The Commonwealth The Commonwealth

of Nationsof Nations

Flag of the CommonwealthFlag of the Commonwealth

Main FactsMain Facts

Head of the CommonwealthHead of the Commonwealth is is Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II

Secretary-GeneralSecretary-General is is Don McKinnonDon McKinnon (since (since 1999)1999)

Deputy Secretary-GeneralDeputy Secretary-General is is RansfordRansford SmithSmith Date of EstablishmentDate of Establishment 1926 (as an informal 1926 (as an informal

"British" Commonwealth), 1949 (as the modern "British" Commonwealth), 1949 (as the modern Commonwealth)Commonwealth)

NumberNumber of of MemberMember StatesStates 5353 HeadquartersHeadquarters is in is in LondonLondon, , EnglandEngland The organisation is celebrated each year on The organisation is celebrated each year on

Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in MarchCommonwealth Day, the second Monday in March

The descriptionThe description

The Commonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations ((CNCN), usually known as the ), usually known as the CommonwealthCommonwealth, is a , is a voluntary associationvoluntary association of 53 of 53 independent independent sovereign statessovereign states, the , the majority of which are former colonies majority of which are former colonies of the of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom..

Its nameIts name

It was once known as the It was once known as the British British Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of Nations or or British CommonwealthBritish Commonwealth, and some , and some still call it by that name, either for still call it by that name, either for historical reasons or to distinguish it historical reasons or to distinguish it from the other from the other commonwealthscommonwealths around the world such as the around the world such as the Commonwealth of Independent StateCommonwealth of Independent Statess or the Commonwealth of Australia. or the Commonwealth of Australia.

Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II is the nominal is the nominal Head of the CommonwealthHead of the Commonwealth. Some . Some members of the Commonwealth, known as members of the Commonwealth, known as Commonwealth RealmsCommonwealth Realms, also recognise the , also recognise the Queen as their head of state. However, the Queen as their head of state. However, the majority of members are republics, and a majority of members are republics, and a handful of others are indigenous handful of others are indigenous monarchies. The Queen's position as Head monarchies. The Queen's position as Head of the Commonwealth is not hereditary, and of the Commonwealth is not hereditary, and when and if the Prince of Wales becomes when and if the Prince of Wales becomes King, it will be for Commonwealth Heads of King, it will be for Commonwealth Heads of Government to decide whether he assumes Government to decide whether he assumes the role of Head of the Commonwealth.the role of Head of the Commonwealth.

The real rulerThe real ruler

Queen Elizabeth IIQueen Elizabeth II is the is the Head of the CommonwealthHead of the Commonwealth, and as such is , and as such is the symbol of the free association of its the symbol of the free association of its members. This title, however, does not imply members. This title, however, does not imply any political power over Commonwealth any political power over Commonwealth member states, and does not automatically member states, and does not automatically belong to the belong to the British monarchBritish monarch. In practice . In practice Queen Elizabeth heads the Commonwealth in Queen Elizabeth heads the Commonwealth in only a symbolic capacity, and it is the only a symbolic capacity, and it is the Commonwealth Secretary-General who is the Commonwealth Secretary-General who is the chief executive of the organisation.chief executive of the organisation.

The QueenThe Queen

Although Queen Elizabeth is the Although Queen Elizabeth is the Head of StateHead of State of sixteen members of the Commonwealth, of sixteen members of the Commonwealth, called called Commonwealth RealmsCommonwealth Realms, the majority of , the majority of the members of the Commonwealth have their the members of the Commonwealth have their own, separate Heads of State: thirty-one own, separate Heads of State: thirty-one members are members are Commonwealth republicsCommonwealth republics and and six members have their own monarchs (six members have their own monarchs (BruneiBrunei, , LesothoLesotho, , MalaysiaMalaysia, , SamoaSamoa, , SwazilandSwaziland, and , and TongaTonga). These members still recognise the ). These members still recognise the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth.Queen as Head of the Commonwealth.

Secretary-GeneralSecretary-General is is Don Don McKinnon (since 1999)McKinnon (since 1999)

The Aims The Aims

The Commonwealth is primarily an The Commonwealth is primarily an organisationorganisation in which countries with in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal opportunity for close and equal interaction. The primary activities of interaction. The primary activities of the Commonwealth are designed to the Commonwealth are designed to create an atmosphere of economic co-create an atmosphere of economic co-operation between member nations, as operation between member nations, as well as the promotion of well as the promotion of democracydemocracy, , human rightshuman rights, and , and good governancegood governance in in those nations.those nations.

Olympic GamesOlympic Games

The Commonwealth is not a The Commonwealth is not a political unionpolitical union, and does not allow the , and does not allow the United KingdomUnited Kingdom (UK) to exercise any (UK) to exercise any power over the affairs of the power over the affairs of the organisation's other members.organisation's other members.

Every four years the Commonwealth's Every four years the Commonwealth's members celebrate the members celebrate the Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth Games, the world's , the world's second-largest second-largest multi-sport eventmulti-sport event after after the the Olympic GamesOlympic Games..

The HistoryThe History

Old, New and White CommonwealthOld, New and White Commonwealth As the Commonwealth grew, the UK and pre-1945 As the Commonwealth grew, the UK and pre-1945

Dominions (a term formally dropped in the 1940s) Dominions (a term formally dropped in the 1940s) became informally known as the "became informally known as the "Old CommonwealthOld Commonwealth", particularly since the 1960s ", particularly since the 1960s when some of them disagreed with poorer, when some of them disagreed with poorer, AfricanAfrican and Asian (or and Asian (or New CommonwealthNew Commonwealth) members ) members about various issues at about various issues at Commonwealth Heads of GovernmentCommonwealth Heads of Government meetings. meetings. Accusations that the old, "White" Commonwealth Accusations that the old, "White" Commonwealth had different interests from African Commonwealth had different interests from African Commonwealth nations in particular, and charges of nations in particular, and charges of racismracism and and colonialismcolonialism arose during heated debates about arose during heated debates about RhodesiaRhodesia in the 1970s, the imposition of in the 1970s, the imposition of sanctionssanctions against against apartheidapartheid-era South Africa.-era South Africa.

To be continuedTo be continued

1980s and, more recently, about 1980s and, more recently, about whether to press for democratic reforms whether to press for democratic reforms in in NigeriaNigeria and then and then ZimbabweZimbabwe. The term . The term New CommonwealthNew Commonwealth is also used in the is also used in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom (especially in the 1960s (especially in the 1960s and 1970s) to refer to recently and 1970s) to refer to recently decoloniseddecolonised countries, which are countries, which are predominantly non-white and predominantly non-white and underdeveloped. It was often used in underdeveloped. It was often used in debates about debates about immigrationimmigration from these from these countries.countries.

To be continuedTo be continued In recent years, the term "In recent years, the term "

White CommonwealthWhite Commonwealth" has been used in a " has been used in a derogatory sense to imply that the derogatory sense to imply that the wealthier, white nations of the wealthier, white nations of the Commonwealth had different interests and Commonwealth had different interests and goals from the non-white, and particularly goals from the non-white, and particularly the African members. Zimbabwean the African members. Zimbabwean President President Robert MugabeRobert Mugabe has used the term has used the term frequently to allege that the frequently to allege that the Commonwealth's attempts to catalyse Commonwealth's attempts to catalyse political changes in his country is motivated political changes in his country is motivated by racism and colonialist attitudes and that by racism and colonialist attitudes and that the White Commonwealth dominates the the White Commonwealth dominates the Commonwealth of Nations as a whole.Commonwealth of Nations as a whole.

To be continuedTo be continued

There have been attempts made by There have been attempts made by groups such as the groups such as the Federal Commonwealth SocietyFederal Commonwealth Society to to unite the commonwealth and provide unite the commonwealth and provide closer ties both culturally and closer ties both culturally and economically, starting with the economically, starting with the "White Commonwealth" and "White Commonwealth" and expanding to include other nations expanding to include other nations within the commonwealth generally.within the commonwealth generally.

The membershipThe membershipWorld map of the Commonwealth World map of the Commonwealth

of Nations as of 2006of Nations as of 2006

Figures of the CommonwealthFigures of the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth comprises 53 The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries, almost a third of the world's countries, almost a third of the world's countries, and has a combined countries, and has a combined population of 1.7 billion people, about a population of 1.7 billion people, about a quarter of the world population. The quarter of the world population. The total GDP is about total GDP is about US$US$7.8 trillion (about 7.8 trillion (about 16% of the total world economy). The 16% of the total world economy). The land area of the Commonwealth land area of the Commonwealth nations is about 12.1 million nations is about 12.1 million square milessquare miles (about 21% of the total (about 21% of the total world land area).world land area).

AchievementsAchievements

The four largest Commonwealth nations by The four largest Commonwealth nations by population are population are IndiaIndia at 1.1 billion, at 1.1 billion, PakistanPakistan at 159 at 159 million, million, BangladeshBangladesh at 141 million, and at 141 million, and NigeriaNigeria at at 137 million.137 million.

The three largest Commonwealth nations by area The three largest Commonwealth nations by area are are CanadaCanada at 3.8 million square miles, at 3.8 million square miles, AustraliaAustralia at 3.0 million square miles, and at 3.0 million square miles, and IndiaIndia at 1.2 at 1.2 million square miles.million square miles.

The four largest economies are The four largest economies are IndiaIndia at US$4,300 at US$4,300 billion, the billion, the United KingdomUnited Kingdom at US$2,000 billion, at US$2,000 billion, CanadaCanada at US$1,220 billion, and at US$1,220 billion, and AustraliaAustralia at at US$700 billion based on purchasing power parity US$700 billion based on purchasing power parity analysisanalysis

military spendersmilitary spenders

The largest military spenders are the The largest military spenders are the United KingdomUnited Kingdom at US$48 billion, at US$48 billion, IndiaIndia at US$21 billion, at US$21 billion, AustraliaAustralia at at US$10.5 billion, and US$10.5 billion, and CanadaCanada at at US$10.5 billion. The Commonwealth US$10.5 billion. The Commonwealth of Nations is not a military alliance. of Nations is not a military alliance.

TuvaluTuvalu is the smallest member, with is the smallest member, with only 11,000 peopleonly 11,000 people

purely voluntary purely voluntary membershipmembership

As membership is purely voluntary, member As membership is purely voluntary, member governments can choose at any time to leave governments can choose at any time to leave the Commonwealth. the Commonwealth. PakistanPakistan left in left in 19721972 in in protest at Commonwealth recognition of protest at Commonwealth recognition of breakaway breakaway BangladeshBangladesh, but rejoined in , but rejoined in 19891989, , was suspended again after the was suspended again after the 19991999 coup, coup, and regained admission again in and regained admission again in 20042004. .

ZimbabweZimbabwe left in 2003 when Commonwealth left in 2003 when Commonwealth Heads of Government refused to lift the Heads of Government refused to lift the country's suspension on the grounds of country's suspension on the grounds of human rights violations and deliberate human rights violations and deliberate misgovernmentmisgovernment