Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Commonwealth of Nations

All table information based on figures provided by the Commonwealth of Nations Secretariat members list, most population figures are based on 2007 estimates, unless otherwise noted.
Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the Sort none.gif icon.
Country↓Joined↓Continent↓Population↓Notes[A]
Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda1981-11-011 November 1981North America88,000
Australia Australia1931-12-1111 December 1931Oceania22,073,000Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 1 January 1901. Australia was one of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931, although the statute was not adopted in Australia until 1942 (with retrospective effect from 1939).[9] Removed final links with the British Parliament in 1986
The Bahamas Bahamas1973-07-1010 July 1973North America342,000
Bangladesh Bangladesh[B]1972-04-1818 April 1972[10]Asia162,221,000Gained independence from Pakistan in 1971.[11]
Barbados Barbados1966-11-3030 November 1966North America279,000
Belize Belize1981-09-2121 September 1981North America322,130
Botswana Botswana1966-09-3030 September 1966Africa1,950,000
Brunei Brunei1984-01-011 January 1984Asia400,000
Cameroon Cameroon1995-11-1313 November 1995[12]Africa19,522,000Most of the country was the formerly French Mandate territory (later U.N Trust territory) of Cameroun and gained independence from France on 1 January 1960, uniting with the much smaller former British Mandate territory of Southern Cameroons on its gaining independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1961.
Canada Canada1931-12-1111 December 1931North America34,053,000 [13]Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 1 July 1867. Canada was the first among the several original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931.[14] Incorporated another original Dominion, Newfoundland, on 31 March 1949.[15] Removed the remaining ties to the British Parliament in 1982
Cyprus Cyprus1961-03-1313 March 1961[16]Europe794,200Gained independence from the United Kingdom on 18 August 1960.
Dominica Dominica1978-11-033 November 1978North America[C]79,000
The Gambia Gambia1965-02-1818 February 1965Africa1,717,000
Ghana Ghana1957-03-066 March 1957Africa23,837,000
Grenada Grenada1974-02-077 February 1974North America103,000
Guyana Guyana1966-05-2626 May 1966South America761,000
India India1947-08-1515 August 1947Asia1,210,193,422Incorporated former French India (Chandannagar from 2 May 1950 and Pondichéry, Karikal, Yanaon and Mahé from 1 November 1954), former Portuguese India (Goa, Daman and Diu from 19 December 1961 and Dadra and Nagar Haveli formally from 1961) and Sikkim (from 16 May 1975).
Jamaica Jamaica1962-08-066 August 1962North America2,721,000
Kenya Kenya1963-12-1212 December 1963Africa39,856,000
Kiribati Kiribati1979-07-1212 July 1979Oceania[D]99,000
Lesotho Lesotho1966-10-044 October 1966Africa2,000,000
Malawi Malawi1964-07-066 July 1964Africa15,884,000
Malaysia Malaysia1963-09-1631 August 1957[17][18]Asia28,356,000Joined as the Federation of Malaya in 1957; reformed as Malaysia with its federation in 1963 with Singapore (became a separate member in 1965), Sabah, and Sarawak.[19]
Maldives Maldives1982-07-099 July 1982Asia329,000Gained independence from the United Kingdom on 26 July 1965.[20] Maldives was a special member from 9 July 1982 until 20 July 1985.[21]
Malta Malta1964-09-2121 September 1964Europe412,668
Mauritius Mauritius1968-03-1212 March 1968Africa1,285,000
Mozambique Mozambique1995-11-1313 November 1995[22]Africa22,892,000Gained independence from Portugal on 26 June 1975. The first country to be admitted to the Commonwealth without any former colonial or constitutional links with the United Kingdom.[23]
Namibia Namibia1990-03-2121 March 1990Africa2,131,000Gained independence from South Africa.[24] Includes Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands transferred by South Africa at midnight 28 February 1994.
Nauru Nauru[B]1968-11-01†1 November 1968Oceania14,000Gained independence on 31 January 1968 from joint trusteeship of Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom. The nation was a special member from 1 November 1968 until 1 May 1999, when it became a full member,[25] before reverting back to special status in January 2006.[26] Nauru has been a full member again since June 2011.[27]
New Zealand New Zealand1931-12-1111 December 1931Oceania4,317,972Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 26 September 1907. One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931, although the Statute was not adopted in New Zealand until 1947.[28] Removed final links to the British Parliament in 1986
Nigeria Nigeria1960-10-011 October 1960Africa154,796,000Incorporated the former British Mandate territory of Northern Cameroons on 31 May 1961. Suspended in 1995, suspension lifted in 1999.[29]
Pakistan Pakistan1947-08-1515 August 1947[E]Asia168,052,000Left in 1972, rejoined 1989; suspended in 1999, suspension lifted in 2004; again suspended in 2007,[30] suspension lifted in 2008.[31] Includes the city of Gwadar, transferred from Muscat and Oman on 8 September 1958.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea1975-09-1616 September 1975Oceania6,737,000Gained independence from Australia.
Rwanda Rwanda[B]2009-11-2929 November 2009[6]Africa9,998,000Gained independence from Belgium on 1 July 1962. The second country to be admitted to the Commonwealth without any former colonial or constitutional links with the United Kingdom.[23]
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis[B]1983-09-1919 September 1983North America52,000
Saint Lucia Saint Lucia1979-02-2222 February 1979North America171,000
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1979-10-2727 October 1979North America[C]119,000Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a special member from 27 October 1979 until 1 June 1985.
Samoa Samoa1970-08-2828 August 1970Oceania185,000Gained independence from New Zealand on 1 January 1962. Joined as Western Samoa, subsequently changing its name to Samoa on 4 July 1997.[32]
Seychelles Seychelles1976-06-2929 June 1976Africa84,000
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone1961-04-2727 April 1961Africa5,695,000
Singapore Singapore1965-10-15†9 August 1966[33]Asia4,986,000First joined as part of Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands1978-07-077 July 1978Oceania913,000
South Africa South Africa1931-12-1111 December 1931Africa49,423,000Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 31 May 1910. One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931. Left on 31 May 1961, rejoined on 1 June 1994.[34]
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka1948-02-044 February 1948Asia20,743,000Joined as the Dominion of Ceylon, subsequently changing its name in 1972.
Swaziland Swaziland1968-09-066 September 1968Africa1,182,000
Tanzania Tanzania1964-04-2626 April 1964Africa43,729,000Merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.[35]
Tonga Tonga1970-06-044 June 1970Oceania102,000
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago1962-08-3131 August 1962North America1,335,000
Tuvalu Tuvalu[B]1978-10-011 October 1978Oceania12,000Tuvalu was a special member from 1 October 1978 until 1 September 2000.[36]
Uganda Uganda1962-10-099 October 1962Africa32,816,000
United Kingdom United Kingdom1931-12-1111 December 1931Europe61,609,500The Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Statute of Westminster 1931.
Vanuatu Vanuatu[B]1980-07-3030 July 1980Oceania241,000Gained independence from joint rule of France and United Kingdom.
Zambia Zambia1964-10-2424 October 1964Africa12,935,000
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