The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 countries that support each other and work

together towards shared goals in democracy and development.

The world’s largest and smallest, richest and poorest countries make up the Commonwealth and are home to
two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities – over half of whom are 25 or under. Member countries span
six continents and oceans from Africa (18) to Asia (8), the Americas (2), the Caribbean (12), Europe (3) and
the South Pacific (10).

The Commonwealth, with roots as far back as the 1870s, believes that the best democracies are achieved
through partnerships – of governments, business, and civil society. This unique association was
reconstituted in 1949 when Commonwealth Prime Ministers met and adopted what has become known as the
‘London Declaration’ where it was agreed all member countries would be “freely and equally associated.”

Since then membership has continued to grow. The most recent members are the predominantly
Francophone Cameroon and Mozambique, which was the first country to join with no historical or
administrative association with another Commonwealth country.

Beyond the ties of history, language and institutions, it is the association’s values which unite its members:
democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all. These values were agreed and set down
by all Commonwealth Heads of Government at two of their biennial meetings (known as CHOGMs) in
Singapore in 1971 and reaffirmed twenty years later in Harare.

At government level, the values are protected by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), a
rotating group of nine Foreign Ministers, which assesses the nature of any infringement and recommends
measures for collective action from member countries. It has the authority to suspend or even recommend
to Heads of Government that a member country be expelled. When member countries have been suspended
the Commonwealth continues to do everything possible to bring them back into the fold. While CMAG
represents one aspect of the Commonwealth’s commitment to democratic principles, many more discreet
interventions are made through ‘good offices’ work, where specially appointed representatives conduct quiet
diplomacy as part of efforts to prevent or resolve conflicts and build dialogue and democratic structures.

As well as Heads of Government, ministers responsible for education, environment, civil society, finance,
foreign affairs, gender affairs, health law, tourism and youth also meet regularly. This ensures that
Commonwealth policies and programmes represent views of the members and gives governments a better
understanding of each other’s goals in an increasingly globalised world.

There are three intergovernmental organisations in the association: the Commonwealth Secretariat (which
executes plans agreed by Commonwealth Heads of Government through technical assistance, advice and
policy development); the Commonwealth Foundation (which helps civil society organisations promote
democracy, development and cultural understanding) and the Commonwealth of Learning (which encourages
the development and sharing of open learning and distance education). Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is
Head of the Commonwealth and Kamalesh Sharma, current Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, is the
principal global advocate for the Commonwealth and Chief Executive of the Secretariat.

Citizen-to-citizen links are as important to the Commonwealth as the contacts between member
governments. The Commonwealth’s worldwide network of around 90 professional and advocacy
organisations, most of which bear its name, continues to grow with a third of these based outside the UK.
They work at local, national, regional or international levels and play crucial roles in policy, political or social
aspects of Commonwealth life. One such organisation is the Commonwealth Games Federation, which
manages the four-yearly multi-sport event.

Commonwealth countries work together in a spirit of co-operation, partnership and understanding. This
openness and flexibility are integral to the Commonwealth's effectiveness. Emphasis on equality has helped
it play leading roles in decolonisation, combating racism and advancing sustainable development in poor
countries.

This support network of countries and organisations is involved in a diverse range of work, from helping
trade negotiations, building the small business sector and encouraging women entrepreneurs to supporting
the quality and quantity of teachers, and increasing understanding of HIV/AIDS.
As well as working with each other, member countries and organisations have also built alliances outside the
Commonwealth. Commonwealth ideas have been taken up by the World Bank on Small States, by the World
Health Organization on the migration of doctors and nurses, by the International Labour Organization on the
migration of teachers. Its support and expertise have been enlisted by the European Union (EU) and the
African Union on building governance in Africa, and by the EU and the Pacific Islands Forum on building
governance in the Pacific.

The Commonwealth is part of the world that it serves, sharing the same interests as those of its citizens:
democratic freedom and economic and social development.
 Timeline
1884: Lord Rosebery (later British PM) calls Empire a
'Commonwealth of Nations' whilst visiting Australia . 

1887: First Colonial Conference for consultation between

Britain and its colonies. This leads to Imperial Conferences
between the UK and Prime Ministers of the self governing
dominions.

1926: Imperial Conference: UK and its dominions agree they

are "equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in Jawaharlal Nehru (left) and Mahatma Gandhi
any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though helped lead India to independence.
united by common allegiance to the Crown, and freely
associated as members of the British Commonwealth of
Nations."

Regular Prime Ministers meetings become the forerunners of today's Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meetings.

1930: First Commonwealth Games held in Hamilton, Canada.

1931: Statute of Westminster gives legal status to the independence of Australia, Canada, Irish Free State,
Newfoundland, New Zealand and South Africa.

1949: Beginning of the Modern Commonwealth. India

decides to become a republic. London Declaration allows
republics to retain membership, acknowledging the British
Monarch as Head of the Commonwealth. 

1953: Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II who becomes Head

of the Commonwealth.

1957: Ghana becomes independent and the first majority-

ruled African Commonwealth member.

1960: Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan helps HM Queen Elizabeth II with Prime Ministers
graduates study in other member countries. Blair and Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

1961: South Africa withdraws from the Commonwealth, after

pressure from member states against its apartheid policies. 

1965: Commonwealth Secretariat set up to administer Commonwealth economic and

international affairs.
Commonwealth Foundation set up .

Arnold Smith of Canada becomes the first Commonwealth Secretary-General.

1971: Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles gives the association a set of ideals and agreed
values.

Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) added to Secretariat, to put skills of member
countries at each others disposal

1972: Pakistan withdraws from the Commonwealth over impending recognition of Bangladesh.
 1975: Commonwealth begins to train 10,000 Namibian exiles in much-needed skills.

Shridath 'Sonny' Ramphal of Guyana becomes the second Commonwealth Secretary-General.

1977: Gleneagles Agreement starts apartheid South Africa's

sporting isolation.

1979: Lusaka Accord, the Commonwealth blueprint which

lays out the path for Zimbabwe's independence, agreed by
heads of Government. 

1980: Zimbabwe becomes independent after Lancaster

House agreement; first time Commonwealth Observers
monitor elections.

1981: Melbourne Declaration reinforces Commonwealth

commitment to fairer economic deal for developing countries. Commonwealth Observers arrive in Zimbabwe
in 1980.

Commonwealth sets up a 'Small States Office' in New York,

so that very small countries can take part in UN negotiations. 

Commonwealth Action Group on Cyprus set up to assist UN security council efforts to resolve Cyprus
problem.

1986: Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group visits Nelson Mandela in prison and sets out negotiating
concept to end to apartheid in South Africa peacefully.

1987: Fiji's membership of the Commonwealth lapses after it declares itself a republic following a military
coup.

Commonwealth of Learning set up to provide better and internationally recognised education to all member
states.

1989: Pakistan rejoins the Commonwealth after an absence of 17 years. 

Langkawi Declaration on the Environment commits the Commonwealth to an active role in protecting natural
balances and preventing environmental deterioration. 

1990: Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria becomes the third

Commonwealth Secretary-General.

1991: Harare Commonwealth Declaration sets the

associations priorities for the 1990s and
beyond. Strengthened emphasis on Commonwealth
contribution to democracy, human rights and

equality. 

1994: South Africa rejoins the Commonwealth following the

end of apartheid. Nelson Mandela with Michael Manley (former
Prime Minister of Jamaica) Commonwealth
Observer Group mission, South Africa 1994.
1995: Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) set
up by Commonwealth Heads of Government in New Zealand
to deal with persistent and serious violators of the Commonwealth's shared principles.

Military ruled Nigeria suspended from the Commonwealth after a 'serious violation of the principles set out in
the Harare Declaration' (including the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa).
 Mozambiqué becomes the first country with no colonial links to Britain to join the Commonwealth.

Predominantly Francophone Cameroon also joins.

1997: Fiji rejoins the Commonwealth after it adopts new constitution.

1999: Commonwealth celebrates 50 years as a modern international association.

Nigeria's suspension from membership of the Commonwealth lifted.

Pakistan suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth after the unconstitutional overthrow of the
democratically elected Government.

2000: Don McKinnon of New Zealand becomes the fourth Commonwealth Secretary-General. 

Following the overthrow of the elected government Fiji Islands suspended from the councils of the
Commonwealth pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law.

2001: Fiji suspension from Commonwealth councils lifted after Meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial
Action Group 20 December.

2002: Commonwealth Chairpersons' Committee on Zimbabwe set up by CHOGM "to determine appropriate
Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe" after a highly adverse report on the Presidential elections by
Commonwealth observers.

Zimbabwe suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth for one year with immediate effect after
Committee meets on 19 March.

2003: Zimbabwe's suspension extended to December 2003.

Zimbabwe's leaves the Commonwealth after its suspension is

not lifted.

2004: Pakistan's suspension from Commonwealth councils

lifted.

2006: Fiji Islands suspended from the Councils of the

Commonwealth pending the restoration of democracy and
the rule of law after the military takeover of Fiji's
democratically elected government.

2007: Pakistan suspended from the councils of the

Commonwealth.
In 2008 Kamalesh Sharma became the fifth
'Civil Paths to Peace', the report of the Commonwealth Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Commission on Respect and Understanding, chaired by Nobel
laureate Amartya Sen, was endorsed by Heads of
Government.

It argues that the solution to conflicts within the Commonwealth should be rooted in the association's agreed
principles of human rights, democracy, gender equality, the rule of law and a transparent and accountable
political culture.

2008: Kamalesh Sharma of India becomes fifth Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Pakistan's suspension from Commonwealth councils lifted.

2009: Commonwealth celebrates 60th anniversary since the London Declaration was signed and the modern
Commonwealth was born.

Member States
53 independent states working together in the common interests of their citizens for development,
democracy and peace. Click on the name or the flag of a country below to find out more or visit the Country
Profiles Homepage to view a map of the Commonwealth.

 
St Vincent and the
Antigua and Barbuda Jamaica
Grenadines

Australia Kenya Samoa

The Bahamas Kiribati Seychelles

Bangladesh Lesotho Sierra Leone

Barbados Malawi Singapore

Belize Malaysia Solomon Islands

Botswana Maldives South Africa

Brunei Darussalam Malta Sri Lanka

Cameroon Mauritius Swaziland

Canada Mozambique Tonga

Cyprus Namibia Trinidad and Tobago

Dominica Nauru** Tuvalu

Fiji Islands* New Zealand Uganda

The Gambia Nigeria United Kingdom

United Republic of
Ghana Pakistan
Tanzania

Grenada Papua New Guinea Vanuatu

Guyana St Kitts and Nevis Zambia

India St Lucia    

*Fiji Islands was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth in December 2006 following a military
coup

**Nauru is a Member in Arrears

 History
Though the modern Commonwealth is just 60 years old, the idea took root in the 19th century.

In 1867, Canada became the first colony to be

transformed into a selfgoverning 'Dominion', a newly
constituted status that implied equality with Britain.
The empire was gradually changing and Lord
Rosebury, a British politician, described it in Australia
in 1884 as a "Commonwealth of Nations".

Other parts of the empire became Dominions too:

Australia (1901), New Zealand (1907), South Africa
(1910) and the Irish Free State (1922). All except
the Irish Free State (that did not exist at the time)
participated as separate entities in the First World
War and were separate signatories to the Treaty of
Versailles in 1919. Subsequently, they became
members of the League of Nations.

After the end of the First World War, the Dominions

began seeking a new constitutional definition and
reshaping their relationship with Britain. At the
Imperial Conference in 1926, the prime ministers of
the participating countries adopted the Balfour Report which defined the Dominions as autonomous
communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate to one another in any aspect
of their domestic or external affairs, though united by common allegiance to the Crown, and freely
associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

This definition was incorporated into British law in 1931 as the Statute of Westminster. It was adopted
immediately in Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland (which joined Canada in 1949) and South Africa.
Australia and New Zealand followed. India, Britain's largest colony at the time, became a Dominion at
independence in 1947 and remained so until January 1950, when the Indian Republic was born.
 Symbol and Flag

Commonwealth Logo

The Commonwealth symbol was originally designed by the Gemini News Service, London in 1972 and
approved by the first Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr Arnold Smith C.H.

In 1989 a second logo was introduced to appear on official Commonwealth Secretariat publications, and in
1999 a special commemorative logo was produced to mark the 50 th Anniversary of the modern
Commonwealth.

In 2000 Secretary-General Rt. Hon Don McKinnon, approved a new design that is now in use in place of the
original designs.  This design incorporates the image of the globe used in the original logo and the spears
that make up the letter "C" from the 1989 design.

The radiating spears do not represent the number of countries in the Commonwealth but symbolise the
many facets of Commonwealth cooperation around the world. The symbol is used on all official
documentation and, sometimes in association with other specially developed logos, for the documents and
logos of all Commonwealth Meetings. There is no fixed size or colour for the symbol but because of its
frequent appearance on Commonwealth documentation, the black on white and gold on blue versions are
commonly used.

Commonwealth Flag

The Commonwealth Flag consists of the Commonwealth symbol in gold on a blue background centred on a
rectangle.

The flag developed from the car pennants produced for the first time at the Ottawa Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting in 1973. 

It is flown at Marlborough House, London, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, throughout
the year and for a limited period at other venues where Commonwealth Meetings are held or when other
Commonwealth events / visits are taking place for example Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.