Previously, the Commonwealth of Nations was referred to as the British Commonwealth, a 54-nation humanitarian alliance. the establishment of free and democratic societies and peace and prosperity to better the lives of all the people of the Commonwealth, the organization is known as The Commonwealth.
A different and distinct international organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, is sometimes mistaken for the Commonwealth of Nations, which comprises countries that were part of the Soviet Union.
Countries of the British Commonwealth (1926-1949)*
Country | Year Joined | Country | Year Joined | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 1931 (founding) | Newfoundland | 1931 (founding) | |
Canada | 1931 (founding) | Pakistan | 1947 | |
India | 1947 | South Africa | 1931 | |
Irish Free State | 1931 (founding) | Sri Lanka | 1948 | |
New Zealand | 1931 (founding) | United Kingdom | 1931 (founding) |
* There is a lot of uncertainty in the table above.
Regarding the Commonwealth, 1926 is commonly seen as the beginning, although the actual foundation papers were not completed until 1931, so the founding nations are deemed to have joined at that time.
As a result, two of the original founding nations are no longer members of the organization. When the Irish Free State became the Republic of Ireland in 1949, Newfoundland returned to British sovereignty, and the Republic of Ireland became the Republic of Ireland the following year.
Since they were first admitted, both Pakistan & South Africa have departed and returned.
The Commonwealth of the British Isles is especially addressed in this table. As a result, nations that joined after the Commonwealth of Nations was renamed in 1949 are absent from the list.
Although they are mentioned in the master table at the bottom of this page and on the Commonwealth of Nations website, they are not included in any other tables.

Commonwealth Realms vs. the Commonwealth of Nations
List of Commonwealth Realms:
Antigua and Barbuda | Australia | Bahamas |
Belize | Canada | Grenada |
Jamaica | New Zealand | Papua New Guinea |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Solomon Islands | Tuvalu |
The British Commonwealth’s History
Australia, Canada, the Irish Free State, New Zealand, and Newfoundland were all part of the original British Commonwealth when the Balfour Declaration was signed in 1926. Most countries in the Commonwealth were formerly British colonies, although they have gained their independence in recent decades.
As a result of the Commonwealth’s independence and the fact that most of its member nations are situated distant from Britain, it was decided to change its name. So in 1949, Britain’s colonies were officially renamed the Commonwealth of Nations.
The number of members has grown over time. Over fifty-four countries now comprise the Commonwealth, mostly in Asia and Africa but also virtually all English-speaking nations.
The principles and populations of Commonwealth Countries
The Commonwealth was founded on the notion that all nations in the British Empire were on an equal footing with the United Kingdom, thus including the term Commonwealth in the organization’s name. Previously, this had never been the case.
Rather, the United Kingdom was seen as the most important of the British Empire’s nations. Equality in Europe has taken a major stride forward with establishing a new hierarchy or lack thereof.
As previously stated, there are 54 nations in the Commonwealth of Nations, the majority of which were formerly part of the British Empire.
Also See: BRIC Countries 2022
This includes North America (Canada), South America (Guyana), and Oceania; all three continents have at least one member of the Commonwealth today (Australia). Of course, the Commonwealth includes the United Kingdom, a few Asian countries, and the vast majority of countries in southern Africa.
The Commonwealth’s member nations are bound together by similar ideals, history, culture, and the common language they all speak (most speak English as their primary language).
Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom are the most populous of the fifty-four nations, with a combined population of almost two-thirds of a billion people.
Country | British Commonwealth? | Commonwealth of Nations? | Date Joined | Commonwealth Realm? |
---|---|---|---|---|
India | true | true | 1947 | false |
Pakistan | true | true | 1989.1000 | false |
United Kingdom | true | true | 1931 | false |
South Africa | true | true | 1994.1000 | false |
Canada | true | true | 1931 | true |
Australia | true | true | 1931 | true |
Sri Lanka | true | true | 1948 | false |
New Zealand | true | true | 1931 | true |
Nigeria | false | true | 1960 | false |
Bangladesh | false | true | 1972 | false |
Tanzania | false | true | 1964.1000 | false |
Kenya | false | true | 1963 | false |
Uganda | false | true | 1962 | false |
Malaysia | false | true | 1957 | false |
Mozambique | false | true | 1995 | false |
Ghana | false | true | 1957 | false |
Cameroon | false | true | 1995 | false |
Malawi | false | true | 1964 | false |
Zambia | false | true | 1964 | false |
Rwanda | false | true | 2009 | false |
Papua New Guinea | false | true | 1975 | true |
Sierra Leone | false | true | 1961 | false |
Singapore | false | true | 1965 | false |
Jamaica | false | true | 1962 | true |
Namibia | false | true | 1990 | false |
Gambia | false | true | 2018.1000 | false |
Botswana | false | true | 1966 | false |
Lesotho | false | true | 1966 | false |
Trinidad And Tobago | false | true | 1962 | false |
Mauritius | false | true | 1968 | false |
Cyprus | false | true | 1961 | false |
Eswatini | false | true | 1968 | false |
Fiji | false | true | 1997.1000 | false |
Guyana | false | true | 1966 | false |
Solomon Islands | false | true | 1978 | true |
Maldives | false | true | 2020.2000 | false |
Brunei | false | true | 1984 | false |
Malta | false | true | 1964 | false |
Belize | false | true | 1981 | true |
Bahamas | false | true | 1973 | true |
Vanuatu | false | true | 1980 | false |
Barbados | false | true | 1966 | false |
Samoa | false | true | 1970 | false |
Saint Lucia | false | true | 1979 | true |
Kiribati | false | true | 1979 | false |
Grenada | false | true | 1974 | true |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | false | true | 1985.1000 | true |
Tonga | false | true | 1970 | false |
Antigua and Barbuda | false | true | 1981 | true |
Seychelles | false | true | 1976 | false |
Dominica | false | true | 1978 | false |
Saint Kitts And Nevis | false | true | 1983 | true |
Tuvalu | false | true | 2000.1000 | true |
Nauru | false | true | 1999.1000 | false |