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[[Image:Commonwealth.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Emblem of the Commonwealth of Nations]]

[[Image:Commonwealth.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Emblem of the Commonwealth of Nations]]

The <b>Commonwealth of Nations</b> is a free association of 53 mostly former [[British]] colonies. The '''Commonwealth''', as it is commonly known, brings together countries on every continent and encompasses nearly 2 billion citizens. The Commonwealth does not have a constitution; instead it is governed by a set of core beliefs, espoused by declarations or statements made at meetings of the Commonwealth. These fundamental beliefs are encapsulated by the 1^st major Commonwealth statement in 1971.[http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/20723/32987/singapore_declaration_of_commonwealth_principles/]

The '''Commonwealth of Nations''', also known as the '''British Commonwealth''', is a free association of 53 mostly former [[British]] crown dependencies and colonies. The '''Commonwealth''', as it is commonly known, brings together countries on every continent and encompasses nearly 2 billion citizens. The Commonwealth does not have a constitution; instead it is governed by a set of core beliefs, espoused by declarations or statements made at meetings of the Commonwealth. These fundamental beliefs are encapsulated by the 1st major Commonwealth statement in 1971.[http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/20723/32987/singapore_declaration_of_commonwealth_principles/]

'''1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles.'''

'''1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles:'''

*International peace and security;  

*International peace and security;  

*[[Democracy]];  

*[[Democracy]];  

*The importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease;  

*The importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease;  

*It opposes all forms of racial discrimination.

*It opposes all forms of racial discrimination.

The activities of the Commonwealth as a whole are coordinated by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the main intergovernmental authority of the Commonwealth and is tasked to facilitate communication between member states.

The activities of the Commonwealth as a whole are coordinated by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the main intergovernmental authority of the Commonwealth and is tasked to facilitate communication between member states.

==History==

==History==

The Commonwealth was formerly known as the British Commonwealth and before that the [[British Empire]]. The evolution of its title has been indicative of the status of its members and the function of the organization. From a colonial empire to a modern collective of free states, the Commonwealth has mirrored the major political changes of the 20th Century.

The Commonwealth was formerly known as the British Commonwealth and before that the [[British Empire]]. The evolution of its title has been indicative of the status of its members and the function of the organisation. From a colonial empire to a modern collective of free states, the Commonwealth has mirrored the major political changes of the 20th Century.

==Membership==

==Membership==

The current membership of the Commonwealth includes:

The current membership of the Commonwealth includes:

Antigua & Barbuda,

[[Australia]],

The Bahamas,

Bangladesh,

* [[Antigua and Barbuda]]

Barbados,

* [[Australia]]

Belize,

* [[Bahamas|The Bahamas]]

Botswana,

* [[Bangladesh]]

Brunei Darussalam,

* [[Barbados]]

Cameroon,

* [[Belize]]

[[Canada]],

* [[Botswana]]

Cyprus,

* [[Brunei Darussalam]]

Dominica,

* [[Cameroon]]

Fiji Islands*,

* [[Canada]]

The Gambia,

* [[Cyprus]]

Ghana,

* [[Dominica]]

Grenada,

* [[Fiji]]¹

Guyana,

* [[The Gambia]]

India,

Jamaica,

* [[Ghana]]

Kenya,

* [[Grenada]]

Kiribati,

* [[Guyana]]

Lesotho,

* [[India]]

Malawi,

* [[Jamaica]]

Malaysia,

* [[Kenya]]

Maldives,

* [[Kiribati]]

Malta,

* [[Lesotho]]

Mauritius,

* [[Malawi]]

Mozambique,

* [[Malaysia]]

Namibia,

* [[Maldives]]

Nauru,

* [[Malta]]

[[New Zealand]],

* [[Mauritius]]

Nigeria,

* [[Mozambique]]²

Pakistan,

Papua New Guinea,

* [[Namibia]]

St Kitts and Nevis,

* [[Nauru]]

St Lucia,

* [[New Zealand]]

St Vincent and the Grenadines,

* [[Nigeria]]

Samoa,

* [[Pakistan]]

Seychelles,

* [[Papua New Guinea]]

Sierra Leone,

* [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]

Singapore,

* [[Saint Lucia]]

Solomon Islands,

* [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]

[[South Africa]],

* [[Samoa]]

Sri Lanka,

* [[Seychelles]]

Swaziland,

* [[Sierra Leone]]

Tanzania,

* [[Singapore]]

Tonga,

* [[Solomon Islands]]

Trinidad & Tobago,

Tuvalu,

* [[South Africa]]

Uganda,

* [[Sri Lanka]]

[[United Kingdom]],

* [[Swaziland]]

Vanuatu,

* [[Tanzania]]

Zambia,

* [[Tonga]]

* [[Trinidad and Tobago]]

* [[Tuvalu]]

* [[Uganda]]

* [[United Kingdom]]

* [[Vanuatu]]

* [[Zambia]]

_{¹ Fiji’s military regime was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth on December 8, 2006.  Pakistan was suspended from November 22, 2007 to May 22, 2008.}<br>

 

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/article.php Commonwealth of Nations]

*[http://www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/article.php Commonwealth of Nations]

[[Category:Politics]]

[[Category:International Organizations]]