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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]];  

* [[Cyprus]]

* [[Cyprus]]

* [[Dominica]]

* [[Dominica]]

* [[Fiji]]*

* [[Fiji]]¹

* [[The Gambia]]

* [[The Gambia]]

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* [[Malta]]

* [[Malta]]

* [[Mauritius]]

* [[Mauritius]]

* [[Mozambique]]

* [[Mozambique]]²

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* [[Namibia]]

* [[Namibia]]

* [[New Zealand]]

* [[New Zealand]]

* [[Nigeria]]

* [[Nigeria]]

* [[Pakistan]]*

* [[Pakistan]]

* [[Papua New Guinea]]

* [[Papua New Guinea]]

* [[St Kitts and Nevis]]

* [[Saint Kitts and Nevis]]

* [[St Lucia]]

* [[Saint Lucia]]

* [[St Vincent and the Grenadines]]

* [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]

* [[Samoa]]

* [[Samoa]]

* [[Seychelles]]

* [[Seychelles]]

* [[Zambia]]

* [[Zambia]]

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_{* Fiji’s military regime was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth on 8th December 2006.  Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth on 22nd November 2007}

_{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>

_{² Mozambique is the only current member of the Commonwealth that was not originally part of the British Empire; it had been a Portuguese colony until it gained its independence in 1975.}

==Commonwealth Family==

==Commonwealth Family==

Commonwealth Family refers to several intergovernmental organizations which are affiliated to the Commonwealth of Nations.<ref>[http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/151814/commonwealth_family/ Commonwealth Family]</ref> Some of the member organizations of the Commonwealth Family are:

Commonwealth Family refers to several intergovernmental organisations which are affiliated to the Commonwealth of Nations.<ref>[http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/151814/commonwealth_family/ Commonwealth Family]</ref> Some of the member organisations of the Commonwealth Family are:

* [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]]

* [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]]

* [[Commonwealth Broadcasting Association]]

* [[Commonwealth Broadcasting Association]]

* [[Commonwealth of Learning]]

* [[Commonwealth of Learning]]

* [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]

* [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]

==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]]