Who was the first to leave the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted on 28 April 1949.
Some say that it was Ireland that was the first to leave the Commonwealth. However, that related to the old British Commonwealth, where Ireland had to leave the British Commonwealth on 18 April 1949, when they became a Republic. It was in April 1949 that the British Commonwealth ceased to exist.
However, Ireland had withdrawn from participation in the British Commonwealth in the 1930s, attending its last governmental heads’ meeting in 1932.
When the Commonwealth of Nations was created in 1949, the rules allowed members to be Republics with their own head of State.
British Commonwealth.
Members of the British Commonwealth before it ceased to exist in 1949.
- Australia 19 November 1926
- Canada 19 November 1926
- Ireland 19 November 1926
- New Zealand 19 November 1926
- South Africa 19 November 1926
- United Kingdom 19 November 1926
- Pakistan 14 August 1947
- India 15 August 1947
- Sri Lanka 4 February 1948
The British Commonwealth ceased to exist in April 1949.
Commonwealth of Nations.
Members of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1949.
- Australia 19 November 1926
- Canada 19 November 1926
- New Zealand 19 November 1926
- South Africa 19 November 1926
- United Kingdom 19 November 1926
- Pakistan 14 August 1947
- India 15 August 1947
- Sri Lanka 4 February 1948
Pakistan was the first to leave the Commonwealth of Nations on 30 January 1972, but rejoined on 2 August 1989.
In 2022, there are now 56 members, most of which are Republics.