What are the commonwealth states?

Commonwealth is a designation used by four of the 50 states of the United States in their full official state names: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. read more

At the time, West Virginia did not choose to retain the commonwealth status; instead, it became a state in the U. S. A. Other Commonwealths U. S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands also use the "commonwealth" moniker. read more

Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare general good or advantage" dates from the 15th century. read more

There are four states in the United States that call themselves commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The distinction is in name alone. The commonwealths are just like any other state in their politics and laws, and there is no difference in their relationship to the nation as a whole. read more

Commonwealth of Independent States. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a loose alliance or confederation consisting of 10 of the 15 former Soviet Republics, the exceptions being Turkmenistan (a CIS associate member), Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Georgia. Georgia left the CIS in August 2008 after a clash with Russia over South Ossetia. read more