The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of more than 50 independent sovereign states [54 nations; UK+14], which provide support to each other, and work together toward international goals. The Commonwealth is described as a "family" of nations, originally linked together in the British Empire, and now building on their common heritage in language, culture and education, which enables them to work together in an atmosphere of greater trust and understanding than generally prevails among nations.

The modern Commonwealth emerged in 1949 when it was agreed that India could remain a member on becoming a republic (prior to that, members shared a common allegiance to the British Crown).* Its growth accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s with the independence of many new member countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

The association has member countries all over the globe, rich and poor, large and small. It includes the world's largest territory (Canada) and second largest in terms of population (India), and many of the smallest and most remote, including Nauru, the world's smallest republic.

The Commonwealth:

· promotes partnership and co-operation among its members

· promotes understanding and tolerance among its citizens

· reduces prejudice, ignorance, disease and poverty

· promotes democracy and good governance, sustainable economic and social development, respect for human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and protection of the environment.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and South Africa, Tuvalu

Canada | Jamaica, Dominican Rep | Malta, Cyprus | Nigeria, Zambia | India, Sri Lanka | Papua New Guinea | Australia, New Zealand

[!] The British Empire Games, later to be known as the Commonwealth Games, were first held in Hamilton, in the province of Ontario in Canada in August 1930. The latest Games were held in Delhi in 2010.

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 838