One of the following countries is not a member of the Common Wealth of Nations.

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the country that is NOT a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Explain the concept: The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of mostly former territories of the British Empire, plus a few others that joined later. Members cooperate on trade, democracy, education and development. The head of the Commonwealth is the British monarch, and a Commonwealth Secretary-General runs the Secretariat in London.

Check each option:

• A. Britain: It is the founding centre of the Commonwealth, so it is a member.
• B. Gambia: A former British colony. It joined at independence in 1965. It left in 2013 but rejoined in 2018, so it is a member now. (At the time of the 2003 exam it was also a member.)
• C. Ghana: It became independent in 1957 and has been a member ever since.
• D. Nigeria: It became independent in 1960 and is a member. It was briefly suspended in 1995-1999 under military rule, but it is a member.
• E. United States of America: It broke away from Britain in 1776 through the American Revolution and was never part of the modern Commonwealth, so it is not a member.

Answer: The USA is the only country on the list that does not belong, so the answer is E.

Exam tip: Commonwealth membership is tied to a British colonial past, but not every former colony joined. The USA left long before the Commonwealth existed. Other well-known non-members that were once British-ruled include Egypt, Sudan and Ireland. Remember "USA = independent by revolution, not by Commonwealth."