 1949 was the birth of the present-day Commonwealth of Nations. During the onset of the Commonwealth, its focus was to facilitate the process of British decolonization. Today, the Commonwealth of Nations covers a total land area of approximately 12 million square miles with a total population of 2.4 billion. Besides the governing aspect of the Commonwealth of Nations, the countries also have other relations such as the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Commonwealth of Learning for academic purposes and the Commonwealth Games for sports purposes.

The objective of the Commonwealth is to ensure that the 53 countries that were formerly under British rule experience ongoing prosperity. It does so by granting every nation an equal standing in contributing to the policies and priorities of the Commonwealth. States that join the Commonwealth must embrace equality, free trade, world peace, liberty, and human rights. Membership in the Commonwealth is voluntary, and member states are at liberty to exit at any time without any consequences.

Member States By Region

Africa

  • Botswana
  • Cameroon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Africa
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Americas

  • Canada
  • Guyana

Asia

  • Bangladesh
  • Brunei
  • India
  • Malaysia
  • Pakistan
  • Singapore
  • Sri Lanka

Caribbean

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Jamaica
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago

Europe

  • Cyprus
  • Malta
  • United Kingdom

Pacific

  • Australia
  • Fiji
  • Kiribati
  • Nauru
  • New Zealand
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Vanuatu
  • Samoa
  • Solomon Islands
  • Tonga
  • Tuvalu
What Are the Commonwealth Countries?
This page was last updated on November 9, 2018.