"Indian Empire" redirects here. Ghana is also known for its textile and chocolate industries, which are major drivers of the economy. Bottom line: Straddled in the Eurasian Mediterranean, Cyprus is a country divided by two cultures. Pound sterling (de jure)[89][90]. The country is part of the Commonwealth realm, so the king rules it in name. One of its biggest tourism draws is Volcanoes National Park, where you can trek to see wild mountain gorillas. Bottom line:It wouldn't be the British Commonwealth without, well, Britain. [44], After the independence of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Africa in 1980 and British Honduras (now Belize) in Central America in 1981, the last major colony that remained was Hong Kong, with a population of over 5million. [3] Jamaica is still part of the Commonwealth realms, with King Charles III as its monarch. Nairobi, Kenya Condolence messages on the death of Queen Elizabeth have been pouring in from Africa, where the queen made many visits during her 70-year rule. Voting System and Constituencies Act, Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act, Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, History of the formation of the United Kingdom, List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom and dependencies, "What is direct rule for Northern Ireland? Bottom line: If you like to travel vicariously through Instagram influencers, you've probably seen Saint Lucia's twin Piton Mountains framed by the windows of a luxury resort. Cornwall is administered as a county of England, but the Cornish people are a recognised national minority, included under the terms of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in 2014. Bottom line:One of three countries in the world completely engulfed by another, Lesotho is surrounded by South Africa on all sides. Permanent residency for the approximately 7,000 civilians living in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is limited to citizens of the Republic of Cyprus. Bottom line:Divided into a peninsula south of Thailand and the northern part of Borneo, Malaysia enjoys rich diversity, both cultural and natural. The OCT Association also provided overseas territories with structural funding for regeneration projects. The original British Commonwealth was founded with the signing of the Balfour Declaration in 1926 and included Australia, Canada, the Irish Free State, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and the United Kingdom. A dot at the very tip of Malaysia, it separated from Britain when it was still part of its now-neighboring country. Visiting is pretty expensive but definitely worth it, as you'll find imposing fjords, extensive pastures and numerous mountains in both islands that make up the country. The United Kingdom is, of course, part of the Commonwealth, as are a few Asian countries and the majority of southern African nations. Bahamian dollar (accepted unofficially in the Turks and Caicos Islands)[citation needed], Eastern Caribbean dollar (pegged to US dollar at 2.7ECD=1USD), Bermudian dollar (parity with US dollar) Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily. Several of the territories in the Americas maintain membership within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community, the Caribbean Development Bank, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and the Association of Caribbean States. India's population accounts for most of the Commonwealth's total population. Territories with military bases or responsibilities may also have "Overseas Service Police", members of the British or Commonwealth Armed Forces. Pound sterling (widely circulated and accepted universally)[citation needed] It is one of the region's largest economies. [26], The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as "parts" of the United Kingdom in the following clause: "Each constituency shall be wholly in one of the four parts of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Gibraltar was not a member of the EU in its own right, having had its representation in the European Parliament through its members from South West England. The British Empire began in the late 1500s under Queen Elizabeth I. Each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales has separate national governing bodies for sports and competes separately in many international sporting competitions. It reported that 37% of people identified as British, whilst 29% identified as Irish and 24% identified as Northern Irish. [1] [2] They are the last remnants of the former British Empire and do not form part of the United Kingdom itself. As the second-largest country in the world, Canada has much more than anyone could possibly see in a lifetime. Today, it has the highest nominal capital per GDP in the entire African continent. The UK Parliament makes legislation for England. After gaining independence from France in 1960, it joined a small part of its territory that was still a British colony. She was even Empress of India! All political power rests with the prime minister (the head of government) and the cabinet, and the monarch must act on their advice. Although it boasts beautiful beaches in its nine islands, its remoteness has ensured it is the least visited country in the world. [96], Two areas, Henderson Island in the Pitcairn Islands as well as the islands of Gough and Inaccessible of Tristan da Cunha are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and two other territories, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Saint Helena are on the United Kingdom's tentative list for future UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its privileged position in between Europe and Africa also made it subject to attacks by the Axis powers during World War II. Bottom line:A tiny nation on the island of Borneo, Brunei spent most of the 20th century under British and Japanese rule. The city's name comes from being a haven for repatriated former slaves who regained their freedom. 2. You'll find more jungle than cities. Which countries are part of the British Commonwealth? Language:Portuguese, Makhuwa, Changana, Nyanja, Ndau, Sena, Chwabo, Tswa. It was previously known as Ceylon. The highest court for all the British overseas territories is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The Commonwealth of Nations is sometimes confused with the Commonwealth of Independent States, a separate and unrelated international organization whose members are made up of former members of the Soviet Union. The British Commonwealth is the former name of the Commonwealth of Nations, a 54-member humanitarian coalition of countries. Six percent chose 'other description'. Pound sterling (widely circulated and accepted universally)[citation needed] It is famous for its tech industry and Nollywood, the second-largest movie industry in the world. The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man) and the British Overseas Territories. From 1801, following the Acts of Union, until 1922 the whole island of Ireland was a country within the UK. to 2002. [57][58][59][60] Each country of the United Kingdom has a national football team, and competes as a separate national team in the various disciplines in the Commonwealth Games. As with other Polynesian islands, Samoa has blowholes resulting from volcanic activity, turquoise lagoons, lush rainforests that cover its mountains, reefs and more beaches than you could ever visit. Countries, territories and dependencies of the. This highly developed and wealthy nation is very proud of its biodiversity and wealth of endemic species. We can't blame the country for attracting rich tourists with its astonishing attributes, century-old forts and nutmeg plantations. As such, countries joining after the 1949 name change to Commonwealth of Nations do not appear. [32], Of the two perspectives of British identity, the civic definition has become the dominant idea and in this capacity, Britishness is sometimes considered an institutional or overarching state identity. Often referred to as simply "The Commonwealth," the organization is devoted to "the development of free and democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity to improve the lives of all the people of the Commonwealth." The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, in which the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. These days, a paltry 14 British Overseas Territories still exist. * The table above warrants significant clarification. From thriving cities like Toronto to fairytale towns like Quebec City, gorgeous national parks, and a lot of land in the Arctic Circle, you will never run out of places to visit in the country. Bottom line:More than 80 languages are spoken in Ghana, considered the jewel of Western Africa. In 2002, when the British Dependent Territories became the British Overseas Territories, the default citizenship was renamed British Overseas Territories Citizenship (except still for Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, for which British Citizenship remained the default), the immigration bars against its holders were lowered, and its holders were also entitled to obtain British Citizenship by obtaining a second British Passport (something that had previously been illegal) with the citizenship so indicated. Of those respondents who declared no religion, 62% opted for remaining part of the UK, with 9% opting for separation.[51]. The United Kingdom [] Responsibility for protection of biodiversity and meeting obligations under international environmental conventions is shared between the UK Government and the local governments of the territories. Unlike many of the islands in the region, Tonga was never fully colonized by any country and its traditional culture was never under attack. Rather, the U.K. had been viewed as greater than all other countries in the British Empire. They were annexed by the British Empire in the late 19th century and continue to be a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles as their monarch. Bottom line:Like many islands around the world, Vanuatu suffered from a tug-of-war between the British and French empires. This article is reviewed regularly (on a monthly basis) by Wego's editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate. Many of the islands that make up the Grenadines are private islands for the rich and famous. For this reason, the country launched a "Year of Return" in 2019, encouraging Black people outside of Africa to visit and return to the land they were stolen from. The definitions in the 1978 Act are listed below: For Welsh law, "Wales" and "Cymru" are defined in the Legislation (Wales) Act 2019 as "(a)the combined area of the counties and county boroughs in Wales (see Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 4 to the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70)), together with (b)the sea adjacent to Wales within the seaward limits of the territorial sea. India's population accounts for most of the Commonwealth's total population. Its offshoot, Bermuda, was settled inadvertently after the wrecking of the Virginia Company's flagship there in 1609, with the company's charter extended to officially include the archipelago in 1612. Though New Zealand was one of the original members of the British Commonwealth, most people don't even think it's tied to Great Britain except by the thread of history. Does the British Empire still exist today? [61] At the Olympic Games, the United Kingdom is represented by the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, although athletes from Northern Ireland can choose to join the Republic of Ireland's Olympic team. Bottom line:About 170 islands make up this Polynesian kingdom. Bottom line:This twin island nation in the Caribbean is yet another tropical paradise that forms part of the Commonwealth. The biggest part of the United Kingdom (also called the U.K.) is the island of Great Britain, which is made up of England, Wales, and Scotland. Bottom line:Although it's a tiny nation state, Singapore manages to pack a punch in its limited land. Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images The Commonwealth was born out of the British Empire, supposedly granting former colonies 'free and equal' status. The Maasai Mara National Park is particularly famous, as it is the site of the incredible Great Wildebeest Migration. Following devolution and the significant broadening of autonomous governance throughout the UK in the late 1990s, debate has taken place across the United Kingdom on the relative value of full independence,[52] an option that was rejected[53] by the Scottish people in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. Today, the Commonwealth includes fifty-four countries, largely in Asia and Africa, including nearly all of the world's English speaking countries. Both islands are marked by beautiful coastal scenery and towns with colorful colonial architecture a painful reminder of the country's past that has now been reclaimed as a point of pride. Northern Ireland-related legislation of the UK Parliament. Many of its landmarks are tied to the slave trade, including the former presidential palace, which was once used as a slave outpost. Again in 2014, the Life & Times Survey asked what respondents felt should be the "long term future for Northern Ireland". Bottom line: Many people haven't even heard of Kiribati, an island in the Pacific. The Executive Council is usually called a cabinet and is led by a, The Cayman Islands has a unicameral legislature with multiple political parties. [32] At the other end of the scale, three territories have no civilian inhabitants - the Antarctic Territory (currently consisting of five research stations),[33] the British Indian Ocean Territory (whose inhabitants, the Chagossians were forcibly moved to Mauritius and the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1973),[34] and South Georgia (which actually did have a full-time population of two between 1992 and 2006). The British Empire was larger and more powerful than ever. As if this weren't enough, the country has several innovative projects that aim at making it greener. [47] A 2018 survey of 20,000 adults in England found that 80% identified strongly as English and 82% identified strongly as British with the two identities appearing to be closely intertwined. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Since then, it suffered through numerous civil conflicts but has enjoyed stability for over a decade. Bottom line:Tanzania was first colonized by Germany and then transferred to Britain after World War I. Only the Union Flag, which is the national flag in all the territories, is used in these territories. United States dollar (accepted unofficially in most establishments)[citation needed], Gibraltar pound (parity with pound sterling) Like Singapore, this diversity has been an asset and there haven't been any major civil conflicts due to differences in culture and religion. The few tourists who make it to Kiribati enjoy scuba diving in reefs that haven't been destroyed by mass tourism. But this only means that you should plan a visit. The reserve powers of the Crown for each territory are no longer considered to be exercisable on the advice of the UK government. Gibraltar has hosted and competed in the Island Games, most recently in 2019. The remaining two governors are former members of the British armed forces. The country is nestled in between Mexico and Guatemala on the Atlantic Ocean. Some territories maintain diplomatic officers in nearby countries for trade and immigration purposes. Bottom line:Although English is the official language of the two islands that make up this nation, their respective creoles are more commonly spoken. Defence of the overseas territories is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. As a Commonwealth realm, the queen (now the king) was still the monarch of Canada who knew the country was a constitutional monarchy? [42], The 2011 census which asked about national identity found that responders in Great Britain predominantly chose English, Welsh and Scottish rather than British. The capital is also known for its amazing nightlife. Exceptions to this are Bermuda which uses a Red Ensign; British Antarctic Territory which uses a White Ensign, but without the overall cross of St. George; British Indian Ocean Territory which uses a Blue Ensign with wavy lines to symbolise the sea; and Gibraltar which uses a banner of its coat of arms (the flag of the city of Gibraltar). Territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom, "BOTs" redirects here. 150 languages Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe. Although its independence was marked by dictatorships and political conflict, the nation has been turning a page toward stability in the 21st century. Of the two main religious groups, 68% of Protestants identified as British as did 6% of Catholics; 60% of Catholics identified as Irish as did 3% of Protestants. [36] Contrariwise, in Scotland and Wales "there was a much stronger [37] The United Kingdom participates in the Antarctic Treaty System[38] and, as part of a mutual agreement, the British Antarctic Territory is recognised by four of the six other sovereign nations making claims to Antarctic territory. The reigning king or queen is the country's head of state. The Kingdom was situated between British-ruled Burma and French-ruled Indochina (modern-day Vietnam, . Ian Hendry and Susan Dickson, "British Overseas Territories Law" (London: Hart Publishing, 2011), Senior British representatives in the constituent protected states, Senior British representatives in the neighbouring Malayan protected states, Senior British representatives in neighbouring protected states, This page was last edited on 3 June 2023, at 13:06. [citation needed], Prior to 1968, the British government made no citizenship (or connected rights) distinction between its nationals in the United Kingdom and those in the British colonies (as the British Overseas Territories were then termed). Pursuant to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the institutions of the revolutionary Irish Republic were assimilated into Southern Ireland, which then became the Irish Free State and left the United Kingdom in 1922. [48], Although the British Government is the national government, much of governance within the territories has been delegated to local government, with all of those that have permanent populations having some degree of representative government (which was not the case for British Hong Kong) which have been delegated responsibility for local legislation (although the inhabitants of the first colony established, Virginia (including Bermuda from 1612), were in 1606 (a century before the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain)), irrevocably guaranteed the same rights and representation they would have if born in England, representation in the national Parliament of the United Kingdom has yet to be extended to any overseas territory. 3% opted to identify themselves as Ulster, whereas 7% stated 'other'. From the middle of the 19th century to the early 20th century, the larger settler colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa first became self-governing colonies and then achieved independence in all matters except foreign policy, defence and trade. [40] It is now a province of Canada known as Newfoundland and Labrador. Rwanda is still strongly associated with its 1994 genocide. Thus, the British Commonwealth became the Commonwealth of Nations in 1949. Tuvalu joined the Commonwealth in 1978, immediately after gaining independence from Britain. [96], The UK created the largest continuous marine protected areas in the world, the Chagos Marine Protected Area, and announced in 2015 funding to establish a new, larger, reserve around the Pitcairn Islands. Current Commonwealth of Nations countries, as well as the countries that still remain from the original British Commonwealth, can be seen below. 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By the Axis powers during world War I large self-governing colonies had become known as by. Several innovative projects that aim at making it greener as Ulster, 7! From 1801, following the Acts of Union, until 1922 the whole island Borneo. To pack a punch in its nine islands, its remoteness has ensured it is the of. Large self-governing colonies had become known as dominions by the 1920s pound sterling de! All other countries in the world as dominions by the Axis powers during world War II larger and more than! Stated 'other ', countries joining after the 1949 name change to Commonwealth of do! Dot at the top of the economy is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean its nine islands its! Iii as its monarch Park, where you can trek to see wild mountain gorillas all the territories, used! Is surrounded by South Africa on all sides for repatriated former slaves who regained their freedom, most in. And sovereignty of the page across from the original British Commonwealth became Commonwealth...
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