The Commonwealth of Nations is built on the legacy of Great Britain built as a great seafaring nation. It is a loose confederation of states, which mostly includes the former colonies of Great Britain. Great Britain itself is also represented in the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth of Nations: History and Foundations

The Commonwealth was founded in 1931. The name was still the British Commonwealth until 1947, when the “British” suffix was dropped. With or without terms: The Commonwealth of Nations can be seen as a sort of successor to the British Empire. Its origins go back to the early 20th century and attempts at territorial autonomy over Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

On November 18, 1926, the Balfour Report determined that all Dominions within the British Empire would serve as autonomous societies. However, the member states of the Commonwealth are still bound by their allegiance to the Crown. On December 11, 1931, this arrangement was recorded in the Statutes of Westminster. From then on, loyalty and attachment to the crown became the only relationship between the members. There was no fixed constitution or law.

The Commonwealth grew with the accession of India (1947), Sri Lanka (1948, then as Ceylon) and Pakistan (1949). As a result, more and more former colonies were added, which gained independence from Great Britain. More than two billion people now live in Commonwealth countries, which account for about 30 percent of the world’s population.

All Commonwealth Countries 2023 in one list

By 2023, 56 countries will be members of the Commonwealth of Nations. A distinction is made between the Commonwealth Realms, which recognize the British monarch as head of state, and the other members. All Commonwealth members are listed below with their year of entry into the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth natural:

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• United Kingdom (1931)
• Canada (1931)
• Australia (1931)
• New Zealand (1931)
• Jamaica (1962)
• Bahamas (1973)
• Granada (1974)
• Papua New Guinea (1975)
• Solomon Islands (1978)
• Tuvalu (1978)
• Saint Lucia (1979)
• Vincent and the Grenadines (1979)
• Antigua and Barbuda (1981)
• Belize (1981)
• Saint Kitts and Nevis (1983)

Other Commonwealth Members:

• south Africa (1931) – left 1961, re-enter 1994
• India (1947)
• Pakistan (1947) – departed in 1972, re-enter 1989, suspension from 1999 to 2004 and 2007 to 2008
• Sri Lanka (1948) – until 1972 as a member ceylon
• Ghana (1957)
• Malaysia (1957)
• Nigeria (1960s)
• Sierra Leone (1961)
• Tanzania (1961)
• Cyprus (1961)
• Trinidad and Tobago (1962)
• Uganda (1962)
• Kenya (1963)
• Malawi (1964)
• Malta (1964)
• Zambia (1964)
• Gambia (1965) – resigned 2013, re-enter 2018
• Singapore (1965)
• Barbados (1966)
• Botswana (1966)
• Guyana (1966)
• Lesotho (1966)
• Eswatini (1968) – until 2018 as a member Swaziland
• Mauritius (1968)
• Fiji (1970) – left 1986, re-enter in 1997, suspensions from 2000 to 2001 and 2009 to 2014
• Tonga (1970)
• Samoa (1970)
• Bangladesh (1972)
• Seychelles (1976)
• Dominica (1978)
• Kiribati (1979)
• Vanuatu (1980)
• Maldives (1982) – resign 2016, re-enter 2020
• brunei (1984)
• Namibia (1990)
• Cameroon (1995)
• Mozambique (1995) – was never part of the British Empire
• Nauru (1999)
• Rwanda (2009) – was never part of the British Empire
• Gabon (2022) – was never part of the British Empire
• To go (2022) – was never part of the British Empire

Commonwealth of Nations: Heads, Organizations and Commonwealth Games

The head of the Commonwealth is the monarch of England. Since the Queen’s death Elizabeth II is king Charles III head of the guild. He is the fifth head.

• king Charles I, I, I. (since 2022)
• queen Elizabeth II (1952 – 2022)
• king George VI (1936 – 1952)
• king Edward VIII (1936)
• king George V (1931 – 1936)

However, the king’s role in the Commonwealth is purely symbolic. State connections are characterized by a general exchange of information. Each member country sends its representative to the Commonwealth Office which is located in London. Every four years, the Commonwealth Games is also a sporting event participated by member countries. The last Commonwealth Games were held in England from July to August 2022.

The day-to-day running of the Commonwealth is carried out by the Secretary General who is elected by Commonwealth members. Secretary General of the Commonwealth:

In addition to the General Secretary, the Commonwealth also has the title of Chair. This is always occupied by the head of state of a country where the next summit of the confederation of nations is taking place. The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, or CHOGM Summit, takes place every two years. Commonwealth Chair: