Commonwealth (British)

Summary of Commonwealth (British)

An association of sovereign states formerly comprising territories within the British Empire. The association was formed at an imperial conference in London in 1931 and implemented by the Statute of Westminster of the same year. The purpose of the Commonwealth is to foster a sense of common identity among the member states, all of which are politically equal. In 1965, a Commonwealth secretariat was established in London to further the association's programs, including the enhancement of education and economic development in member states.

The following states were members of the Commonwealth in 1984:

United Kingdom Canada*

Australia*

New Zealand*

India

Sri Lanka

Ghana

Malaysia

Cyprus

Nigeria

Sierra Leone

Tanzania

Western Samoa

Jamaica*

Trinidad and Tobago

Uganda

Kenya

Malawi

Malta

The Gambia Singapore

Guyana

Botswana

Lesotho

Barbados*

Naurut

Mauritius*

Swaziland

Maldives

Tonga

Fiji*

Bangladesh

Bahamas*

Grenada*

Papua New Guinea* Seychelles Solomon Islands* Tuvalu*+

Dominica Saint Lucia*

Kiribati Saint Vincent

Grenadines*t Antigua and Barbuda*

Zimbabwe Belize*

Vanuatu

* States recognizing the Queen as head of state, t Associate members of the Commonwealth.

(Main Author: William J. Miller)