British Commonwealth Countries 2022

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)*

CountryYear JoinedCountryYear Joined
Australia1931 (founding)Newfoundland1931 (founding)
Canada1931 (founding)Pakistan1947
India1947South Africa1931
Irish Free State1931 (founding)Sri Lanka1948
New Zealand1931 (founding)United Kingdom1931 (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.

British Commonwealth Countries 2022

Commonwealth Realms vs. the Commonwealth of Nations




List of Commonwealth Realms:

Antigua and BarbudaAustraliaBahamas
BelizeCanadaGrenada
JamaicaNew ZealandPapua New Guinea
Saint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
Solomon IslandsTuvalu

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.




CountryBritish Commonwealth?Commonwealth of Nations?Date JoinedCommonwealth Realm?
Indiatruetrue1947false
Pakistantruetrue1989.1000false
United Kingdomtruetrue1931false
South Africatruetrue1994.1000false
Canadatruetrue1931true
Australiatruetrue1931true
Sri Lankatruetrue1948false
New Zealandtruetrue1931true
Nigeriafalsetrue1960false
Bangladeshfalsetrue1972false
Tanzaniafalsetrue1964.1000false
Kenyafalsetrue1963false
Ugandafalsetrue1962false
Malaysiafalsetrue1957false
Mozambiquefalsetrue1995false
Ghanafalsetrue1957false
Cameroonfalsetrue1995false
Malawifalsetrue1964false
Zambiafalsetrue1964false
Rwandafalsetrue2009false
Papua New Guineafalsetrue1975true
Sierra Leonefalsetrue1961false
Singaporefalsetrue1965false
Jamaicafalsetrue1962true
Namibiafalsetrue1990false
Gambiafalsetrue2018.1000false
Botswanafalsetrue1966false
Lesothofalsetrue1966false
Trinidad And Tobagofalsetrue1962false
Mauritiusfalsetrue1968false
Cyprusfalsetrue1961false
Eswatinifalsetrue1968false
Fijifalsetrue1997.1000false
Guyanafalsetrue1966false
Solomon Islandsfalsetrue1978true
Maldivesfalsetrue2020.2000false
Bruneifalsetrue1984false
Maltafalsetrue1964false
Belizefalsetrue1981true
Bahamasfalsetrue1973true
Vanuatufalsetrue1980false
Barbadosfalsetrue1966false
Samoafalsetrue1970false
Saint Luciafalsetrue1979true
Kiribatifalsetrue1979false
Grenadafalsetrue1974true
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesfalsetrue1985.1000true
Tongafalsetrue1970false
Antigua and Barbudafalsetrue1981true
Seychellesfalsetrue1976false
Dominicafalsetrue1978false
Saint Kitts And Nevisfalsetrue1983true
Tuvalufalsetrue2000.1000true
Naurufalsetrue1999.1000false




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