Members of the Commonwealth | Date of Membership |
---|---|
United Kingdom | 1931 (Statute of Westminster) |
United Kingdom Dependent Territories Crown Dependencies: Channel Islands Isle of Mani |
|
United Kingdom Dependent Territories Colonies: Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands and Dependencies Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands St Helena and Dependencies (principally Ascension and Tristan da Cunha) Turks and Caicos Islands The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekeliaii |
|
Antigua and Barbuda | 1981 |
Australia | 1931 (Statute of Westminster) |
Australian External Territories: Australian Antarctic Territory (including MacDonald, Heard and Macquarie Islands) Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Norfold Island |
|
The Bahamas | 1973 |
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) | 1972 |
Barbados | 1966 |
Belize (formerly British Honduras) | 1981 |
Botswana (formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate) | 1966 |
Brunei Darussalam | 1984 |
Cameroon | 1995 |
Canada | 1931 (Statute of Westminster) |
Cyprus | 1961 |
Dominica | 1978 |
Fiji Islandsiii | 1997 |
The Gambia | 1965 |
Ghana (comprising the former colony of the Gold Coast (including Ashanti), the former Northern Territories of the Gold Coast (a Protectorate), the former Togoland (a UK Trust Territory). | 1957 |
Grenada | 1974 |
Guyana (formerly British Guiana) | 1966 |
India | 1947 |
Jamaica | 1962 |
Kenya | 1963 |
Kiribati (formerly Gilbert Islands) | 1979 |
Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) | 1966 |
Malawi (formerly Nyasaland) | 1964 |
Malaysia (including the Federation of Malaya, comprising the former Crown Colonies of Malacca and Penhang and the former Protected States of Johore, Kedah, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Trengganu; Sabah (formerly British North Borneo); and Sarawak) | 1957 |
The Maldives | 1982 (joined as Special Member, Full Member since 1985) |
Malta | 1964 |
Mauritius | 1968 |
Mozambique | 1995 |
Namibia | 1990 |
Nauru | 1968 |
New Zealand | 1931 (Statute of Westminster) |
New Zealand Territories Colonies and Dependencies: Niue Ross Dependency Tokelau Islands Group (formerly Union Islands) |
|
New Zealand Territories Associated State: Cook Islandsiv |
|
Nigeria (including Northern Cameroons)v | 1960 |
Pakistanvi | 1947 (left 1972, rejoined 1989) |
Papua New Guinea | 1975 |
St Kitts and Nevis | 1983 |
St Lucia St Vincent and the Grenadines | 1979 (joined as Special Member, Full Member since 1985) |
Samoa | 1970 |
Seychelles | 1976 |
Sierra Leone | 1961 |
Singapore | 1966 (on separation from Malaysia) |
Solomon Islands | 1978 |
South Africa | 1931 (Statute of Westminster) (left 1961, rejoined 1994) |
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) | 1948 |
Swaziland | 1968 |
United Republic of Tanzania (formerly Tanganyika) | 1961 (became Tanzania in 1964 upon union with Zanzibar) |
Tonga (or Friendly Islands) | 1970 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1962 |
Tuvalu* (formerly Ellice Islands) | 1978 |
Uganda | 1962 |
Vanuatu | 1980 |
Zambia | 1964 |
Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia)vii | 1980 |
Dependent Territory: | A territory belonging by settlement, conquest or annexation to the British Crown or to an independent Commonwealth country. |
Associated State: | A state which is fully self-governing and has its own Parliament, but as a full member of the Commonwealth is responsible for its external affairs and defence. The association can be terminated at any time should an associated state opt for full independence. |
Protected State: | A territory which, while retaining its own sovereignty, has entered into a treaty giving the British Government certain rights and responsibilities. Its people are British protected persons. |
Trust Territory: | A territory (formerly a colony of a nation defeated in war) whose administration was entrusted to Britain by the United Nations Trusteeship Council. |
- Denotes Special Members who have the right to participate in all functional meetings and activities of the Commonwealth. Special Members do not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs).
i | For the purposes of the British Nationality Act 1981 and related legislation, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are regarded as integral parts of the United Kingdom. |
ii | Areas in Section 2(1) of the Cyprus Act 1960. |
iii | Suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth. Although a member, excluded from all intergovernmental meetings, including CHOGMs. |
iv | The Cook Islands have complete internal self-government, but Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens. |
v | Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth in November 1995, but its nationals continued to be Commonwealth citizens pending constitutional reform and acceptance. The suspension was lifted on 29 May 1999. |
vi | Pakistan was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth in 1999. Full membership restored on 23 May 2004. |
vii | Suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth. Although a member, excluded from all intergovernmental meetings, including CHOGMs. |
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