A Commonwealth is a type of organized but unincorporated dependent territory. The term does not describe any specific political status or relationship. As for the commonwealth countries they are not states but two United States insular areas. They are the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico.
A territory is an insular area protected and adminstered by the United States. A commonwealth is a self-governing insular area that elects to be part of the United States. Commonwealths, territories, and protectorates are insular areas whose people are citizens of the United States, with the exception of America Samoa. The Samoans are nationals--free to go anywhere in the United States--but they are not citizens.
In the United States Massachusetts , Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Virginia are styled commonwealths, not states, although functionally there is no difference. The United states also has two insular territories that are styled commonwealths. They are the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands..
Their land is part of the United States.
In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is a type of organized but unincorporated dependent territory.There are currently two United States insular areas classified with the status of commonwealth, the Northern Mariana stateand Puerto Rico.
The Commonwealth of Australia consists of 6 states and two mainland territories, along with seven offshore territories. See also the related question.
The three American territories are Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The territories of Australia are established by the Commonwealth government, and are therefore subject to Commonwealth laws. The Commonwealth may deign to give them powers to establish laws in some areas, but essentially this is at the discretion of the Commonwealth government. The territories are really just extensions of the Commonwealth government and its laws. When the six colonies federated as states, their powers were defined by the Constitution. The territories were established a decade after federation, and although there is provision for them to become states at a later time, until that happens they are still subject only to Commonwealth law.
The biggest star on the Australian flag is the Commonwealth Star, which has seven points representing the six states of Australia and the territories. It symbolizes national unity and the connection of the states and territories to the Commonwealth of Australia.
Does Canada have countries,states,cities,or territories?
No, Ohio is not a commonwealth. It is a state in the United States of America. Commonweath is a term that is used to describe certain self-governing territories with their own constitution and government.
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The Supreme Court case known as the Insular Cases stated that the Constitution did not fully apply to the territories recently acquired by the US, such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The Court held that these territories could be governed differently from the states, and that the rights guaranteed by the Constitution did not automatically apply to the people in these territories. This decision has had significant implications for the legal status and rights of individuals in US territories.