   #copyright

Wales

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   CAPTION: Wales (English)
   Cymru ( Welsh)


   Flag of Wales Coat of arms of Wales
   Flag of Wales Unofficial coat of arms
   Motto: Cymru am byth
   ( Welsh for "Wales forever")
   Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
   Location of Wales
   Capital                    Cardiff
                              51°29′N 3°11′W
   Largest city               Cardiff
   Official language(s)       Welsh, English
   Government                 Constitutional monarchy
    - Queen                   Queen Elizabeth II
    - Prime Minister          Tony Blair MP
    - First Minister          Rhodri Morgan AM
   Unification
    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056
   Area
    - Total                   20,779 km² ( 3^rd in UK)
                              8,022 sq mi
   Population
    - 2005^4 est.             2,958,600 ^1 ( 3^rd in UK)
    - 2001 census             2,903,085
    - Density                 140/km² (2^nd in UK)
                              361/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP)                 2002 estimate
    - Total                   $48 billion
    - Per capita              $23,741
   Currency                   Pound sterling ( GBP)
   Time zone                  GMT ( UTC0)
    - Summer ( DST)           BST ( UTC+1)
   Internet TLD               .uk^3
   Calling code               +44
   Patron Saint               St David (Dewi Sant)
   ^1Office for National Statistics - UK population grows to more than 60
   million

   ^2Figures for the UK
   ^3 ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 is GB, but .gb is unused

   Wales ( Welsh: Cymru; pronounced IPA: /ˈkəmrɨ/, approximately
   "COME-ree") is one of the four constituent nations of the United
   Kingdom. Wales is located in the south-west of Great Britain and is
   bordered by the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire,
   Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire to the east, the Bristol Channel to
   the south, St George's Channel to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to
   the west and north, and also by the estuary of the River Dee (Afon
   Dyfrdwy) in the north-east.

   The term Principality of Wales (Tywysogaeth Cymru) is the formal name,
   but it is rarely used in everyday business, and is an unpopular term
   among some. Wales has never been a sovereign state with precisely the
   same borders as now. However, in the eleventh century Gruffudd ap
   Llywelyn gained control of a territory with much the same boundaries as
   modern Wales and, from about 1057 till Gruffudd's death in 1063, all
   Wales could be said to have one King, his sovereignty recognised by
   England. This has never been repeated in the nation's history and, by
   the time of the Anglo-Norman conquest of West Wales in 1282, Wales had
   reverted to being a collection of independent kingdoms. Nevertheless,
   tradition has it that in 1404 Owain Glyndŵr was crowned Prince of Wales
   in the presence of emissaries from France, Spain and Scotland., and he
   certainly held parliamentary assemblies at several Welsh towns,
   including Machynlleth.

   Welsh law was not replaced in all cases by English law until the Laws
   in Wales Acts 1535-1542. It was not until 1955 that the Queen declared
   the capital of Wales to be Cardiff, although the Prince of Wales -
   argued by Welsh Nationalists to be an English pretender to the title -
   was invested at Caernarfon.

   In 1999, the National Assembly for Wales was formed, with powers to
   amend primary legislation from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In
   2006 these powers were widened through a second Government of Wales
   Act.

Etymology

   The English name for Wales originates from the Germanic word Walha,
   meaning "stranger" or "foreigner", probably derived from the name
   Volcae. As the Celts of Gaul were Romanized, the word changed its
   meaning to " Romanic people", as is still apparent in the name of the
   Walloons of Belgium, Wallachia in Romania, as well as the "-wall" of
   Cornwall. The Welsh themselves called themselves Cymry, "compatriots",
   and named their country Cymru, which is thought to have meant "Land of
   the Compatriots" in Old Welsh; this has reference to their awareness
   that they were the original countrymen of Wales, and indeed Britain by
   virtue of their ancestors the Brythoniaid ( Brythons), and also in
   order to distinguish themselves from the foreign invaders of Britain,
   the Saeson (English). There is also a mediaeval legend found in the
   Historia Regum Britanniae of Sieffre o Fynwy ( Geoffrey of Monmouth)
   that derives it from the name Camber, son of Brutus and, according to
   the legend, the eponymous King of Cymru ( Cambria in Latin); this
   however was largely the fruit of Geoffrey's vivid imagination.
   Cumberland and Cumbria in the north of England derive their names from
   the same Old Welsh word.

   See also: History of the term Vlach

History

Colonisation

   Humans first inhabited what is now Wales at the end of the last Ice
   Age. The first documented history was during the Roman occupation of
   Britain. At that time the area of modern Wales was divided into many
   tribes, of which the Silures in the south-east and the Ordovices in the
   central and north-west areas were the largest and most powerful. The
   Romans established a string of forts across what is now southern Wales,
   as far west as Carmarthen (Caerfyrddin; Latin: Maridunum), and mined
   gold at Dolaucothi in Carmarthenshire. There is evidence that they
   progressed even farther west. They also built the legionary fortress at
   Caerleon ( Latin: Isca Silurum), whose magnificent amphitheatre is the
   best preserved in Britain. The Romans were also busy in northern Wales,
   and the mediaeval Welsh tale Breuddwyd Macsen Wledig claims that Magnus
   Maximus (Macsen Wledig), one of the last western Roman emperors,
   married Elen or Helen, the daughter of a Welsh chieftain from
   Segontium, present-day Caernarfon. It was in the 4th century during the
   Roman occupation that Christianity was introduced to Wales.

   After the collapse of the Roman Empire in Britain in 410, the native
   Romano-Britons became divided into numerous petty kingdoms. Although
   the low-lying kingdoms of the south and east of Britain were soon
   overrun, attempts by the Anglo-Saxon tribes to invade the upland
   kingdoms in the western parts of Britain failed due to the fierce
   resistance of their people and the mountainous terrain. This tenacious
   survival by the Romano-Britons and their descendants in the western
   kingdoms was to become the foundation of what we now know as Wales.
   However, their ability to fight back on equal terms and perhaps
   liberate those parts of the country from which they had been driven was
   gradually sapped by the loss of the rich lowlands and cities of the
   south and east.

          Some, therefore, of the miserable remnant, being taken in the
          mountains, were murdered in great numbers; others, constrained
          by famine, came and yielded themselves to be slaves for ever to
          their foes, running the risk of being instantly slain, which
          truly was the greatest favour that could be offered them: some
          others passed beyond the seas with loud lamentations instead of
          the voice of exhortation. - Gildas Sapiens, c.540

   By the eighth century the eastern borders with the Anglo Saxons had
   broadly been set. An Anglo-Saxon king, Offa of Mercia, is credited with
   having constructed a great earth wall, or dyke, along the border with
   his kingdom, to mark off a large part of the Welsh speaking Kingdom of
   Powys which he had just conquered. Parts of Offa's Dyke (Clawdd Offa)
   can still be seen today and croesi Clawdd Offa ("crossing Offa's Dyke")
   is still a common expression in Wales for visiting England.

Medieval

   The southern and eastern lands lost to English settlement became known
   in Welsh as Lloegyr (Modern Welsh Lloegr), which may have referred to
   the kingdom of Mercia originally, and which came to refer to England as
   a whole. The barbarian tribes who now dominated these lands were
   invariably called Saeson, meaning "Saxons". The Anglo-Saxons, in turn,
   labelled the Romano-British as Walha, meaning 'foreigner' or
   'stranger'. The Welsh continued to call themselves Brythoniaid
   (Brythons or Britons) well into the Middle Ages, though the first use
   of Cymru and y Cymry is found as early as 633 in the Gododdin of
   Aneirin. In Armes Prydain, written in about 930, the words Cymry and
   Cymro are used as often as 15 times. It was not until about the 12th
   century however, that Cymry began to overtake Brythoniaid in their
   writings.
   Dolwyddelan Castle, built by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in the early 13th
   century to defend Gwynedd from the English.
   Enlarge
   Dolwyddelan Castle, built by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in the early 13th
   century to defend Gwynedd from the English.

   Following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the independence of
   the Welsh kingdoms was gradually eroded, in spite of the efforts of
   Welsh princes such as Owain Gwynedd and Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn
   Fawr; Llywelyn the Great). William the Conquerer sought to subdue the
   Welsh by the establishment of Anglo-Norman lordships on the borders of
   Wales, and these Marcher Lords retained considerable independence until
   the reign of Henry VIII. In 1282, with the death in battle of Llywelyn
   ap Gruffudd, Wales's last independent leader, Welsh territory west of
   the Marches came under the rule of Edward I of England. To help
   maintain his power, he constructed a series of great stone castles.
   Beaumaris, Caernarfon, and Conwy were built to overshadow the Welsh
   royal home and headquarters Aber Garth Celyn, Gwynedd. The next few
   centuries were often tumultuous, with a series of minor revolts
   culminating in the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr.

Annexation

   Wales was legally annexed by the Laws in Wales Act 1535, in the reign
   of Henry VIII of England, who was himself partly of Welsh ancestry. The
   Wales and Berwick Act 1746 provided that all laws that applied to
   England would automatically apply to Wales (and Berwick, a town located
   on the Anglo-Scottish border) unless the law explicitly stated
   otherwise.

   In the early 19th century parts of Wales became heavily industrialised.
   In the north slate quarrying became the major employer. Ironworks were
   set up in the valleys running south from the Brecon Beacons
   particularly around the new town of Merthyr Tydfil, with iron
   production later spreading westwards to the hinterlands of Neath and
   Swansea where anthracite coal was already being mined. From the 1840s
   coal mining spread to the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys. This led to a
   rapid increase in the population of these areas. In 1801 just over
   587,000 people lived in Wales; by 1901, this had increased to over
   2,012,000. The most significant rises in population occurred in
   industrial counties - Denbigh, Flint, Monmouth and Glamorgan. The
   century witnessed a transition from a society that was predominantly
   rural (around 80% lived outside urban settlements in 1800) to a largely
   urbanised, industrial society (in 1911, only 20% lived in non-urban
   areas).

Nationalist revival

   In the twentieth century, Wales saw a revival in its national status.
   An independence movement was led by Plaid Cymru, seeking greater
   autonomy from the rest of the UK. In 1955, the term England and Wales
   became common for describing the area to which English law applied, and
   Cardiff was proclaimed as capital. In 1962 the Welsh Language Society
   (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) was formed in response to fears that the
   language might soon die out. Nationalism grew, particularly following
   the flooding of the Tryweryn valley in 1965, drowning the village of
   Capel Celyn to create a reservoir supplying water to Liverpool. In 1966
   the Carmarthen Parliamentary seat was won by Plaid Cymru at a
   by-election, their first Parliamentary seat. A terror campaign was
   waged for a short period by the Free Wales Army and Mudiad Amddiffyn
   Cymru (MAC - Welsh Defence Movement). In the years leading up to the
   investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, these groups
   were responsible for a number of bomb blasts destroying water pipes and
   tax and other offices. In 1967, the Wales and Berwick Act 1746 was
   repealed for Wales, and a legal definition of Wales, and of the
   boundary with England was stated.

   A referendum on the creation of an assembly for Wales in 1979 (see
   Wales referendum, 1979) led to a large majority for the "no" vote.
   However, in 1997 a referendum on the issue was secured, although by a
   very narrow majority. The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad
   Cenedlaethol Cymru) was set up in 1999 (as a consequence of the
   Government of Wales Act 1998) and possesses the power to determine how
   the central government budget for Wales is spent and administered.

Politics

   Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister of Wales.
   Enlarge
   Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister of Wales.

   The head of state in Wales, a constituent part of the United Kingdom,
   is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952).
   Executive power is derived by the Queen, and exercised by the
   Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster, with some powers
   devolved to the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff. The United
   Kingdom Parliament retains responsibility for passing primary
   legislation in Wales. The National Assembly has regulatory authority
   over laws passed that are applicable to Wales, and has limited power to
   vary these by secondary legislation The National Assembly is not a
   sovereign authority, and the UK Parliament could, in theory, overrule
   or even abolish it at any time. However, its powers are set to increase
   as the Government of Wales Act 2006 will allow it to speed up the
   passage of 'Assembly Measures'.

   The National Assembly was first established in 1998 under the
   Government of Wales Act. There are 60 members of the Assembly, known as
   "Assembly Members (AM)". Forty of the AMs are elected under the First
   Past the Post system, with the other 20 elected via the Additional
   Member System via regional lists in 5 different regions. The largest
   party elects the First Minister of Wales, who acts as the head of
   government. The Welsh Assembly Government is the executive arm, and the
   Assembly has delegated most of its powers to the Assembly Government.
   The new Assembly Building designed by Richard Rogers was opened by The
   Queen on St. David's Day (March 1st) 2006.

   The current First Minister of Wales is Rhodri Morgan (since 2000), of
   the Welsh Labour party who form a minority government. The largest
   opposition party is Plaid Cymru ("Party of Wales"), who favour Welsh
   independence in Europe. Other parties include the Conservative Party,
   the Liberal Democrats (who formed part of a coalition government with
   Labour in the first Assembly), and Forward Wales. Current political
   debate in Wales is about whether the National Assembly should be given
   more powers, such as the power to pass primary legislation, as the
   Scottish Parliament can in Scotland.

   In the British House of Commons, Wales is represented by 40 MPs (out of
   a total of 646) in the Welsh constituencies. A Secretary of State for
   Wales sits in the UK cabinet and is responsible for representing
   matters that pertain to Wales. The Wales Office is a department of the
   United Kingdom government, responsible for Wales. The current Secretary
   of State for Wales is Peter Hain.

Law

   Wales shares the same legal system as England, within the legal
   distinction of England and Wales. England "legally" annexed Wales under
   the Laws in Wales Act 1535, in the reign of King Henry VIII. Prior to
   that Welsh Law had survived de facto after the conquest up to the
   fifteenth century in areas remote from direct English control. The
   Wales and Berwick Act 1746 provided that all laws that applied to
   England would automatically apply to Wales (and Berwick, a town located
   on the Anglo-Scottish border) unless the law explicitly stated
   otherwise. This act, with regard to Wales, was repealed in 1967.

   As such, English law is the law of Wales. English law is regarded as a
   common law system, with no major codification of the law, and legal
   precedents are binding as opposed to persuasive. The court system is
   headed by the House of Lords which is the highest court of appeal in
   the land for criminal and civil cases (although this is due to be
   replaced by a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom). The Supreme Court
   of Judicature of England and Wales is the highest court of first
   instance as well as an appellate court. The three divisions are the
   Court of Appeal; the High Court of Justice and the Crown Court. Minor
   cases are heard by the Magistrates' Courts or the County Court.

   However with the large degree of autonomy caused by the creation of the
   Welsh Assembly, there is a degree of independence in terms of
   law-making. Following the Government of Wales Act 2006, which
   transferred some primary legislation powers to the National Assembly
   for Wales (although the final authority on such legislation must be
   passed by the Westminster Parliament), the ancient and historic Wales
   and Chester court circuit was disbanded and a separate Welsh court
   circuit was created to allow for any 'Welsh laws' passed by the
   National Assembly.

Subdivisions

   Clock tower of Cardiff City Hall
   Enlarge
   Clock tower of Cardiff City Hall

   For the purposes of local government, Wales was divided into 22 council
   areas in 1996. These are unitary authorities responsible for the
   provision of all local government services, including education, social
   work, environment and roads services. Below these in some areas there
   are community councils — that cover specific areas within a council
   area.

   The Queen appoints a Lord Lieutenant to represent her in the eight
   Preserved counties of Wales — which are combinations of council areas.
   The 13 traditional counties of Wales are also used as geographical
   areas.

   City status in the United Kingdom is determined by Letters patent.
   There are five cities in Wales:
     * Bangor
     * Cardiff (Caerdydd)
     * Newport (Casnewydd)
     * St David's (Tyddewi)
     * Swansea (Abertawe)

   ( St. Asaph historically had city status. The 1911 Encyclopædia
   Britannica refers to it as a city, but it is no longer considered as
   such. Applications for restoration of city status in the 2000 and 2002
   competitions were unsuccessful).
   Principal areas of Wales Flag of Wales
   Subdivisions created by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
   Anglesey | Blaenau Gwent | Bridgend | Caerphilly | Cardiff |
   Carmarthenshire | Ceredigion | Conwy | Denbighshire | Flintshire |
   Gwynedd | Merthyr Tydfil | Monmouthshire | Neath Port Talbot | Newport
   | Pembrokeshire | Powys | Rhondda Cynon Taff | Swansea | Torfaen | Vale
   of Glamorgan | Wrexham

Geography

   Map of Wales
   Enlarge
   Map of Wales

   Wales is located on a peninsula in central-west Britain. The entire
   area of Wales is about 20,779 km² (8,023 square miles). It is about 274
   km (170 miles) north- south and 97 km (60 miles) east- west. Wales
   borders by England to the east and by sea in the other three
   directions: the Welsh Channel to the south, St George's Channel to the
   west, and the Irish Sea to the north. Together, Wales has over 1,200km
   (750 miles) of coastline. There are several islands off the Welsh
   mainland, the largest being Ynys Môn (Anglesey) in the north west.

   The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, consisting
   of the cities of Cardiff (Caerdydd), Swansea (Abertawe) and Newport
   (Casnewydd) and surrounding areas.

   Much of Wales's beautiful and diverse landscape is mountainous,
   particularly in the north and central regions. The mountains were
   shaped during the last ice age, the Devensian glaciation. The highest
   mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia (Eryri), and include Snowdon (Yr
   Wyddfa), which, at 1085 m (3,560 ft) is the highest peak in Wales. The
   14 (or possibly 15) Welsh mountains over 3,000 feet (914 m) high are
   known collectively as the Welsh 3,000s. The Brecon Beacons (Bannau
   Brycheiniog) are in the south and are joined by the Cambrian Mountains
   in mid-Wales, the latter name being given to the earliest geological
   period of the Paleozoic era, the Cambrian.

   In the mid-nineteenth century, two prominent geologists, Roderick
   Murchison and Adam Sedgwick used their studies of the geology of Wales
   to establish certain principles of stratigraphy and palaeontology.
   After much dispute, the next two periods of the Paleozoic era, the
   Ordovician and Silurian, were named after ancient Celtic tribes from
   this area.
   The summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Snowdonia (Eryri), highest mountain
   in Wales
   Enlarge
   The summit of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), Snowdonia (Eryri), highest mountain
   in Wales

   Along with its Celtic cousins in Devon and Cornwall in the West
   Country, the South Wales/West Wales coastline has more miles of
   Heritage Coast than anywhere else. The coastline of the Vale of
   Glamorgan, Gower Peninsula, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion is
   particularly wild and impressive. Gower, Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Bay
   all have clean blue water, white-sand beaches and impressive marine
   life.

   The modern border between Wales and England is highly arbitrary; it was
   largely defined in the 16th century, based on mediaeval feudal
   boundaries. It has apparently never been confirmed by referendum or
   reviewed by any Boundary Commission. The boundary line (which very
   roughly follows Offa's Dyke up to 40 miles (64 km) of the northern
   coast) separates Knighton from its railway station, virtually cuts off
   Church Stoke from the rest of Wales, and slices straight through the
   village of Llanymynech (where a pub actually straddles the line).

   The Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of seven geographic
   and cultural landmarks in Wales: Snowdon (the highest mountain), the
   Gresford bells (the peal of bells in the mediaeval church of All Saints
   at Gresford), the Llangollen bridge (built in 1347 over the River Dee,
   Afon Dyfrdwy), St Winefride's Well (a pilgrimage site at Holywell,
   Treffynnon) in Flintshire) the Wrexham (Wrecsam) steeple (16th century
   tower of St. Giles Church in Wrexham), the Overton yew trees (ancient
   yew trees in the churchyard of St Mary's at Overton-on-Dee) and Pistyll
   Rhaeadr (Wales's tallest waterfall, at 240 ft or 75 m). The wonders are
   part of the traditional rhyme:

          Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple,
          Snowdon's mountain without its people,
          Overton yew trees, St Winefride wells,
          Llangollen bridge and Gresford bells.

Climate

   Highest maximum temperature: 35.2°C (95.4°F) at Hawarden Bridge,
   Flintshire on 2 August 1990.

   Lowest minimum temperature: -23.3°C (-10°F) at Rhayader, Radnorshire on
   21 January 1940.

   See also: List of towns in Wales

Economy

   Parts of Wales have been heavily industrialised since the eighteenth
   century. Coal, copper, iron, silver, lead, and gold have been mined in
   Wales, and slate has been quarried. Ironworks and tin-plate works,
   along with the coal mines, attracted large numbers of immigrants during
   the nineteenth century, particularly to the valleys north of Cardiff.
   Due to poor-quality soil, much of Wales is unsuitable for crop-growing,
   and livestock farming has traditionally been the focus of agriculture.
   The Welsh landscape (protected by three National Parks), as well as the
   unique culture of Wales, attract large numbers of tourists, who play an
   especially vital role in the economy of rural areas.

   Light engineering is still an important activity in the main population
   areas of the South and extreme North-East, but the economy, as
   elsewhere in the UK, is now focused on the service sector.

   The Cardiff economy is a growing base for many companies and as a
   result it has been increasingly used for new businesses, and many new
   employment opportunities have been created as a result. The new St
   David's 2 project in the city centre, the Sports Village construction
   in Cardiff Bay along with the creation of a new stadium for Cardiff
   City FC will boost employment by nearly 10,000 according to early
   projections and will prove a massive boost to the regional economy.

   The St David's 2 project will include the expansion of the city centre
   to include a new 6 story city centre library, a new multi-storey car
   park for the Marriot hotel, 9 new large stores which will include
   Wales' first John Lewis and many other small stores.

   The Cardiff Bay 'Sports Village' will be the base for a new casino,
   Snow Dome, retail park and the ice rink for the Cardiff Devils
   ice-hockey team.

   Many other cities are also conducting major projects of regeneration,
   such as the SA1 Waterfront project in Swansea and in Newport a major
   regeneration project will vastly improve transport throughout the city,
   the building of a new retail centre and 6000 homes.

Demographics

   The population of Wales in the 2001 census was 2,903,085, which has
   risen to 2,958,876 according to 2005 estimates. This would make Wales
   the 132nd largest country by population if it were a sovereign state.

   According to the 2001 census, 96% of the population was White British,
   and 2.1% non-white (mainly of Asian origin). Most non-white groups were
   concentrated in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.

   In the 2001 Labour Force Survey, 72% of adults in Wales considered
   their national identity as wholly Welsh and another 7% considered
   themselves to be partly Welsh (Welsh and British were the most common
   combination).

   In 2001 a quarter of the Welsh population were born outside Wales,
   mainly in England; about 3% were born outside the UK. The proportion of
   people who were born in Wales differs across the country, with the
   highest percentages in the South Wales Valleys, and the lowest in Mid
   Wales and parts of the north-east. In both Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr
   Tydfil 92% were Welsh-born, compared to only 51% in Flintshire and 56%
   in Powys. One of the reasons for this is that the locations of the most
   convenient hospitals are over the border in England. In the case of
   Flintshire, The Countess of Chester Hospital is only 13 miles (21 km)
   from Mold, the prime town of the county. The Welsh option would be
   Bodelwyddan Hospital in Denbighshire which would be a 25 mile (40 km)
   trip.

   Main cities/towns and their populations (2005 estimates)

   Cardiff - 320,524

   Swansea - 270,463

   Newport - 145,769

   Merthyr Tydfil - 54,700

   Barry - 50,661

   Port Talbot - 49,654

   Cwmbran - 47,254

   Wrexham - 44,723

Languages

   The official languages in Wales are English and Welsh. English is
   spoken by almost all people in Wales and is the de facto main language
   (see Welsh English). However, Wales is officially bilingual, with 20.5%
   of the population able to speak Welsh and a larger proportion having
   some knowledge of the Welsh language according to the 2001 census,
   although few (if any) residents of Wales other than small children are
   monolingual in Welsh these days. The Welsh Language Act 1993 and the
   Government of Wales Act 1998 provide that the Welsh and English
   languages should be treated on a basis of equality. Public bodies are
   required to prepare and implement a Welsh Language Scheme. Thus the
   Welsh Assembly, local councils, police forces, fire services and the
   health sector use Welsh as an official language, issuing official
   literature and publicity in Welsh versions (e.g. letters to parents
   from schools, library information, and council information). All road
   signs in Wales should be in English and Welsh, including both versions
   of place names where names or versions exist in both languages e.g.
   Caerdydd and "Cardiff".

   During the 20th Century a number of small communities of speakers of
   languages other than English or Welsh, such as Bengali or Cantonese,
   have established themselves in Wales as a result of immigration. This
   phenomenon is almost exclusive to urban Wales. The Italian Government
   funds the teaching of Italian to Welsh residents of Italian ancestry.
   These other languages however have no official status, although public
   services may produce information leaflets in minority ethnic languages
   where there is a specific need, as happens elsewhere in the United
   Kingdom.

Religion

   The largest religion in Wales is Christianity, with 72% of the
   population describing themselves as Christian in the 2001 census. The
   Presbyterian Church of Wales is the largest denomination and was born
   out of the Welsh Methodist revival in the eighteenth century and
   seceded from the Church of England in 1811. The Church in Wales is the
   next largest denomination, and forms part of the Anglican Communion. It
   too was part of the Church of England, and was disestablished by the
   British Government under the Welsh Church Act 1914 (the act did not
   take effect until 1920). The Roman Catholic Church makes up the next
   largest denomination at 3% of the population. Non-Christian religions
   are small in Wales, making up approximately 1.5% of the population. 18%
   of people declare no religion.

   The patron saint of Wales is Saint David, with St David's Day
   celebrated annually on March 1.

   Islam is the largest non-Christian religion in Wales, with over 30,000
   reported in the 2001 census, there are also many Hindus and Sikhs
   mainly in South Wales' cities of Newport, Cardiff and Swansea.

Culture

Food

   About 80% of the land surface of Wales is given over to agricultural
   use. Very little of this is arable land, though–the vast majority
   consists of permanent grass or rough grazing for herd animals. Although
   both beef and dairy cattle are raised widely, especially in
   Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, Wales is more well-known for its
   sheep farming, and thus lamb is the meat traditionally associated with
   Welsh cooking.

   Some traditional dishes include laverbread (made from seaweed), bara
   brith (fruit bread), cawl cennin (leek stew), Welsh cakes, Welsh
   rarebit (cheese on toast), and Welsh lamb. Cockles are sometimes served
   with breakfast.

   In 2005 the Welsh National Culinary Teams returned from the Culinary
   World Cup in Luxembourg with eight gold, 15 silver and seven bronze
   medals; plus an overall top 7 place in the world.

Music

   The principal Welsh festival of music and poetry is the National
   Eisteddfod. This takes place annually in a different town or city. The
   Llangollen International Eisteddfod echos the National Eisteddfod but
   provides an opportunity for the singers and musicians of the world to
   perform.

   Wales is often referred to as "the land of song", being particularly
   famous for harpists, male voice choirs, and solo artists including Sir
   Geraint Evans, Dame Gwynneth Jones, Dame Anne Evans, Ivor Novello,
   Madam Adelina Patti, John Cale, Tom Jones, Charlotte Church, Bonnie
   Tyler, Bryn Terfel, Mary Hopkin, Katherine Jenkins, Shirley Bassey and
   Aled Jones.

   The popular New Wave/ synthpop group Scritti Politti was a vehicle for
   singer/songwriter and Cardiff native Green Gartside.

   Indie bands like Catatonia, Stereophonics, The Manic Street Preachers,
   Feeder, Super Furry Animals, and Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, in the 1990s,
   and later Goldie Lookin' Chain, McLusky, Lostprophets, Funeral for a
   Friend, The Automatic and Bullet for my Valentine were preceded by Man
   in the 1970s. Many of these popular singers and musicians have yet to
   pass the test of longevity.

   There are also numerous smaller bands that are yet to enter the
   mainstream.

   The Welsh traditional and folk music scene, long overshadowed by its
   Irish and Scottish cousins, is in resurgence with performers and bands
   such as Crasdant, Carreg Lafar, Fernhill, Siân James, Robin Huw Bowen,
   Llio Rhydderch, KilBride and The Hennessys.

   The 'Sîn Roc Gymraeg' (Welsh language Rock Scene) in Wales is thriving,
   with acts ranging from rock to hip-hop which routinely attracts immense
   crowds and audiences. The Welsh-language Rock Scene presently is stated
   as 'the best yet,' with more bands, and more audiences than the 'Sin
   Roc Gymraeg' has ever seen in its existence. Dolgellau, in the heart of
   Snowdonia has held the annual Sesiwn Fawr (mighty session) festival
   since 1992. From humble beginnings the festival has grown to be Wales'
   largest Welsh-Language Music Festivals.

   The BBC National Orchestra of Wales performs in Wales and
   internationally. The world-renowned Welsh National Opera now has a
   permanent home at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

Sport

   The most popular sports in Wales are Rugby union and football. As in
   New Zealand, Rugby is a core part of the national identity.

   The Welsh national rugby union team takes part in the annual Six
   Nations Championship, and the Rugby World Cup. Welsh teams also play in
   the Celtic League (rugby union) alongside teams from Ireland and
   Scotland, the EDF Energy Cup and the European Heineken Cup.

   Wales has its own football league since 1992, but for historical
   reasons, the 3 major Welsh clubs play in the English Football League
   and another three minor clubs in its feeder leagues. The Welsh national
   team like Scotland plays independently for international competition.

   Rugby league is now developing in Wales. Since 2003, there has been a
   national league and in 2006, semi-professional league comes back to the
   principality with the advent of the Celtic Crusaders.

   The Isle of Anglesey/Ynys Môn is a member island of the International
   Island Games Association. The next Island Games will be held in 2007 on
   Rhodes (Greece). In the 2005 Games, held on the Shetland Islands, the
   Isle of Anglesey/Ynys Môn came 11th on the medal table with 4 gold, 2
   silver and 2 bronze medals.

   Wales has produced some great world class snooker players such as Terry
   Griffiths Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens and amateur participation
   in the sport is very high. The rugged terrain of the country also gives
   plenty of opportunities for rally driving and Wales currently hosts the
   finale of the World Rally Championship. Glamorgan compete in county
   cricket competitions and the Cardiff Devils were once a strong force in
   British ice hockey. There is also some success in boxing. Joe Calzaghe
   the half-Welsh, half-Italian boxer is current World Super-Middleweight
   Champion and Swansea born Enzo Maccarinelli the current WBO, WBC and
   WBU World Cruiserweight Champion. Wales has also produced a number of
   athletes who have made a mark on the world stage, including the 110m
   hurdler Colin Jackson who is a former world record holder and the
   winner of numerous Olympic, World and European medals.

   Wales are the current World Golf Champions.

   Although it isn't very well known, Wales have had two drivers compete
   in the Formula One championship, Alan Rees being the first at the 1967
   British Grand Prix, finishing in ninth position, four laps behind the
   winner, Jim Clark. Tom Pryce was the most notable of the two drivers,
   as he finished on the podium twice and for the 1975 British Grand Prix,
   qualified in pole position. Pryce's career was cut short after he
   collided with volunteer marshal, Jansen Van Vuuren, killing both
   instantly. As well as Formula One, Wales have had some notability in
   the World Rally Championship, producing two championship winning
   Co-Drivers, those being Nicky Grist, who helped Colin McRae to victory
   in 1996 and Phil Mills who helped Petter Solberg win the 2003 title.

National symbols

   The Flag of Saint David (Baner Dewi Sant)
   Enlarge
   The Flag of Saint David (Baner Dewi Sant)
     * The Flag of Wales (Y Ddraig Goch) incorporates the red dragon of
       Prince Cadwalader along with the Tudor colours of green and white.
       It was used by Henry VII at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 after
       which it was carried in state to St. Paul's Cathedral. The red
       dragon was then included in the Tudor royal arms to signify their
       Welsh descent. It was officially recognised as the Welsh national
       flag in 1959. Since the British Union Flag does not have any Welsh
       representation, the Flag of Wales has become very popular.
     * The Dragon, part of the national flag design, is also a popular
       Welsh symbol. The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise
       Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 820, but it is
       popularly supposed to have been the battle standard of King Arthur
       and other ancient Celtic leaders. This myth is likely to have
       originated from Merlin's vision of a Red (Wales) and White
       (England) dragon battling, with the Red dragon being victorious.
       Following the annexation of Wales by England, the dragon was used
       as a supporter in the English monarch's coat of arms.
     * The leek is also a national emblem of Wales. According to legend,
       Saint David ordered his Welsh soldiers to identify themselves by
       wearing the vegetable on their helmets in an ancient battle against
       the Saxons that took place in a leek field.
     * The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, and is worn on St
       David's Day each March 1.
     * The Flag of Saint David is sometimes used as an alternative to the
       national flag, and is flown on St David's Day.
     * The Coat of Arms of the Principality of Wales is used by Charles,
       Prince of Wales in his personal standard.
     * The Prince of Wales's feathers, the heraldic badge of the Prince of
       Wales is sometimes adapted by Welsh bodies for use in Wales. The
       symbolism is explained on the article for Edward, the Black Prince,
       who was the first Prince of Wales to bear the emblem; see also
       John, king of Bohemia. The Welsh Rugby Union uses such a design for
       its own badge.

Photos of Wales

   Tredegar House, Newport

   Hall of the Mountain Kings, Ogof Craig a Ffynnon, a cave in the Brecon
   Beacons

   The University of Wales, Lampeter, the oldest higher education
   institution in Wales

   The Castle and Old College building, Aberystwyth

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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