Commonwealth Nations: Facts and Culture

South Africa

• Three Writers from South Africa: Nelson Mandela, Nadine Gordimer, John Maxwell Coetzee
• Number of Official Languages in South Africa: 11
• Johnny Clegg: South African musician
• South African Independence: 1961
• Helen Sebidi: South African artist
• Leader in Diamond Production: South Africa

New Zealand

• Two New Zealand Cities: Wellington, Auckland
• New Zealand Population: 4.8 million
• Jane Campion: New Zealand screenwriter, producer, director
• Janet Frame: New Zealand author of short stories
• New Zealand Flag Description: Blue with the Union Jack in the top left, four red stars on the right
• "All Blacks": New Zealand national rugby team

Australia

• Patrick White: Australian poet
• Geoffrey Rush: Australian actor
• Largest City in Australia: Sydney
• Number of Indigenous Australians: Around 800,000
• Two Australian Painters: Tom Roberts, Sidney Nolan

Canada

• Roots of Lacrosse: Indigenous people of North America
• Lauren Harris: Canadian painter
• Two Canadian Writers: Margaret Atwood, L. M. Montgomery
• Tom Thomson: Canadian artist, does oil sketches
• Jesus of Montreal: Canadian comedy-drama film
• Michael Ondaatje: Canadian-Sri Lankan poet

Jamaica

• Biggest Jamaican Ethnic Group: Blacks
• Two Ian Fleming Facts: Created James Bond, served as an intelligence officer in the Navy
• Beginnings of Reggae: 1960s in Jamaica
• Is English the Official Language in Jamaica: Yes

Great Britain

• Polo in Great Britain: Introduced from India, spread by the military

Malta

• Malta Independence: 1964
• Is Elizabeth Queen of State in Malta: No
• Maltese Painter: Francesco Zahra

Cyprus

• Cyprus Independence: 1960
• Location of Cyprus: South of Turkey, Mediterranean Sea
• Cypriot Writer: Osman Türkay

Barbados

• Is English Official in Barbados: Yes
• Most Popular Sport in Barbados: Cricket

Bahamas

• Bahamas Joined Commonwealth: 1973

Other Commonwealth Countries

• Inauguration of Commonwealth Games: 1930
• Two South American Writers: Isabel Allende, Jorge Edwards

Singapore

• Location of Singapore: Southeast Asia, off southern Malaysia
• Capital of Singapore: Singapore
• Singapore Independence: 1965
• Introduction of Christianity to Singapore: By Anglican British colonists
• Biggest Christian Denomination in Singapore: Buddhism
• Is English the Official Language of Singapore: Yes, one of four
• Stefanie Sun: Singaporean singer-songwriter
• Singapore Grand Prix: A motor racing event

India

• India Independence: 1947
• Capital of India: New Delhi
• Population of India: Over 1.3 billion
• Is English an Official Language in India: Yes
• Salman Rushdie: British Indian novelist
• Rabindranath Tagore: Indian poet, musician, artist
• Most Popular Sport in India: Cricket
• Origins of Chess: Northern India, 6th century AD

Sri Lanka

• Another Name for Sri Lanka: Ceylon
• Location of Sri Lanka: South of India
• Status of English in Sri Lanka: Spoken by a minority, used officially
• Michael Ondaatje: Sri Lankan-Canadian poet
• Lester James Peiris: Sri Lankan director
• Two Main Sports in Sri Lanka: Volleyball, tennis

Pakistan

• Official Languages of Pakistan: Urdu, English
• National Sport of Pakistan: Field hockey

Nigeria

• Nigeria Independence: 1960
• Official Languages of Nigeria: English, Pidgin English

Kenya

• End of British Kenya: 1963
• Sports Kenyan People are Most Successful at: Cricket

Cameroon

• Official Languages of Cameroon: French, English

Mauritius

• End of British Mauritius: 1968