The Commonwealth is one of the world’s oldest political association of states. Its roots go back to the British Empire when some countries were ruled directly or indirectly by Britain. Some of these countries became self-governing while retaining Britain’s monarch as Head of State. They formed the British Commonwealth of Nations.
In 1949 the association we know today, the Commonwealth came into being. Since then, independent countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific have joined the Commonwealth.
Membership today is based on free and equal voluntary co-operation. The last two countries to join the Commonwealth - Rwanda and Mozambique - have no historical ties to the British Empire.
7 May 1984
Brunei Darussalam becomes the 52nd country to join the Commonwealth.
19 September 1983
St Kitts & Nevis becomes the 50th country to join the Commonwealth.
9 July 1982
Maldives becomes the 49th country to join the Commonwealth.
1 November 1981
Antigua & Barbuda becomes the 48th country to join the Commonwealth.
30 July 1980
Vanuatu becomes the 46th country to join the Commonwealth.
12 July 1979
Kiribati becomes the 43rd country to join the Commonwealth.
3 November 1978
Dominica becomes the 41st country to join the Commonwealth.
28 Jun 1976
Seychelles becomes the 38th country to join the Commonwealth.
16 September 1975
Papua New Guinea becomes the 37th country to join the Commonwealth.
7 February 1974
Grenada becomes the 36th country to join the Commonwealth.
