The 'Commonwealth' is a free association of
independent nations formerly subject to British imperial
government, and maintaining friendly and practical links with
the UK. In 1931 the Statute of Westminster established the
British Commonwealth of Nations; the adjective 'British' was
deleted after WWII. Most of the states granted independence,
beginning with India in 1947, chose to be members of the
Commonwealth.
Country
Date of Joining
Country
Date of Joining
Antigua and Barbuda*
1981
Nauru
1968
Australia*
1931
New Zealand*
1931
Bahamas*
1973
Nigeria
1960
Bangladesh*
1972
Pakistan
1947-62, 1989
Barbados*
1966
Papua New Guinea*
1975
Belize*
1981
St Kitts and Nevis*
1983
Botswana
1966
St Lucia*
1979
Brunei
1984
St Vincent and the Grenadines*
1979
Canada*
1931
Seychelles
1976
Cyprus
1961
Sierra leone
1961
Dominica
1978
Singapore
1965
Gambia, The
1965
Solomon Islands*
1978
Ghana
1957
Sri Lanka
1948
Grenada*
1974
Swaziland
1968
Guyana
1966
Tanzania
1961
India
1947
Tonga
1970
Jamaica*
1962
Trinidad and Tobago
1962
Kenya
1963
Tuvalu*
1978
Kiribati
1979
Uganda
1962
Lesotho
1966
United Kingdom
1931
Malawi
1964
Vanuatu
1980
Malaysia
1957
Western Samoa
1970
Maldives
1982
Zambia
1964
Malta
1964
Zimbabwe
1980
Mauritius*
1968
* Member states recognizing the Queen,
represented by a governor-general, as their Head of State.
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