CountryJoinedContinentPopulationNotes Antigua and Barbuda1 November 1981North America88,000 Australia11 December 1931Oceania22,073,000Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 1 January 1901. Australia was one of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931, although the statute was not adopted in Australia until 1942.[9] Bahamas10 July 1973North America342,000 Bangladesh18 April 1972[10]Asia162,221,000Gained independence from Pakistan in 1971.[11] Barbados30 November 1966North America279,000 Belize21 September 1981North America322,130 Botswana30 September 1966Africa1,950,000 Brunei1 January 1984Asia400,000 Cameroon13 November 1995[12]Africa19,522,000Most of the country was the formerly French Mandate territory (later U.N Trust territory) of Cameroun and gained independence from France on 1 January 1960, uniting with the much smaller former British Mandate territory of Southern Cameroons on its gaining independence from the United Kingdom on 1 October 1961. Canada11 December 1931North America34,053,000 [13]Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 1 July 1867. Canada was the first among the several original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931.[14] Incorporated another original Dominion, Newfoundland, on 31 March 1949.[15] Cyprus13 March 1961[16]Europe / Asia794,200Gained independence from the United Kingdom on 18 August 1960. Dominica3 November 1978North America79,000 Gambia18 February 1965Africa1,717,000 Ghana6 March 1957Africa23,837,000 Grenada7 February 1974North America103,000 Guyana26 May 1966South America761,000 India15 August 1947Asia1,173,230,000Incorporated former French India (Chandannagar from 2 May 1950 and Pondichéry, Karikal, Yanaon and Mahé from 1 November 1954), former Portuguese India (Goa, Daman and Diu from 19 December 1961 and Dadra and Nagar Haveli formally from 1961) and Sikkim (from 16 May 1975). Jamaica6 August 1962North America2,721,000 Kenya12 December 1963Africa39,856,000 Kiribati12 July 1979Oceania99,000 Lesotho4 October 1966Africa2,000,000 Malawi6 July 1964Africa15,884,000 Malaysia16 September 1963Asia28,356,000Joined as the Federation of Malaya in 1957; reformed as Malaysia with its federation in 1963 with Singapore (became a separate member in 1965), Sabah, and Sarawak.[17] Maldives9 July 1982Asia329,000Gained independence from the United Kingdom on 26 July 1965.[18] Maldives was a special member from 9 July 1982 until 20 July 1985.[19] Malta21 September 1964Europe412,668 Mauritius12 March 1968Africa1,285,000 Mozambique13 November 1995[20]Africa22,892,000Gained independence from Portugal on 26 June 1975. The first country to be admitted to the Commonwealth without any former colonial or constitutional links with the United Kingdom.[21] Namibia21 March 1990Africa2,131,000Gained independence from South Africa.[22] Nauru1 November 1968Oceania14,000Nauru is a special member. Gained independence on 31 January 1968 from joint trusteeship of Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom. The nation was a special member from 1 November 1968 until 1 May 1999, when it became a full member,[23] before reverting back to special status in January 2006.[24] New Zealand11 December 1931Oceania4,317,972Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 26 September 1907. One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931, although the Statute was not adopted in New Zealand until 1947.[25] Nigeria1 October 1960Africa154,796,000Incorporated the former British Mandate territory of Northern Cameroons on 31 May 1961. Suspended in 1995, suspension lifted in 1999.[26] Pakistan14 August 1947Asia168,052,000Left in 1972, rejoined 1989; suspended in 1999, suspension lifted in 2004; again suspended in 2007,[27] suspension lifted in 2008.[28] Includes the city of Gwadar, transferred from Muscat and Oman on 8 September 1958. Papua New Guinea16 September 1975Oceania6,737,000Gained independence from Australia. Rwanda29 November 2009[6]Africa9,998,000Gained independence from Belgium on 1 July 1962. The second country to be admitted to the Commonwealth without any former colonial or constitutional links with the United Kingdom.[21] Saint Kitts and Nevis19 September 1983North America52,000 Saint Lucia22 February 1979North America171,000 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines27 October 1979North America119,000Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a special member from 27 October 1979 until 1 June 1985. Samoa28 August 1970Oceania185,000Gained independence from New Zealand on 1 January 1962. Joined as Western Samoa, subsequently changing its name to Samoa on 4 July 1997.[29] Seychelles29 June 1976Africa84,000 Sierra Leone27 April 1961Africa5,695,000 Singapore15 October 1965Asia4,986,000First joined as part of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Solomon Islands7 July 1978Oceania913,000 South Africa11 December 1931Africa49,423,000Granted nominal independence (Dominion status) on 31 May 1910. One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931. Left on 31 May 1961, rejoined on 1 June 1994.[30] Sri Lanka4 February 1948Asia20,743,000Joined as the Dominion of Ceylon, subsequently changing its name in 1972. Swaziland6 September 1968Africa1,182,000 Tanzania26 April 1964Africa43,729,000Merger of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.[31] Tonga4 June 1970Oceania102,000 Trinidad and Tobago31 August 1962North America1,335,000 Tuvalu1 October 1978Oceania12,000Tuvalu was a special member from 1 October 1978 until 1 September 2000.[32] Uganda9 October 1962Africa32,816,000 United Kingdom11 December 1931Europe61,609,500The Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Statute of Westminster 1931. Vanuatu30 July 1980Oceania241,000Gained independence from joint rule of France and United Kingdom. Zambia24 October 1964Africa12,935,000

^ A. Unless otherwise noted, independence was gained from United Kingdom on date of joining the Commonwealth as shown in column 2.

^ B. Not a member of the Commonwealth Foundation.

^ C. The population figure is based on 2004 estimates.

^ D. The population figure is based on 2005 estimates.

Suspended membersCountryJoinedContinentSuspendedNotes Fiji10 October 1970Oceania8 December 2006Left in 1987; rejoined in 1997; suspended on 6 June 2000;[33] suspension lifted on 20 December 2001;[34] again suspended in 2006 because of the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.[35]

^ A. Not a member of the Commonwealth Foundation.

Former membersCountryJoinedContinentLeftNotes Irish Free State/Republic of Ireland11 December 1931Europe18 April 1949One of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931. Left after passing the Republic of Ireland Act in 1949.[11][15] Zimbabwe1 October 1980Africa7 December 2003Suspended on 19 March 2002.[34] Withdrew voluntarily on 7 December 2003.[36] Dissolved membersFormer countryJoinedContinentDissolvedRejoined asNotes Malaya31 August 1957Asia16 September 1963 MalaysiaReformed as Federation of Malaysia with Singapore (became a separate member in 1965), Sabah, and Sarawak. Newfoundland11 December 1931North America16 February 1934 CanadaOne of the original Dominions at the time of the Statute of Westminster 1931. Government suspended on 16 February 1934, joined Canada on 31 March 1949.[15] Tanganyika9 December 1961Africa26 April 1964 TanzaniaThe two countries merged to form Tanzania on 26 April 1964.[31] Zanzibar10 December 1963

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