A Bit about Wales

Geography and Climate

Wales, a principality and integral part of the United Kingdom. Lying to the west of England with its coastline a peninsula into the Irish Sea.

With its total area of over 8,000 sq. miles, it's width varying from 36 to 96 miles and it's length at a maximum of 137 miles, it is by no means a big country, but the love and charisma shown by its people far out reaches its geographical limits.

Cardiff is Wales' Capital City and principal sea port followed further west by Swansea. It's scenery, be it mountain ranges, lakes or spectacular waterfalls easily compete against many worldwide scenic wonders.

Mount Snowdon at over 3,500 :ft is the highest point in England and Wales, the River Dee rises from Bala lake-Wales' largest lake which also has deep in its waters a type of fish called the Gwyniad which cannot be found anywhere else on main land Britain.

The climate of Wales is dictated by the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean bringing in warm air laden with moisture giving a mild sometimes very wet climate. Average temperatures can fluctuate greatly through the seasons from -10 dg in winter to very hot in the summer.

Industry and Employment

Wales has abundant natural resources of iron ore and coal although government policies in the 1980s forced the closure of many coalmines and now only two remain together with small private mines.

In the year 2000 the population of Wales was about 3 million with the highest density in the industrial south. Agriculture occupies about 80% of the land area of Wales dominated by cattle and sheep rearing in the uplands and dairy farming in the lowlands, whilst reforestation covers about 12% of the country.

Politics and Language

Both English and Welsh are deemed official languages with welsh speakers making up about 20% of the population although it remains the first language in North and West Wales.

Welsh people have retained more of their Celtic history than have either the Scots or the English and a strong feeling of national solidarity exists in Wales with the revival of Welsh nationalism receiving political support.

The Welsh people's literary tradition ranks as one of the richest in Europe dating back over 1,000 years to the Bardic poets such as Taliesin and Aneirin. The best known 20th century Welsh born poets are Dylan Thomas and RS. Thomas although both wrote in English.

An estimated 800,000 visitors came to Wales in the year 2000 and numbers are rising mainly due to a phenomenal cash injection from the Welsh Assembly and a comprehensive advertising campaign.

Welsh Nationalism remains a strong force with Plaid Cymru (the party of Wales) being established in 1925 with concerns for the rebirth of the Welsh language, in 1993 the Welsh language act established the principle that at local and central government and in the law courts Welsh and English should be treated equally.

Whilst Plaid Cymru continues to press for complete independence the country had a referendum in 1979 and voted to reject by a ratio of 4-1 for a devolved parliament. This was reflected in the general election of May 1997 when the Conservative Party who had decimated the South Wales coalfields lost all the eight seats it was defending in Wales and Plaid Cymru increased its share of the vote.

Wales now has an assembly opened by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles with Rhodri Morgan as its first Minister with responsibilities for forwarding Wales as its main objective.

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This is Wales

and this is the UK