Commonwealth of Independent States facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Commonwealth of Independent States (in other regional languages) Armenian: Համագործակցություն Անկախ պետություններ Hamagortsakts’ut’yun Ankakh petut’ner Azerbaijani: Müstəqil Dövlətlər Birliyi Belarusian: Садружнасць Незалежных Дзяржаў Sadružnasć Niezaliežnych Dziaržaŭ Kazakh: Тәуелсіз Мемлекеттер Достастығы Täuelsiz Memleketter Dostastığı Kyrgyz: Көз карандысыз Мамлекеттер Шериктештиги Köz karandısız Mamleketter Şerikteştigi Romanian: Comunitatea Statelor Independente Russian: Содружество Независимых Государств Sodruzhestvo Nezavisimykh Gosudarstv Tajik: Иттиходи Давлатҳои Мустақил Ittixodi Davlathoi Mustaqil Uzbek: Мустақил Давлатлар Ҳамдўстлиги Mustaqil Davlatlar Hamdo'stligi
Flag Emblem
Member states Disputed territory Associate state
Administrative seats	Minsk Moscow
Largest city	Moscow
Working language	Russian
Type	Intergovernmental
Membership	9 member states Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Moldova (suspended participation) Russia Tajikistan Uzbekistan 1 associate state Turkmenistan
Leaders

• General Secretary	Sergey Lebedev

Legislature	Interparliamentary Assembly
Establishment

• Belavezha Accords	8 December 1991
• Alma-Ata Protocol	21 December 1991
• Charter adopted	22 January 1993
• Free Trade Area	20 September 2012

Area
• Total	20,368,759 km² (7,864,422 sq mi)
Population
• 2018 estimate	236,446,000 (excluding Crimea)
• Density	11.77/km² (30.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$5.5 trillion
• Per capita	$22,500 (approx.)
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$2.5 trillion
• Per capita	$9,000 (approx.)
HDI (2017)	0.740 high
Currency	No common currency^a Member states Armenian dram (֏) Azerbaijani manat (₼) Belarusian ruble (Rbl) Kazakhstani tenge (₸) Kyrgyzstani som (с) Moldovan leu (L) Russian ruble (₽) Tajikistani somoni (SM) Uzbekistani soum (so'm) Associate state Turkmenistani manat (m)
Time zone	UTC +2 to +12
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.ru, .by, .am, .kz, .kg, .az, .md, .tj, .uz
^a Soviet ruble (руб) used from 1991 to 1994

The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a group of countries in Eurasia. It was formed in 1991 when the Soviet Union broke apart. The CIS covers a huge area of over 20 million square kilometers and has about 240 million people.

This organization helps its member countries work together on things like their economies, politics, and even military matters. They also cooperate on trade, money, laws, and keeping their borders safe from crime.

The CIS was first created on December 8, 1991, by Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. They signed an agreement saying the Soviet Union no longer existed. Later, on December 21, eight more former Soviet countries joined. These included Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) chose not to join.

Over time, some countries have changed their involvement. Georgia left the CIS in 2008. Ukraine stopped taking part in 2014 and formally ended its participation in 2018. Moldova has also started to reduce its involvement since 2022.

Eight of the nine current CIS member states are part of the CIS Free Trade Area. The CIS has also led to other groups like the Collective Security Treaty Organization (a military alliance) and the Eurasian Economic Union (an economic alliance).

Understanding the CIS: History and Structure
Who are the CIS Members?
How the CIS Works: Politics and Cooperation
- Human Rights in the CIS
- Military Cooperation
Money Matters: The CIS Economy
- Common Standards and Trade Deals
  - CIS Free Trade Area Agreements
- Other Economic Groups
Other Activities of the CIS
Life Expectancy in CIS Countries
Images for kids
Other Groups in the Post-Soviet Region
See also

Understanding the CIS: History and Structure

How the CIS Began

Signing of the Belovezh Accords in December 1991, which created the CIS.

The idea of countries in this region working together goes back to the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a large country made up of many republics, including Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

In 1991, the Soviet Union was facing big problems. Its leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, tried to keep the country together as a union of independent republics. However, a failed attempt by some hardliners to take control in August 1991 led many republics to declare their independence.

Just a week after Ukraine voted for independence, the leaders of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine met. On December 8, 1991, they signed an agreement to create the Commonwealth of Independent States. This agreement, known as the Belovezh Accords, officially ended the Soviet Union.

The CIS was open to all former Soviet republics and other nations with similar goals. On December 21, 1991, eight more countries joined by signing the Alma-Ata Protocol. This brought the total to 11 participating countries. Georgia joined later in 1993, making it 12 countries. The three Baltic states did not join because they had been occupied by the Soviet Union.

The CIS Charter: Rules for Members

Leaders at the CIS Summit in June 2000.

On January 22, 1993, the CIS countries signed a document called the Charter. This Charter set up the different parts of the CIS, explained what they do, and outlined the rules for how the CIS works.

The Charter also clarified who counts as a "member state." Only countries that officially approved the Charter became full members. Countries that signed the first agreement but not the Charter were called "founding states."

Most founding states, except Ukraine and Turkmenistan, approved the Charter and became full members. Turkmenistan later became an "associate member" in 2005. Georgia left the CIS completely in 2009, and Ukraine stopped taking part in 2018.

CIS Leadership: The General Secretary

The daily work of the CIS is managed by the General Secretary. Here are the people who have held this important role:

General Secretaries
Name	Term
Ivan Korotchenya [ru]	14 May 1993 – 29 April 1998
Boris Berezovsky	29 April 1998 – 4 March 1999
Ivan Korotchenya [ru]	4 March 1999 – 2 April 1999
Yury Yarov	2 April 1999 – 14 July 2004
Vladimir Rushailo	14 July 2004 – 5 October 2007
Sergei Lebedev	5 October 2007 – Present

Working Together: The Interparliamentary Assembly

The Interparliamentary Assembly (IPA) was created in 1992. It's like a meeting place for the parliaments (law-making bodies) of the CIS countries.

The IPA helps countries discuss common issues and create "model laws." These are like example laws that national parliaments can use when writing their own new laws or changing old ones. The IPA also sends observers to watch national elections in CIS countries.

Who are the CIS Members?

The CIS has different types of participation: full members, associate members, and founding states. A country becomes a full member by approving the CIS Charter.

Current Member States

There are nine full member states in the CIS.

Country	Signed	Agreement ratified	Charter ratified	Notes
Armenia	21 December 1991	18 February 1992	16 March 1994	Founding state.
Azerbaijan	21 December 1991	24 September 1993	14 December 1993
Belarus	8 December 1991	10 December 1991	18 January 1994	Founding state.
Kazakhstan	21 December 1991	23 December 1991	20 April 1994	Founding state.
Kyrgyzstan	21 December 1991	6 March 1992	12 April 1994	Founding state.
Moldova	21 December 1991	8 April 1994	27 June 1994	Moldova has stopped actively participating in CIS meetings since November 2022. It plans to fully leave by the end of 2024.
Russia	8 December 1991	12 December 1991	20 July 1993	Founding state.
Tajikistan	21 December 1991	26 June 1993	14 August 1993
Uzbekistan	21 December 1991	4 January 1992	9 February 1994	Founding state.

Moldova's Changing Role

Moldova has been considering leaving the CIS. In 2022, Moldova's Foreign Minister said they would stop taking part in CIS meetings. By 2023, Moldova began withdrawing from many treaties it had signed with the CIS. This is because Moldova wants to join the European Union. In December 2023, Moldova announced it plans to fully leave the CIS by the end of 2024.

Associate Member

A country can become an "associate member" if the main leaders of the CIS agree. Associate members can take part in some CIS activities.

Country	Signed	Agreement ratified	Charter ratified	Associate from	Notes
Turkmenistan	21 December 1991	26 December 1991	Not ratified	August 2005	Founding state. Turkmenistan has never been a full member. It became an associate member in 2005 to match its neutral international status.

Founding State (Not a Full Member)

Some countries helped create the CIS but never became full members by ratifying the Charter. They are called "founding states."

Country	Signed	Agreement ratified	Charter ratified	Notes
Ukraine	8 December 1991	10 December 1991	Not ratified	Founding state. Ukraine never became a full member. It largely stopped participating from 2014. It officially withdrew its representatives in May 2018. It has ended many CIS treaties since 2023. Ukraine is still recognized as a founder because it hasn't formally left the original Creation Agreement.

Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other states at a CIS Summit in 2000.

Ukraine was one of the first countries to sign the agreement creating the CIS. However, it never officially approved the CIS Charter, so it was never a full member. Even so, Ukraine continued to take part in many CIS activities.

After events in 2014, relations between Ukraine and Russia became difficult. Ukraine decided to stop its involvement in the CIS. In May 2018, Ukraine's President officially ended the country's participation in CIS bodies. Ukraine has since withdrawn from many CIS agreements.

Former Member State

One country has left the CIS completely.

Country	Signed	Agreement ratified	Charter ratified	Withdrawn	Effective	Notes
Georgia	3 December 1993	3 December 1993	19 April 1994	18 August 2008	18 August 2009	Georgia left the CIS after a conflict in 2008.

Georgia joined the CIS in 1993. However, after a conflict in 2008, Georgia's President announced that the country would leave the CIS. The withdrawal became official on August 18, 2009.

How the CIS Works: Politics and Cooperation

Leaders of CIS countries meeting in Bishkek in 2008.

Human Rights in the CIS

One of the goals of the CIS is to help countries improve how they treat their citizens. In 1995, the CIS adopted a special agreement on human rights. This agreement covers basic rights like freedom and fairness.

The CIS also created a Human Rights Commission to look into problems. However, many experts say that human rights in some CIS countries, especially in Central Asia, still face big challenges.

Military Cooperation

The CIS Charter created a Council of Ministers of Defence. This group helps coordinate military cooperation among the CIS countries that want to participate.

In 1992, six CIS countries signed the Collective Security Treaty. This treaty created a military alliance. In 2002, this alliance became the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). The CSTO aims to help its members with security.

An important part of this cooperation is the joint CIS Air Defense System, created in 1995. This system helps protect the airspace of the member countries.

Money Matters: The CIS Economy

Corruption and too much paperwork can make trade difficult in CIS countries. Some leaders have suggested using more digital tools to modernize their economies.

Economic Data

Country	Population ()	GDP (USD million)		GDP growth (2012)	GDP per capita			Human Development Index (2019)
Country	Population ()	2007	2012	GDP growth (2012)	2007	2012	2020	Human Development Index (2019)
Armenia	2,951,745	9,204	10,551	2.1%	2,996	3,500	4,268	0.776
Azerbaijan	9,949,537	33,049	71,043	3.8%	3,829	7,500	4,214	0.756
Belarus	9,452,617	45,275	65,685	4.3%	4,656	6,940	6,411	0.823
Kazakhstan	18,319,618	104,849	196,642	5.2%	6,805	11,700	9,122	0.825
Kyrgyzstan	6,304,030	3,802	6,197	0.8%	711	1,100	1,174	0.697
Moldova	4,051,944	4,401	7,589	4.4%	1,200	2,100	4,551	0.750
Russia	145,734,038	1,294,381	2,022,000	3.4%	9,119	14,240	10,127	0.824
Tajikistan	9,100,835	3,695	7,263	2.1%	526	960	859	0.668
Uzbekistan	32,476,244	22,355	63,622	4.1%	831	2,137	1,686	0.720

Common Standards and Trade Deals

The CIS countries use common standards called GOST standards. These were originally from the Soviet Union. Now, they help ensure products and services are similar across the region.

The CIS has also worked on creating free trade areas. This means reducing or removing taxes and fees on goods traded between member countries.

CIS Free Trade Area Agreements

In 1994, 12 CIS countries signed an agreement to create a Free Trade Area. This agreement helped set up many individual trade deals between countries.

In 1999, a new agreement was signed to make trade even easier. It aimed to remove all fees and limits on goods traded between 10 countries. This made trade more multilateral, meaning it involved many countries at once.

In 2011, a new Free Trade Area Treaty was signed by eight CIS prime ministers. This agreement aimed to remove most taxes on goods traded between these countries. Azerbaijan is the only full CIS member not part of this free trade area.

In 2023, seven CIS countries signed an agreement on free trade in services. This means it will be easier to offer services, set up businesses, and invest in each other's countries.

Other Economic Groups

The CIS has also led to other economic groups:

Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): This is a larger economic group that includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. It aims for a common economic space, like a single market.
Union State of Russia and Belarus: This is a special agreement between Russia and Belarus. They aim to create a very close union, possibly with a common government and currency.

Other Activities of the CIS

Watching Elections

The CIS has an Election Monitoring Organisation. This group sends observers to watch elections in CIS countries. Their goal is to make sure elections are fair and democratic.

However, the CIS election observers have sometimes had different opinions than other international observers. For example, they have approved elections that others criticized for not meeting international standards.

Russian Language Status

Russia has encouraged the Russian language to be an official language in all CIS countries. Currently, Russian is an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It is also used officially in some regions of Moldova.

Sports and Culture

When the Soviet Union broke up, its sports teams were still set to compete in 1992 events. A joint CIS team, called the "Unified Team," competed in the 1992 Winter and Summer Olympics. A CIS football team also played in UEFA Euro 1992.

More recently, the CIS has held festivals for national sports and games. The first CIS Games took place in Kazan in 2021, with nine nations competing.

The CIS also supports cultural events. The Intergovernmental Foundation for Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Cooperation (IFESCCO) helps organize cultural activities. For example, they have a 'CIS Capital of Culture' program, where a city is chosen each year to highlight its culture.

Life Expectancy in CIS Countries

Life expectancy is how long people are expected to live on average. Here's a look at life expectancy in CIS countries in 2021.

Countries	2021				Historical data									COVID-19 impact
Countries	All	Male	Female	Sex gap	2000	2000 →2014	2014	2014 →2019	2019	2019 →2020	2020	2020 →2021	2021	2019 →2021	2014 →2021
Belarus	72.37	67.30	77.70	10.40	68.91	4.06	72.97	1.26	74.23	−1.77	72.46	−0.09	72.37	−1.86	−0.60
Armenia	72.04	66.55	77.35	10.80	70.62	3.43	74.06	1.38	75.44	−3.27	72.17	−0.13	72.04	−3.40	−2.02
Kyrgyzstan	71.90	67.90	76.10	8.20	68.56	1.84	70.40	1.20	71.60	0.20	71.80	0.10	71.90	0.30	1.50
Tajikistan	71.59	69.57	73.73	4.17	63.26	5.81	69.07	1.80	70.87	−2.87	67.99	3.60	71.59	0.73	2.52
Uzbekistan	70.86	68.33	73.39	5.06	65.72	4.51	70.23	1.11	71.34	−1.01	70.33	0.53	70.86	−0.48	0.63
Kazakhstan	70.23	66.33	74.03	7.70	65.45	5.99	71.44	1.74	73.18	−1.81	71.37	−1.14	70.23	−2.95	−1.21
Azerbaijan	69.37	65.65	73.29	7.64	64.89	6.22	71.12	1.99	73.10	−6.23	66.87	2.50	69.37	−3.74	−1.75
Russia	69.36	64.21	74.77	10.56	65.48	5.26	70.74	2.34	73.08	−1.75	71.34	−1.98	69.36	−3.72	−1.38
Turkmenistan	69.26	65.86	72.66	6.80	65.03	3.59	68.61	0.39	69.00	−0.31	68.69	0.58	69.26	0.26	0.65
Moldova	68.85	64.44	73.55	9.10	66.42	2.61	69.03	1.90	70.94	−0.77	70.17	−1.32	68.85	−2.09	−0.19

Images for kids

Life expectancy at birth in countries of CIS since 1960
Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in countries of CIS in 2019
Elaboration by gender