The Geography of the Commonwealth

Human and physical geography

The Commonwealth exists, in its modern form, since 1949. It currently has 56 members

The big Commonwealth numbers

• The combined population is estimated to be two and a half billion people

Main age bracket, for two thirds of them, is 0-29 years old

• The most populous member country is India, the least populous is Nauru
• The land area covered by all members is a fifth of total world land surface

It is spanning across 21 time zones, from GMT-7 to GMT+13

• Three of the world’s megacities are on the Commonwealth map

Trade and time

Boosting trade is part of the overall Commonwealth strategy, between member countries and the rest of the world.

Some of the best-known stock exchanges are based in:

• Australia - Sydney Stock Exchange
• India - Mumbai Stock Exchange
• Singapore - Singapore Exchange
• South Africa - Johannesburg Stock Exchange
• United Kingdom - London Stock Exchange

Time can be seen at a glance from the trading floor. Stock exchanges display several clocks showing time in various locations. The time difference is easier to spot on a digital tool.