what countries are part of the british commonwealth

The UK is officially represented on the governing Board of the Commonwealth Secretariat by the Commonwealth Envoy, who is supported by the Commonwealth Team based at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The UK government works with the Commonwealth Secretariat to ensure that the Commonwealth is able to promote democratic principles and Human Rights, support the economic development of poorer member states and help provide a voice to some of the world’s smallest and most remote sovereign states. Some Commonwealth states span entire continents others are small islands with some of the world’s smallest populations. They include some of the world’s wealthiest states, and some of the world’s poorest.

However the states that make up the Commonwealth are also very diverse. In addition to Barbados, the 16 countries that removed Queen Elizabeth as head of state after she ascended the throne in 1952 are Sri Lanka, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Kenya, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania (Tanganyika), Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda.Almost all Commonwealth members were once part of Britain’s former Empire, and therefore share a rich cultural political and linguistic heritage. She was head of state of 32 countries over the course of her time on the throne, but 17 ultimately cut ties during the same period. Though the Commonwealth realms are a sign of the enduring legacy of the British Empire, the current state of affairs between the British monarchy and such nations is also a reminder that Queen Elizabeth presided over a dwindling empire during her reign. Meanwhile, there is also an ongoing movement for independence in Scotland. Officials in other current Commonwealth realms in the Caribbean have also signaled that they want out. Last year, Barbados officially removed Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and became a republic. It's possible that the number of Commonwealth realms could shrink during King Charles' reign. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.

What countries are part of the british commonwealth