FACTBOX: What is the Commonwealth?

(Reuters) - The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) opened in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, on Friday.

Following are some key facts about the group:

* The Commonwealth evolved from Britain's former empire and groups nearly 2 billion people, or 30 percent of the world's population, with Britain's Queen Elizabeth as its head.

* With the 20th century, and the dynamic changes in world social and political order which occurred, the Commonwealth was set up to better provide a discussion platform for nations with similar aspirations.

-- The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were the Commonwealth's five original members created by the Treaty of Westminster in 1931.

* Its heads of government meeting -- the main decision-making forum -- is convened roughly every two years. It was last held in Valletta, Malta, in November 2005.

* All but one of its members were at one time part of the British empire or constitutionally linked to one of its members. The exception is Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony admitted in 1995. Zimbabwe left the group in 2003 protesting its continued suspension from the group over its political crisis.

* On November 22, the Commonwealth suspended Pakistan because President Pervez Musharraf failed to meet a deadline to lift emergency rule and resign as army chief.

* Commonwealth members range from wealthy nations such as Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, to populous India, as well as tiny Pacific republics like Nauru and Tuvalu.

* The Commonwealth has 53 member countries of which 32 are republics, 16 are monarchies with Queen Elizabeth II as their sovereign, and 5 have national monarchies.

* The majority of the Commonwealth's members are developing countries which comprise 49 of its 53 members. Thirty-two of the Commonwealth's members are small states with populations of less than 1.5 million people.

* The group has no constitution or charter. Key values were set out in Singapore in 1971 and reaffirmed in Harare in 1991 and include democracy, good governance, respect for human rights and gender equality, the rule of law and sustainable economic and social development.

* The Commonwealth is run from London and headed by a secretary-general chosen by heads of government and who may serve no more than two five-year terms. Don McKinnon, a New Zealander, is its present Secretary General and took office in April 2000.

Sources: Reuters/ www.chogm2007.ug.

(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)