Which two countries are members of the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. Most of these were formerly part of the British Empire. It's helpful to think of it as a modern family of nations with shared values and historical ties. The key is that the members were generally connected to the British Empire at some point. Australia and Canada are both prominent members of the Commonwealth. They were both British colonies and still recognize the British monarch as their head of state, although they are independent nations. The USA, on the other hand, gained independence from Britain in the 18th century and is not part of the Commonwealth. Russia was never part of the British Empire, so it's also not a member. The Commonwealth promotes cooperation in areas like trade, culture, and democracy, making Australia and Canada clear examples of member states.