1. The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of more than 50 independent sovereign states [54 nations; UK+14], which provide support to each other, and work together toward international goals. The Commonwealth is described as a "family" of nations, originally linked together in the British Empire, and now building on their common heritage in language, culture and education, which enables them to work together in an atmosphere of greater trust and understanding than generally prevails among nations.

The modern Commonwealth emerged in 1949 when it was agreed that India could remain a member on becoming a republic (prior to that, members shared a common allegiance to the British Crown).* Its growth accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s with the independence of many new member countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

The association has member countries all over the globe, rich and poor, large and small. It includes the world's largest territory (Canada) and second largest in terms of population (India), and many of the smallest and most remote, including Nauru, the world's smallest republic.

The Commonwealth:

• promotes partnership and co-operation among its members

• promotes understanding and tolerance among its citizens

• reduces prejudice, ignorance, disease and poverty

• promotes democracy and good governance, sustainable economic and social development, respect for human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and protection of the environment.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and South Africa, Tuvalu

Canada | Jamaica, Dominican Rep | Malta, Cyprus | Nigeria, Zambia | India, Sri Lanka | Papua New Guinea | Australia, New Zealand

[!] The British Empire Games, later to be known as the Commonwealth Games, were first held in Hamilton, in the province of Ontario in Canada in August 1930. The latest Games were held in Delhi in 2010.

2. The Commonwealth countries in Asia

• Bangladesh, Brunei Darassalam, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka

• All of the Asian Commonwealth countries have been members of the WTO since 1995.

• Asia has 383.8 million of the total 461.6 million illiterate adults in the Commonwealth

• In the 1960s and 1970s, many other countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific became independent. Some had fought wars for their freedom. Yet almost all joined the Commonwealth.

• capital: Malé

• official language: Maldivian (Divehi)

• geography: coral islands, Gan - the largest island of Maldives, the lowest country in the world, Two seasons dominate Maldives' weather: the dry season associated with the winter northeastern monsoon and the rainy season which brings strong winds and storms

• Government: Unitary presidential constitutional republic

• gained independence from the British in 1965

• became a republic in 1968 ruled by a president and an authoritarian government.

• Some social stratification exists on the islands. It is not rigid, since rank is based on varied factors, including occupation, wealth, Islamic virtue, and family ties. Instead of a complex caste system, there was merely a distinction between noble (bēfulhu) and common people in the Maldives. Members of the social elite are concentrated in Malé.

• places to visit: Diving Bluetribe Moofushi, South Ari Atoll; Alimatha Island, Vaavu Atoll [very beautiful seashore + diving]; Manta Point [diving]; Sun Island beach, South Ari Atoll [white sand, blue sea]; Banana Reef, North Male Atoll [diving]

• The politics of the Maldives take place in the framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is the Head of Government. Executive power is exercised by the government. The President heads the executive branch and appoints the Cabinet; Like many presidential democracies, each member of the cabinet need to be approved by the Parliament. The President, along with the vice President, is directly elected by the people to a five-year term by a secret ballot. He could be re-elected to second 5 year term, the limit allowed by the Constitution.

• current president: former Senior Member of UNICEF, Mohammed Waheed Hassan

• last year the Commonwealth suspended the Maldives from its democracy and human rights watchdog while the ousting was being investigated, and backed Nasheed's call for elections before the end of 2012

• Though in March 2012 the new regime promised new elections; in April the state minister of foreign affairs announced that elections would not be held in the near future

• On 8 October, Nasheed was arrested after failing to appear in court to face charges that he ordered the illegal arrest of a judge while in office. However, his supporters claim that this detention was politically motivated in order to prevent him from campaigning for the 2013 presidential elections