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The Principality of Wales is one of the countries that forms the United Kingdom.
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| National motto: "Cymru am Byth" (Welsh, "Wales for Ever") | |||||
| Official language: | English and Welsh | ||||
| Capital: | Cardiff | ||||
| Prince: | Charles | ||||
| First Minister: | Rhodri Morgan | ||||
| Area - Total: - % water: | Ranked xth 20,761 kmē xx% | ||||
| Population - Total (1996): - Density: | Ranked xth 2,921,100 xxx/kmē | ||||
| Currency: | Pound sterling (Ģ) | ||||
| Time zone: | UTC | ||||
| National anthem: | Hen Wlad fy Nhadau | ||||
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History
Main article: History of WalesThe Romans gave Wales the name of Cambria, and established a string of forts across the southern part of the country, as far west as Carmarthen (Maridunum). There is evidence that they progressed even further west and crossed to Ireland from here. They also built the legionary fortress at Caerleon (Isca), whose magnificent amphitheatre is the best preserved in Britain. The Romans were also busy in north Wales, and an old legend claims that Magnus Maximus, one of the last emperors, married Elen or Helen, the daughter of a Welsh chieftain from Segontium, near present-day Caernarfon.
Wales was never conquered by the Saxons, due to its mountainous terrain and ample amounts of rain. A Saxon king, Offa of Mercia, is credited with having constructed a great earth wall, or dyke, along the border with his kingdom, to keep out the marauding Welsh. Parts of Offa's Dyke can still be seen today.
Wales continued to be a Christian country when its neighbour, England, was overrun by Scandinavian tribes. Thus, St David went on a pilgrimage to Rome during the 6th century, and was serving as a bishop in Wales well before Augustine arrived to convert the king of Kent and founded the diocese of Canterbury. Although the Druidic religion is alleged to have had its stronghold in Wales until the Roman invasion, many of the so-called traditions, such as the gorsedd or assembly of bards, were the invention of eighteenth-century "historians". The traditional women's Welsh costume, incorporating a tall black hat, was not recorded until the nineteenth century.
The Norman conquest of Wales did not take place in 1066, when England was conquered, but was gradual, not being complete until 1282, when King Edward I of England defeated Llywelyn the Last, Wales' last independent prince, in battle. Edward constructed a series of great stone castles in order to keep the Welsh under control. The best known are at Caernarfon, Conway and Harlech.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Wales[?]Wales has been a principality -- since the 13th century, initially under the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great, and later under his grandson, Llywelyn the Last, who took the title Prince of Wales around 1258, and was recognised by the English Crown in 1277 by the Treaty of Aberconwy. Following his defeat by Edward I, however, Welsh independence in the 14th century was limited to a number of minor revolts. The greatest such revolt was that of Owain Glyn Dwr, who gained popular support in 1400, and defeated an English force at Pumlumon in 1401. In response, the English parliament passed repressive measures denying the Welsh the right of assembly. Glyn Dwr was proclaimed Prince of Wales, and sought assistance from the French, but by 1409 his forces were scattered under the attacks of King Henry IV of England and further measures imposed against the Welsh.
The 1536 Act of Union divided Wales into seven counties: Brecon, Denbigh, Flint, Glamorgan, Montgomerie, Pembroke and Radnor and imposed the Law of England on Wales as well as outlawing the Welsh language for official purposes, excluding most native Welsh from any formal office.
The Welsh Assembly sitting in Cardiff, created in 1998, is elected by the Welsh people. The Prince of Wales is a title given by the reigning British monarch to his or her eldest son, but in modern times the Prince does not live in Wales or have anything to do with its administration or government, although he visits frequently. Prince Charles is the first Prince of Wales since medieval times to be able to speak the Welsh language.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Wales[?] Aberdovey, Abercarn, Aberdare, Abersychan, Bala (Please keep these links in - they refer to previously orphaned pages. Thanks)Prior to local government reorganisation in 1972, Wales had a total of thirteen counties: Anglesey, Brecknockshire[?], Caernarvonshire[?], Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire[?], Flintshire[?], Glamorgan, Merionethshire[?], Montgomeryshire[?], Pembrokeshire, Radnorshire[?], and Monmouthshire, the last-named county being sometimes regarded as part of England because of administrative ambiguities. Reorganisation resulted in eight counties, divided on the basis of population size: Clwyd[?], Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Powys, Mid Glamorgan[?], South Glamorgan[?] and West Glamorgan[?]. Following the introduction of unitary authorities during the 1990s, a free-for-all took place, with some counties reverting to their original names, leaving a confusing situation where some organisations, eg. the police authorities, straddle county boundaries, and some towns qualify as counties, eg Cardiff, Swansea.
Economy
Main article: Economy of Wales[?]Parts of Wales have been heavily industrialised since the eighteenth century. Coal, copper and gold have been mined in Wales, and slate has been quarried. Ironworks and tinplate works, along with the coal mines, attracted large numbers of immigrants during the nineteenth century, particularly to the valleys north of Cardiff, which is now the capital city.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Wales[?]
Culture
Main article: Culture of Wales
| Date | English Name | Local Name | Remarks |
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Miscellaneous topics
[1] (http://www.wales.gov.uk) www.wales.gov.uk, The National Assembly for Wales
Wales is also the name of some places in the United States of America:
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