Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Name | Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) |
Russian | Содружество Независимых Государств Sodruzhestvo Nezavisimykh Gosudarstv |
Type | |
Regional intergovernmental organisation | |
Leaders | |
CIS Executive Secretary | Sergey Lebedev |
Secretary General | Aleksey Sergeyev |
Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council | Valentina Matviyenko |
Establishment | |
Belavezha Accords | 8 December 1991 |
Alma-Ata Protocol | 21 December 1991 |
Soviet Union dissolved | 25 December 1991 |
Charter / Statutes of the CIS | 22 January 1993 |
Free Trade Area established | 20 September 2012 |
Headquarters | |
St. Kirov, 17 220030 Minsk Belarus Sofiyskaya nab., 34c1 115035 Moscow Russia | |
Population | |
Population (2018) | 236,446,000 (without Crimea) |
Density of population | 11.77 P/km2 (30.5 P/sq mi) |
Languages | |
Official language | Russian |
Recognised regional languages | Belarusian, Uzbek, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Romanian, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Armenian, Turkmen |
Geography | |
Area | 20,368,759 km2 (7,864,422 sq mi) |
Economy | |
GDP (PPP) (estimate 2018) | |
Total | $5.378 trillion |
Per capita | $22,745 |
GDP (nominal) (estimate 2013) | |
Total | $2.696 trillion |
Per capita | $11,242 |
Member states (9) | |
Armenia | |
Azerbaijan | |
Belarus | |
Kazakhstan | |
Kyrgyzstan | |
Moldova | |
Russia | |
Tajikistan | |
Uzbekistan | |
Associate states (1) | |
Turkmenistan | |
Observer states (2) | |
Afghanistan | |
Mongolia | |
Currencies | |
Armenian dram | |
Azerbaijani manat | |
Belarusian ruble | |
Kazakhstani tenge | |
Kyrgyzstani som | |
Moldovan leu | |
Russian ruble | |
Tajikistani somoni | |
Uzbekistani som | |
Turkmenistani manat | |
Website | |
CIS.Minsk.by |
Definition and history
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization that was formed following to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
The Soviet Union was composed of 15 republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). But on 6th September 1991, the Soviet Union had already recognized the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
On December 8, 1991, leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine reach an agreement and create the Commonwealth of Independent States in place of the Soviet Union. This new alliance was open to all the republics of the Soviet Union, but also other nations with similar goals.
The creation of the CIS mark the dissolution of the Soviet Union and it ceased to exist.
All of the 12 remaining republics of the Soviet Union, except Georgia, joined the Commonwealth of Independent States. Georgia joined the CIS two years later (in 1993).
Since then, Georgia and Ukraine have left the CIS and Turkmenistan left the permanent membership and became an associate member.
The Commonwealth of Independent States is not to be confused with:
Purpose of the Commonwealth of Independent States
The CIS is a regional intergovernmental organization that encourages cooperation in economic, political and military of its member. Above this, it has certain powers relating to the coordination of trade, finance, lawmaking and security. It promoted also cooperation on cross-border crime prevention.
Former members of the Commonwealth of Independent States
Commonwealth realms
Leaders | |
Monarch | Queen Elizabeth II |
head of state | Queen Elizabeth II |
Population | |
Population (2019) | 151 million |
Density of population | 8 P/km2 |
Geography | |
Area | 18,7 million km2 |
Member States (16) | |
Antigua and Barbuda | |
Australia | |
The Bahamas | |
Barbados | |
Belize | |
Canada | |
Grenada | |
Jamaica | |
New Zealand | |
Papua New Guinea | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
Saint Lucia | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
Solomon Islands | |
Tuvalu | |
United Kingdom |
Meaning of a Commonwealth realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state which has Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. Each realm functions as an independent co-equal kingdom form the other realms.
In each of the countries outside the UK, the Queen appoints a Governor-General. After consulting with the government of his realm, he has all the powers and duties of the queen. Usually the Governor-General signs all acts of parliament into law, but he can wait and ask the Queen for advice or wait for her to sign the act herself.
Although the Queen Elizabeth II is monarch of many countries, the British government has no power in the other realms (just as the governments of the other realms have no power in the UK).
When Queen Elizabeth II became monarch in 1952, she was the monarch and head of state of seven independent states (UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon (Ceylon was the commonwealth realm name of current Sri Lanka)). Since then new realms have been created through independence of former colonies and dependencies, and some realms have become republics. In 2020, we have 16 Commonwealth realms: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the United Kingdom.
These 16 Commonwealth realms have a combined area (excluding Antarctic claims) of 18.7 million km2 and a total population of around 151 million (about 149 million live in the 6 most populous countries: UK, Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Jamaica).
All the Commonwealth realms are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, which is an intergovernmental organisation of 54 independent member states.
Commonwealth realms is not to be confused with:
Former realms
- Ceylon (it was the commonwealth realm name of current Sri Lanka) (1948 – 1972)
- Fiji (1970 – 1987)
- The Gambia (1965 – 1970)
- Ghana (1957 – 1960)
- Guyana (1966 – 1970)
- India (1947 – 1950)
- Ireland (1922 – 1949)
- Kenya (1963 – 1964)
- Malawi (1964 – 1966)
- Malta (1964 – 1974)
- Mauritius (1968 – 1992)
- Nigeria (1960 – 1963)
- Pakistan (1947 – 1956)
- Sierra Leone (1961 – 1971)
- South Africa (1910 – 1961)
- Tanganyika (is today part of Tanzania) (1961 – 1962)
- Trinidad and Tobago (1962 – 1976)
- Uganda (1962 – 1963)
Commonwealth of Nations

Type | |
Intergovernmental organisation | |
Leaders | |
Head | Queen Elizabeth II |
Secretary-General | Patricia Scotland |
Chair-in-Office | Boris Johnson |
Establishment | |
Balfour Declaration | 19 November 1926 |
Statute of Westminster | 11 December 1931 |
London Declaration | 28 April 1949 |
Headquarters | |
Marlborough House London, SW1 United Kingdom | |
Population | |
Population (2016) | 2,418,964,000 |
Density of population | 75 P/km2 |
Working language | |
English | |
Geography | |
Area | 29,958,050 km2 |
Member States (54) | |
Antigua and Barbuda | |
Australia | |
The Bahamas | |
Bangladesh | |
Barbados | |
Belize | |
Botswana | |
Brunei | |
Cameroon | |
Canada | |
Cyprus | |
Dominica | |
Eswatini | |
Fiji | |
The Gambia | |
Ghana | |
Grenada | |
Guyana | |
India | |
Jamaica | |
Kenya | |
Kiribati | |
Lesotho | |
Malawi | |
Malaysia | |
Maldives | |
Malta | |
Mauritius | |
Mozambique | |
Namibia | |
Nauru | |
New Zealand | |
Nigeria | |
Pakistan | |
Papua New Guinea | |
Rwanda | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
Saint Lucia | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
Samoa | |
Seychelles | |
Sierra Leone | |
Singapore | |
Solomon Islands | |
South Africa | |
Sri Lanka | |
Tanzania | |
Tonga | |
Trinidad and Tobago | |
Tuvalu | |
Uganda | |
United Kingdom | |
Vanuatu | |
Zambia | |
Website | |
thecommonwealth.org |
Meaning of the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations (or Commonwealth) is a political association of 54 member states that shares goals like development, democracy and peace. Nearly all members are former territories of the British Empire.
It dates from the first half of the 20th century with decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance and it was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations. Today any country can join the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth have 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of the 54 members are small states (including many island nations).
It is not to be confused with:
Former members of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Republic of Ireland: 19 November 1926 – 18 April 1949
- Zimbabwe: 1 October 1980 – 7 December 2003
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
Historical maps from Worldinmaps.com, now part of TerraScientifica.
Type | |
Regional Intergovernmental organisation | |
Leaders | |
Secretary-General | Esala Ruwan Weerakoon |
Establishment | |
8 December 1985 | |
Headquarters | |
Kathmandu (Nepal) | |
Population | |
Population (2015) | 1,713,870,000 |
Density of population | 336.1 P/km2 (870.5 P/sq mi) |
Working language | |
English | |
Geography | |
Area | 5,099,611 km2 (1,968,971 sq mi) |
Economy | |
GDP (PPP) (estimate 2017) | |
Total | $11.64 trillion |
GDP (nominal) (estimate 2017) | |
Total | $3.31 trillion |
Member States (8) | |
Afghanistan | |
Bangladesh | |
Bhutan | |
India | |
Maldives | |
Nepal | |
Pakistan | |
Sri Lanka | |
Observer States (9) | |
Australia | |
China | |
the European Union | |
Iran | |
Japan | |
Mauritius | |
Myanmar | |
South Korea | |
United States | |
Website | |
http://www.saarc-sec.org/ |
Objectives of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and political organization of 8 countries in South Asia.
The main objectives of the SAARC are to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural development within the South Asia region. The objectives of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation as defined in its charter are:
- to promote the welfare of the peoples of SOUTH ASIA and to improve their quality of life
- to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realise their full potentials
- to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among the countries of SOUTH ASIA
- to contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another’s problems
- to promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural, technical and scientific fields
- to strengthen cooperation with other developing countries
- to strengthen cooperation among themselves in international forums on matters of common interests
- to cooperate with international and regional organisations with similar aims and purposes.
History
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation was initiated by the Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman. It was founded in New Delhi on 2 august 1983 and it was established by the signing of the SAARC Charter on 8 December 1985 in Dhaka.
At the creation, the SAARC had the following 8 member states:
During the 12th summits (2–6 January 2004), the member states have signed the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), which foresee the creation of a free trade area for an area covering 1.4 billion people.
In April 2007, Afghanistan joined the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.