Commonwealth of Nations
"[V]oluntary association of 53 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule" [1]. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 countries [what is the correct number? 53 or 54?] that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development.
The largest member of the Commonwealth is Canada, at nearly 10 million square kilometers. The most populous Commonwealth country is India, with nearly 1.1 billion people. The smallest member is Nauru, with only 13,000 inhabitants. The Commonwealth also includes the world's driest and most sparsely populated country: Namibia.
The Commonwealth, with roots as far back as the 1870s, believes that the best democracies are achieved through partnerships – of governments, business, and civil society. This unique association was reconstituted in 1949 when Commonwealth Prime Ministers met and adopted what has become known as the London Declaration where it was agreed all member countries would be “freely and equally associated” [source?]
Every member state has its constitutional status. They can be realm, republic or monarchy. 'Realm' indicates a Commonwealth country which has The Queen as Sovereign, while 'monarchy' indicates a Commonwealth country which has its own monarch as Head of State.
Membership of the Commonwealth is entirely voluntary; therefore any member can withdraw at any time. For example, the Republic of Ireland withdrew in 1949 and so did Zimbabwe in 2003.
Marlborough House became the headquarters of the Commonwealth in 1965. Today, it houses the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation, and has been the venue for a number of independence negotiations and many Commonwealth conferences, including summit meetings of Commonwealth Heads of Government. The house was extensively renovated by the British Government between 1989 and 1993.
The Commonwealth Flag consists of the Commonwealth symbol in gold on a blue background centred on a rectangle. The flag developed from the car pennants produced for the first time at the Ottawa Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1973. It is flown at Marlborough House, London, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, throughout the year and for a limited period at other venues where Commonwealth Meetings are held or when other Commonwealth events / visits are taking place for example Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.
Source
- "About the Commonwealth." The Official Website of the British Monarchy. <http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/TheCommonwealth/TheCommonwealth.aspx>.
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/191086/191247/the_commonwealth/