Commonwealth of Independent States

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/commonwealth-of-independent-states

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Commonwealth of Independent States?Predominantly Eastern Europe and Northern Asia
2. How many people live in Commonwealth of Independent States?Approximately 173 million people (2024 estimate)
3. How big is Commonwealth of Independent States?Over 20 million square kilometers
4. What kind of government does Commonwealth of Independent States have?An intergovernmental organization comprising independent sovereign states
5. What is the founding date?December 8, 1991
6. Why did the CIS form after the Soviet Union fell?After the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, the new countries needed a way to stay connected. They signed the Belovezha Accords to create the CIS so they could cooperate.

Intergovernmental Organization: An organization composed of sovereign states, established by treaty, with its own international legal personality.
Lingua Franca: A language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different.
Geopolitical Entity: A region or state whose politics and foreign policy are influenced by its geography.
Consensus: General agreement reached by all members of a group or committee.