Wales, part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, united politically, legally, and administratively with England and occupying a broad peninsula on the western side of the island of Great Britain. Wales also includes the island of Anglesey, which is separated from the mainland by the narrow Menai Strait.

Wales is bounded on the north by the Irish Sea; on the east by the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Hereford and Worcester, and Gloucester; on the south by Bristol Channel; and on the west by Saint George’s Channel and Cardigan Bay. The total area of Wales is 20,760 sq km. Cardiff is the capital, principal seaport, and shipbuilding

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is located at the mouth of the Taff and Ely rivers on the Bristol Channel. At one time among the world’s

biggest coal-exporting ports, Cardiff remains an important industrial, commercial, and administrative centre.

LAND AND RESOURCESWales has an irregular coastline with many bays, the largest of which is Cardigan Bay. Except for narrow, low-lying coastal regions, mainly in the south and west, Wales is almost entirely mountainous. The principal range is the Cambrian Mountains, which extend north and south through central Wales. Other major highland areas are the Brecon Beacons in the southeast and the Snowdon massif, in the northwest, which reaches an elevation of 1,085 m, the greatest in England and Wales. The Dee River, which rises in Bala Lake, the largest natural lake in Wales, and flows through northern Wales and England, is the principal river.

Climate

The climate of Wales, like that of England, is mild and moist. The average daily temperature in July is 16°C , and in January it is 6°C. Annual rainfall varies with elevation, ranging from 760 mm in

certain coastal regions to more than 2,500 mm in the Snowdon massif.

Natural Resources

Coal is the most valuable mineral resource of Wales; deposits are located mainly in the south. Some high-grade anthracite is found,

but output consists principally of bituminous coal. Slate and limestone are also commercially important, and limited amounts of

manganese, gold, lead, uranium, copper, zinc, and fireclays are also found. Much of the soil of Wales is of infertile rocky or leached

types. The most fertile soils are in the southeast and in a few coastal areas. Much of the electricity generated by the country’s

large waterpower resources is exported to England.

POPULATION

The people of Wales, like those of Britain in general, are descendants of various stocks, including Celts, Scandinavians, and Romans. The population of Wales is 2,952,500 (2004 estimate). The population density was 142 persons per sq km. About three-quarters of the population is concentrated in the mining centres in the

Principal Cities

The major cities of Wales are Cardiff, the capital, principal seaport, and shipbuilding centre (2001 population,305,200); Swansea, a seaport and centre of the tin-plate industry (2001 population, 223,200); and Newport (1996 population, 136,789

Political Divisions

Local government in Wales was reorganized in 1996, when the 8 former counties and 37 districts were replaced by 22 new unitary authorities. Administration for each authority is the function of popularly elected councils.

Language

Both English and Welsh are official languages. English is spoken by most of the population. A small percentage of the people speak Welsh only; more than one-quarter of the population speak both Welsh and English (see Celtic Languages). As part of an effort to preserve Welsh culture, the government supports Welsh language books, plays, and other artworks. The British Broadcasting Corporation has set aside a channel to broadcast in Welsh during peak viewing hours.

Culture

Somewhat isolated by a rugged, mountainous terrain, the Welsh have retained more of the culture of their Celtic forebears than have either the Scots or the English. A strong feeling of national solidarity exists in Wales, and a nationalist revival has received some political support, to the point that representatives of the Welsh Nationalist Party serve in the House of Commons in. The Welsh are well known for their love of singing, and their hymns and folk songs are widely known throughout the world. Music plays a large part in the annual festival, the Royal National Eisteddfod, at which poetry reading and Welsh folk arts are also featured. The Eisteddfod is held each year in a different locality, and Welsh natives and those of Welsh descent from all over the world attend. The International Music Eisteddfod is also held annually in Llangollen.

Eisteddfod

ECONOMY

The chief economic activities of Wales include agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism and other service industries. The economy is largely integrated into that of the United Kingdom.

Llandudno Bay, WalesFormerly a fishing village, Llandudno has become a major tourist resort. Llandudno Bay, lying between the limestone headlands of Great Orme and Little Orme, is a particularly popular destination.

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

About 80 percent of the land in Wales is used for agricultural purposes. In general the raising of livestock, mainly beef and

dairy cattle and sheep, is more important than crop cultivation. Crops include barley, oats, potatoes, and hay.

Forests cover about 12 percent of the land, and government reforestation programs are gradually increasing the area. The

fishing industry is concentrated along the Bristol Channel.

Manufacturing and Mining

Wales is home to a diverse manufacturing sector. The refining of metal ore, much of which is imported, has long been a major industry. Almost all the tin plate and much of the aluminium of the sheet steel produced in Britain are made in Welsh plants. Since the 1940s many new industries have been established. These include oil refining and the manufacture of plastics, electronic equipment, synthetic fibbers, and automotive parts. Mining, once a mainstay of the economy, is no longer a major source of revenue or employment in Wales. The rich coal fields and iron ore deposits of southern Wales helped fuel Britain’s Industrial Revolution. By the 1980s falling domestic demand and declining competitiveness in international markets forced most coal pits still operating in Wales to close. Welsh mines also produce limestone and slate.

GovernmentWales is governed as a part of England, and Wales is represented by 40 members in the House of Commons. In 1999 Wales elected its own assembly, although it continues to send members to Parliament in London. The Welsh assembly, or Senedd, has 60 members and is led by an executive committee. Unlike Scotland, which obtained a new parliament, the new Welsh assembly does not have the power to raise taxes. It is only able to distribute the monies it receives from the British government.

The new assembly took over most of the responsibilities previously handled by the secretary of state for Wales. Some of these responsibilities include economic development, the environment, education, local government, health services, housing, transportation, the arts, and language. The British government continues to control foreign affairs, defence, taxation, overall economic policy, social security, and broadcasting.

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