Foreword
Executive Summary
Building a culture of democracy
Promoting the rule of law and human rights
Economic opportunities
Supporting social development
The Secretariat and its partners
Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3

The Commonwealth and its members

Abbreviations: G-G Governor-General; HE His/Her Excellency; HH, HM, HRH His/Her Highness/Majesty/Royal Highness; M Monarchy under HM Queen Elizabeth II; M* National Monarchy; P President; PM Prime Minister; R Republic; RE Republic with Executive President.

Notes: 1 Where Governor-General represents the Head of State, HM Queen Elizabeth II; 2 Year of Rejoining the Comonwealth; 3 The Queen’s official birthday, normally the second Saturday in June; 4 Statute of Westminster. As at 31 July 2005.

Member Country (Capital) Status Head of State (or Governor-General) (1) Head of Government Legislature National Day Year of Joining
Australia (Canberra) M G-G: HE Major-General (Rtd.) Michael Jeffery PM: The Hon John Howard House of Representatives 26 Jan 1931 (4)
The Bahamas (Nassau) M G-G: HE Dame Ivy Dumont PM: The Rt Hon Perry Christie House of Assembly 10 Jul 1973
Bangladesh (Dhaka) R P: HE Professor Iajuddin Ahmed PM: The Hon Begum Khaleda Zia Parliament 26 Mar 1972
Barbados (Bridgetown) M G-G: HE Sir Clifford Husbands PM: The Rt Hon Owen Arthur House of Assembly 30 Nov 1966
Belize (Belmopan) M G-G: HE Sir Colville Norbert Young Sr PM: The Hon Said Musa National Assembly 21 Sep 1981
Botswana (Gaborone) RE P: HE Mr Festus G Mogae The President National Assembly 30 Sep 1966
Brunei Darussalam (Bandar Seri Begawan) M* HM Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah The Sultan Legislative Council 23 Feb 1984
Cameroon (Yaoundé) RE P: HE Mr Paul Biya The President National Assembly 20 May 1995
Canada (Ottawa) M G-G: HE the Rt Hon Adrienne Clarkson PM: The Rt Hon Paul Martin House of Commons 1 Jul 1931 (4)
Cyprus (Nicosia) RE P: HE Mr Tassos Papadopoulos The President House of Representatives 1 Oct 1961
Dominica (Roseau) R P: HE Dr Nicholas Liverpool PM: The Hon Roosevelt Skerrit House of Assembly 3 Nov 1978
Fiji Islands (Suva) R P: HE Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda PM: The Hon Laisenia Qarase House of Representatives 10 Oct 1997 (2)
The Gambia (Banjul) RE P: HE Dr Alhaji Yahya A J J Jammeh The President National Assembly 18 Feb 1965
Ghana (Accra) RE P: HE Mr John A Kufuor The President Parliament 6 Mar 1957
Grenada (St George’s) M G-G: HE Sir Charles Daniel Williams PM: The Hon Dr Keith Mitchell House of Representatives 7 Feb 1974
Guyana (Georgetown) RE P: HE Mr Bharrat Jagdeo The President National Assembly 23 Feb 1966
India (New Delhi) R P: HE Dr A P J Abdul Kalam PM: The Hon Dr Manmohan Singh Lok Sabha 26 Jan 1947
Jamaica (Kingston) M G-G: HE Sir Howard Felix Cooke PM: The Rt Hon P J Patterson House of Representatives 6 Aug 1962
Kenya (Nairobi) RE P: HE Mr Mwai Kibaki The President National Assembly 12 Dec 1963
Kiribati (Tarawa) RE P: HE Mr Anote Tong The President House of Assembly 12 Jul 1979
Lesotho (Maseru) M* HM King Letsie III PM: The Hon Pakalitha Mosisili National Assembly 4 Oct 1966
Malawi (Lilongwe) RE P: HE Dr Bingu wa Mutharika The President National Assembly 6 Jul 1964
Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) M* HM Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail PM: The Hon Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi House of Representatives 31 Aug 1957
Maldives (Malé) RE P: HE Mr Maumoon Abdul Gayoom The President House of Representatives 26 Jul 1982
Malta (Valletta) R P: HE Dr Edward Fenech-Adami PM: The Hon Dr Lawrence Gonzi House of Representatives 21 Sep 1964
Mauritius (Port Louis) R P: HE the Rt Hon Sir Anerood Jugnauth PM: The Hon Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam Legislative Assembly 12 Mar 1968
Mozambique (Maputo) RE P: HE Mr Armando Emilio Guebuza The President National Assembly 25 Jun 1995
Namibia (Windhoek) RE P: HE Mr Hifikepunye Pohamba The President National Assembly 21 Mar 1990
Nauru (Nauru) RE P: HE Mr Ludwig Scotty The President Parliament 31 Jan 1968
New Zealand (Wellington) M G-G: HE Dame Silvia Cartwright PM: The Rt Hon Helen Clark House of Representatives 6 Feb 1931 (4)
Nigeria (Abuja) RE P: HE Chief Olusegun Obasanjo The President National Assembly 1 Oct 1960
Pakistan (Islamabad) R P: HE General Pervez Musharraf PM: The Hon Shaukat Aziz National Assembly 23 Mar 1989 (2)
Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) M G-G: HE Sir Paulius Matane PM: The Rt Hon Sir Michael Somare Parliament 16 Sep 1975
St Kitts and Nevis (Basseterre) M G-G: HE Sir Cuthbert M Sebastian PM: The Hon Dr Denzil Douglas National Assembly 19 Sep 1983
St Lucia (Castries) M G-G: HE Dame Pearlette Louisy PM: The Hon Dr Kenny Anthony House of Assembly 22 Feb 1979
St Vincent and the Grenadines (Kingstown) M G-G: HE Sir Frederick Ballantyne PM: The Hon Dr Ralph Gonsalves House of Assembly 27 Oct 1979
Samoa (Apia) R HH Malietoa Tanumafili II PM: The Hon Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi Legislative Assembly 1 Jun 1970
Seychelles (Victoria) RE P: HE Mr James Alix Michel The President National Assembly 18 Jun 1976
Sierra Leone (Freetown) RE P: HE Dr Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah The President Parliament 27 Apr 1961
Singapore (Singapore) R P: HE Mr S R Nathan PM: The Hon Lee Hsien Loong Parliament 9 Aug 1965
Solomon Islands (Honiara) M G-G: HE Sir Nathaniel Waena PM: The Hon Sir Allan Kemakeza National Parliament 7 Jul 1978
South Africa (Tshwane) RE P: HE Mr Thabo Mbeki The President National Assembly 27 Apr 1994 (2)
Sri Lanka (Colombo) RE P: HE Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga The President Parliament 4 Feb 1948
Swaziland (Mbabane) M* HM King Mswati III PM: The Hon Absalom Themba Dlamini House of Assembly 6 Sep 1968
Tonga (Nuku’alofa) M* HM King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV PM: HRH Prince Ulukalala Lavaka-Ata Legislative Assembly 4 Jun 1970
Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain) R P: HE Professor George Maxwell Richards PM: The Hon Patrick Manning House of Representatives 31 Aug 1962
Tuvalu (Funafuti) M G-G: HE the Reverend Filomea Telito PM: The Hon Maatia Toafa House of Assembly 1 Oct 1978
Uganda (Kampala) RE P: HE Mr Yoweri Museveni The President Parliament 9 Oct 1962
United Kingdom (London) M HM Queen Elizabeth II PM: The Rt Hon Tony Blair House of Commons 10 June (3)
United Republic of Tanzania (Dar es Salaam) RE   P: HE Mr Benjamin William Mkapa The President National Assembly 9 Dec 1961
Vanuatu (Port Vila) R P: HE Mr Kalkot Matas Kelekele PM: The Hon Ham Lini Parliament 30 Jul 1980
Zambia (Lusaka) RE P: HE Mr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa The President National Assembly 24 Oct 1964

 

 

Commonwealth home Report home top of page