what does it mean to be part of the commonwealth

Member states also have shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, as outlined in the Commonwealth Charter. Member states of the Commonwealth have no legal obligations to one another but are connected through historical ties and use of the English language. The Commonwealth includes Canada, one of the world's largest countries and India, one of the world's most populous countries as well as several island nations that are among the smallest countries in the world. Unlike the Council of Europe or the CARICOM countries, whose members are clustered together geographically, the members of the Commonwealth of Nations are spread all around the globe, akin to the countries of the United Nations. Countries of the Commonwealth of Nations (2022): Antigua and Barbudaįorm and purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth is often confused with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a similar intergovernmental body composed of former members of the Soviet Union. The Commonwealth was originally titled the British Commonwealth, a reference to the fact that its members were all former British colonies that had achieved self-governance. The member states are home to a total of over 2.4 billion people. The Commonwealth is made up of 54 member states from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. The Commonwealth of Nations, typically referred to simply as the Commonwealth, is a political association of former British Empire territories.

What does it mean to be part of the commonwealth