Nine killer facts about the 2014 Commonwealth Games

71 nations or territories are taking part in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The action is expected to be followed by 1.5 billion people worldwide.

Originally the British Empire Games, the competition, which began in 1930, is the world's third largest multi-sport event.

Full coverage of all the action on BBC Radio 5 live.

Australia leads the way with 803 gold medals since the first games in 1930. That includes the six medals - plus one silver - Ian Thorpe garnered in Manchester in 2002.

20 countries have yet to win a Commonwealth Games medal. The roll call includes Eastern Caribbean island Montserrat. Much of the island, including the capital Plymouth, was devastated by a volcano in 1995. Athletes on the island train on beaches that are black from the volcano.

Channel Islands Guernsey and Jersey - where the Queen's Baton relay encountered a cow - have won one gold medal apiece. Both in 1990. Both in shooting.

Athletes who competed in the 2012 London Olympics should feel right at home. Glasgow's organising committee has bought 260,000 items of furniture, fittings and equipment from the London games.

Three members of the same family will compete in rifle shooting for Gibraltar. Wayne Piri and his daughters Natalie and Stephanie represent the UK overseas territory in its 14th games.

South Pacific island Niue has the smallest pool of people to draw on for competitors. At 1,190 its population is equivalent to a small Cornish parish. The island, a self-governing territory of New Zealand is sending 26 competitors to Glasgow to compete in weightlifting, athletics, shooting and lawn bowls.

Competitors in badminton and shooting from South Atlantic island Saint Helena began their journey to Glasgow by one of the last remaining Royal Mail ships - RMS Saint Helena. The remote island, where Napoleon was exiled to, currently has no airstrip. Until Saint Helena's first airport opens in 2016, the only way in or out is by sea.

The world's smallest republic Nauru (population 9,488) has won 28 medals in total. All of them in weightlifting. Their 2014 squad includes competitors in athletics, boxing and judo, in addition to their blue riband sport.

Michael Reive, a member of the Falkland Island's lawn bowls team, has never set foot on the islands he represents. Though he shouldn't feel too out of place, his father Gerald is also a member of the team.

Follow live coverage of Glasgow 2014 throughout the games on BBC Radio 5 live.