CANZUK facts for kids

World map with CANZUK nations shaded.

CANZUK is a proposed alliance comprising Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom as part of an international organisation or confederation similar in scope to the former European Economic Community. This includes increased trade, foreign policy co-operation, military co-operation and mobility of citizens between the four states, tied together by similar economic systems, social values and political and legal systems, in addition to the majority population of each country speaking English. The idea is lobbied by the advocacy group CANZUK International and supported primarily by conservatives. Other supporters include think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute, the Henry Jackson Society, Bruges Group and politicians from the four countries.

History

The term

The term CANZUK was first coined by William David McIntyre in his 1967 book Colonies into Commonwealth in the context of a "CANZUK Union". The idea of increased migration, trade and foreign policy cooperation between the CANZUK countries was created and popularized in 2015 by CEO and Founder of CANZUK International (formerly the Commonwealth Freedom of Movement Organisation), James Skinner.

In the wake of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum and the decision made by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, writers such as Andrew Lilico and James C. Bennett, along with academics such as the historian Andrew Roberts, also advocated that Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom merge and form a new entity in international politics. Andrew Roberts suggested that such a bloc could slot into the international order as a third pillar of the West (alongside the United States and the European Union). Beyond this, Roberts argues that due to its territorial scale, geographic scope and advanced economy that it would qualify as a "great power" and potentially a "global power" (or emerging superpower).

Some advocates such as Roberts favour a federal or confederal union. Others, such as Lilico, describe the objective as being the creation of a "geopolitical partnership" akin to the European Economic Community. In the version favoured by Lilico, by the advocacy group CANZUK international and by the Conservative Party of Canada, the proposal would involve the creation of a free-movement zone, a multilateral free trade agreement and a security partnership. The more general concept of deepening trade ties (with or without a multilateral agreement) has many advocates, including figures such as former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former British Prime Minister Theresa May and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Relationship

Canada, Australia and New Zealand are former settler colonies of the British Empire where people of British ethnic origin came to constitute the majority of the population. Today, the four CANZUK countries maintain a close affinity of cultural, diplomatic and military ties to one another. The Australian and New Zealand flags contain the flag of the United Kingdom in their canton; and the Union Flag is also one of two official flags of Canada (referred to as the Royal Union Flag).

Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are also Commonwealth realms which share Charles III as their constitutional monarch and their head of state. The countries share a number of institutional, linguistic and religious similarities such as the use of political systems based upon the Westminster parliamentary system of government, and common law. The CANZUK countries form part of the English-speaking world and share a number of Anglosphere military initiatives with each other including the Fincastle Trophy, Five Eyes intelligence, ABCANZ Armies and AUSCANNZUKUS, which are concerned with increased military and naval co-operation. Canada and the United Kingdom are allied through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization while Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are allied through the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

All four nations have diverse, multicultural populations, free and open presses, and are closely aligned on key social issues. Public relations are extremely warm between the four countries, with consistent evidence that people in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom regard each other's countries as their country's closest friends and allies in the world.

Since 1983, Australia and New Zealand have had formal trade ties with the Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement.

In 2021 Australia and the United Kingdom agreed to one of the broadest trade agreements in Australia's history, only comparable with a similar deal between New Zealand and Australia. Greatly liberalising free movement of goods and people, the new agreement will reduce technological and digital barriers between the two nations. It is intended that lawyer degrees in Australia and the United Kingdom will have the same legal framework, making it easier for lawyers in both nations to apply for work in each other's countries. The new agreement will reduce visa requirements for unskilled farmworkers and other regional work sectors.

Country comparison

	Canada	Australia	New Zealand	United Kingdom
Flag
Coat of arms
Population	37,971,020 (as of 2020^[update])	25,522,169 (as of 2019^[update])	5,124,850 (as of July 2021^[update])	66,796,807 (as of 2019^[update])
Area	9,984,670 km²	7,741,220 km²	268,838 km²	243,610 km²
Population density	3.9/km²	3.3/km²	18.3/km²	270.7/km²
Exclusive Economic Zone	5,559,077 km²	8,505,348 km²	4,420,565 km²	6,805,586 km²
Capital city	Ottawa	Canberra	Wellington	London
Largest urban areas (2021)	Toronto: 6.255 million Montreal: 4.247 million Vancouver: 2.606 million Calgary: 1.581 million Edmonton: 1.491 million Ottawa: 1.408 million	Sydney: 5.312 million Melbourne: 5.061 million Brisbane: 2.439 million Perth 2.067 million Adelaide: 1.345 million Gold Coast: 679,127	Auckland: 1.630 million Wellington: 417,000	London: 9.426 million Manchester: 2.750 million Birmingham: 2.626 million Leeds: 1.902 million Glasgow: 1.681 million Southampton–Portsmouth: 936,000
Form of government	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Head of State	King Charles III
Head of government	Prime Minister Justin Trudeau	Prime Minister Anthony Albanese	Prime Minister Chris Hipkins	Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
Official languages	English French	English	English Māori NZ Sign Language	English Scots Gaelic Welsh Irish Cornish
Main religions	53.3% Christian 34.6% Irreligious 4.9% Muslim 2.3% Hindu 2.1% Sikh 1.0% Buddhist 0.9% Jewish 0.9% Other (As of 2021)	43.9% Christian 38.9% Irreligious 3.2% Muslim 2.7% Hindu 2.4% Buddhist 0.8% Sikh 0.4% Jewish 0.9% Other (As of 2021)	55.3% Irreligious 37.3% Christian 2.7% Hindu 1.3% Muslim 1.1% Buddhist 0.9% Sikh 0.1% Jewish 1.3% Other (As of 2018)	46.2% Christian 43.2% Irreligious 6.5% Muslim 1.7% Hindu 0.9% Sikh 0.5% Jewish 0.5% Buddhist 0.5% Other (As of 2021)
Currency	Canadian dollar	Australian dollar	New Zealand dollar	Pound sterling

Economic comparison

Using data from 2019, below is a table comparing the CANZUK countries to each other, as well as their combined size as a percentage of the world.

Country	Population	Area	Exclusive Economic Zone (2017)	Military Expenditures (USD billion - 2020)	Nominal GDP (billions USD)	Nominal GDP per capita (USD)	PPP GDP (billions USD)	PPP GDP per capita (USD)	National Wealth (billions USD)	National Wealth per capita (USD)	Human Development Index (2021)
Canada	38,014,184	9,984,670 km²	5,559,077 km²	22.50	$1,984	$48,774	$1,931	$51,749	$7,407	$202,240	0.936 (very high)
Australia	25,741,500	7,741,220 km²	8,505,348 km²	26.30	$1,500	$61,359	$1,235	$50,522	$7,329	$299,748	0.951 (very high)
New Zealand	5,007,330	268,838 km²	4,420,565 km²	4.30	$206	$42,692	$215	$42,940	$1,162	$240,821	0.937 (very high)
United Kingdom	67,886,004	243,610 km²	6,805,586 km²	55.10	$3,124	$44,367	$2,880	$43,520	$14,073	$212,640	0.929 (very high)
Total	136,649,018	18,238,338 km²	25,290,576 km²	108.2	$6,621	$48,765	$6,261	$45,919	$29,971	$226,913	0.938 (very high)
Total as % of World	1.7%	11.7%	18.3%	5.4%	7.4%	–	4.8%	–	10.7%	–	–

Territories and dependencies

Canada

Main page: Provinces and territories of Canada

There are three territories in Canada. Unlike the provinces, the territories of Canada have no inherent sovereignty and have only those powers delegated to them by the federal government. They include all of mainland Canada north of latitude 60° north and west of Hudson Bay and all islands north of the Canadian mainland (from those in James Bay to the Queen Elizabeth Islands). The following table lists the territories in order of precedence (each province has precedence over all the territories, regardless of the date each territory was created).

Territory	Capital	Population	Area (km²)	Official languages
Northwest Territories	Yellowknife	44,982	1,346,106	Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey, Tłįchǫ
Nunavut	Iqaluit	39,486	2,093,190	Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, English, French
Yukon	Whitehorse	41,293	482,443	English, French

Australia

Main page: States and territories of Australia

In addition to the six Australian States, Australia also comprises ten territories, whose existence and governmental structure (if any) depend on federal legislation. The territories are distinguished for federal administrative purposes between internal territories, i.e. those within the Australian mainland, and external territories, although the differences among all the territories relate to population rather than location.

Two of the three internal territories—the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which was established to be a neutral site of the federal capital, and the Northern Territory—function almost as states. Each has self-government, through its legislative assembly, but the assembly's legislation can be federally overridden. Each has its own judiciary, with appeal to a federal court. The third internal territory, the Jervis Bay Territory, is the product of Australia's complex relationship with its capital city; rather than having the same level of autonomy as the other internal territories, it has services provided by the ACT.

There are also seven external territories, not part of the Australian mainland or of any state. Three of them have a small permanent population, two have tiny and transient populations, and two are uninhabited. All are directly administered by the federal Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities (or the Department of the Environment and Energy in the case of the Australian Antarctic Territory). Norfolk Island, which is permanently populated, was partially self-governing until 2015.

Territory	Capital (largest settlement)	Population (Jun 2019)	Area (km²)
Internal territories
Australian Capital Territory	Canberra	&&&&&&&&&0426709.&&&&&0426,709	2,358
Jervis Bay Territory	None (Jervis Bay Village)	&&&&&&&&&&&&0405.&&&&&0405	67
Northern Territory	Darwin	&&&&&&&&&0245869.&&&&&0245,869	1,419,630
External territories
Ashmore and Cartier Islands	None (offshore anchorage)	0	750
Australian Antarctic Territory	None (Davis Station)	Less than 1,000	5,896,500 km
Christmas Island	Flying Fish Cove	&&&&&&&&&&&01938.&&&&&01,938	135
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	West Island	&&&&&&&&&&&&0547.&&&&&0547	14
Coral Sea Islands	None (Willis Island)	4	780,000
Heard Island and McDonald Islands	None (Atlas Cove)	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	372
Norfolk Island	Kingston	&&&&&&&&&&&01758.&&&&&01,758	35

New Zealand

Main page: Realm of New Zealand

The Pacific islands of the Cook Islands and Niue became New Zealand's first colonies in 1901 and then protectorates. From 1965 the Cook Islands became self-governing, as did Niue from 1974. Tokelau came under New Zealand control in 1925 and remains a non-self-governing territory.

The Ross Dependency comprises that sector of the Antarctic continent between 160° east and 150° west longitude, together with the islands lying between those degrees of longitude and south of latitude 60° south. The British(imperial) government took possession of this territory in 1923 and entrusted it to the administration of New Zealand. Neither Russia nor the United States recognises this claim, and the matter remains unresolved (along with all other Antarctic claims) by the Antarctic Treaty, which serves to mostly smooth over these differences. The area is uninhabited, apart from scientific bases.

New Zealand citizenship law treats all parts of the Realm equally, so most people born in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency before 2006 are New Zealand citizens. Further conditions apply for those born from 2006 onwards.

Territory	Capital (largest settlement)	Population (Jun 2018)	Area (km²)
Associated states
Cook Islands	Avarua	21,388	236
Niue	Alofi	1,145	260
Dependent territories
Ross Dependency	None (Scott Base)	Scott Base: 10–85 McMurdo Station: 200–1,000 (seasonally)	450,000
Tokelau	Fakaofo	1,405	10

United Kingdom

British Overseas Territories

Main page: British Overseas Territories

The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) are fourteen territories all with a constitutional link with – but not forming part of – the United Kingdom. Most of the permanently inhabited territories are internally self-governing, with the UK retaining responsibility for defence and foreign relations. Three are inhabited only by a transitory population of military or scientific personnel. They all have the British monarch as head of state.

The term "British Overseas Territory" was introduced by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, replacing the term British Dependent Territory, introduced by the British Nationality Act 1981. Prior to 1 January 1983, the territories were officially referred to as British Crown Colonies.

The British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are themselves distinct from the Commonwealth realms, a group of 15 independent countries (including the United Kingdom) each having Charles III as their reigning monarch, and from the Commonwealth of Nations, a voluntary association of 54 countries mostly with historic links to the British Empire (which also includes all Commonwealth realms).

As of April 2018^[update], three Territories (the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus) are the responsibility of the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas; the Minister responsible for the remaining Territories is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Overseas Territories and Sustainable Development.

Name	Capital	Population	Area	Location	GDP (nominal)	GDP Per Capita (nominal)
Anguilla	The Valley	14869 14,869(2019 estimate)	0000091 91 km² (35.1 sq mi)	Caribbean, North Atlantic Ocean	141620000 £141.62 million	9850 £9,850
Bermuda	Hamilton	62506 62,506(2019 estimate)	0000054 54 km² (20.8 sq mi)	North Atlantic Ocean between the Azores, the Caribbean, Cape Sable Island and Canada	4500000000 £4.5 billion	69240 £69,240
British Antarctic Territory	Rothera (main base)	50 non-permanent in winter, over 400 in summer (research personnel)	37645 1,709,400 km² (660,000 sq mi)	Antarctica
British Indian Ocean Territory	Diego Garcia (base)	3,000 non-permanent (UK and US military personnel; estimate)	0000046 60 km² (23 sq mi)	Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands	Road Town	31758 31,758 (2018 census)	0000153 153 km² (59 sq mi)	Caribbean, North Atlantic Ocean	870000000 £870 million	28040 £28,040
Cayman Islands	George Town	68076 68,076 (2019 estimate)	0000264 264 km² (101.9 sq mi)	Caribbean	4150000000 £4.15 billion	146250 £146,250
Falkland Islands	Stanley	3377 3,377 (2019 estimate) 1,350 non-permanent (UK military personnel; 2012 estimate)	0012173 12,173 km² (4,700 sq mi)	South Atlantic Ocean A South Atlantic Ocean	132820000 £132.82 million	57170 £57,170
Gibraltar	Gibraltar	33701 33,701(2019 estimate) 1,250 non-permanent (UK military personnel; 2012 estimate)	0000006.5 6.5 km² (2.5 sq mi)	Iberian Peninsula, Continental Europe	1890000000 £1.89 billion	74960 £74,960
Montserrat	Plymouth (abandoned – de facto capital Brades)	05215 5,215 (2019 census)	0000101 101 km² (39 sq mi)	Caribbean, North Atlantic Ocean	130720000 £130.72 million	25060 £25,060
Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands	Adamstown	00050 50 (2018 estimate) 6 non-permanent (2014 estimate)	0000045 47 km² (18 sq mi)	Pacific Ocean	84870 £84,870	1700 £1,700
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, including:	Jamestown	05633 5,633 (total; 2016 census)	0000420 420 km² (162 sq mi)	South Atlantic Ocean B South Atlantic Ocean	18650000 £18.65 million	4570 £4,570
Saint Helena		4349 4,349 (Saint Helena; 2019 census)	0000419.9	South Atlantic Ocean C
Ascension Island		05529.9 880 (Ascension; estimate) 1,000 non-permanent UK military personnel (estimate)	0000419.9	South Atlantic Ocean C
Tristan da Cunha		05529.9 300 (estimate) 9 non-permanent (weather personnel)	0000419.9	South Atlantic Ocean C
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	King Edward Point	99 non-permanent (officials and research personnel)	0003903 3,903 km² (1,507 sq mi)	South Atlantic Ocean D South Atlantic Ocean
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia	Episkopi Cantonment	07700 7,700 (Cypriots; estimate) 8,000 non-permanent (UK military personnel; estimate)	0000255 255 km² (98 sq mi)	Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea
Turks and Caicos Islands	Cockburn Town	38191 38,191 (2019 estimate)	0000430 430 km² (166 sq mi)	Lucayan Archipelago, North Atlantic Ocean	830000000 £830 million	21920 £21,920

Crown Dependencies

Main page: Crown Dependencies

The Crown Dependencies (French: Dépendances de la Couronne; Manx: Croghaneyn-crooin) are three island territories off the coast of Great Britain that are self-governing possessions of The Crown: the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man. They do not form part of either the United Kingdom or the British Overseas Territories. Internationally, the dependencies are considered "territories for which the United Kingdom is responsible", rather than sovereign states. As a result, they are not member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. However, they do have relationships with the Commonwealth, the European Union, and other international organisations, and are members of the British–Irish Council. They have their own teams in the Commonwealth Games.

As the Crown dependencies are not sovereign states, the power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with the government of the United Kingdom (though this is rarely done without the consent of the dependencies, and the right to do so is disputed). However, they each have their own legislative assembly, with the power to legislate on many local matters with the assent of the Crown (Privy Council, or in the case of the Isle of Man in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor). In each case, the head of government is called the Chief Minister.

Name	Flag	Capital	Population	Area	Title of Monarch
Bailiwick of Guernsey	Alderney	Saint Anne	65,849	78 km² (30 sq mi)	Duke of Normandy
	Guernsey	Saint Peter Port (capital of the whole Bailiwick and of Guernsey)
	Sark	The Seigneurie (de facto; Sark does not have a capital city)
Bailiwick of Jersey		Saint Helier	106,800	118.2 km² (46 sq mi)
Isle of Man		Douglas	84,997	572 km² (221 sq mi)	Lord of Mann

Including Alderney, Guernsey, and Sark.

Supporting views

Several organisations have been set up that promote, to varying degrees, much closer associations between the CANZUK nations. CANZUK International has, as its stated aim, the desire to establish an area of freedom of movement akin to that which existed before the European Communities Act 1972, or as a mirror to the rights of free movement as seen within the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement. Other organisations are largely voluntary groupings of those who advocate the more specific idea of transnational union, such as "CANZUK Uniting".