About Wales: History and Governance

• Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by the Irish Sea, England, the Bristol Channel, and the Celtic Sea.
• In 2021, Wales had a population of 3.2 million and a total area of 21,218 square kilometers (8,192 sq mi).
• Cardiff is the capital and largest city.

History and Governance

• A distinct Welsh culture emerged after the Roman withdrawal in the 5th century.
• Wales was briefly united under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055.
• The conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England was completed by 1283, despite a revolt led by Owain Glyndŵr in the early 15th century.
• In the 16th century, Wales was annexed by England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542.
• Welsh national feeling grew in the 19th and 20th centuries, leading to the formation of Plaid Cymru in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962.
• A devolved governing system was established, with the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) formed in 1998.
• Wales is a country within the sovereign state of the United Kingdom.
• It is represented by 32 members of Parliament (MPs) in the UK House of Commons.
• Wales has a devolved, unicameral legislature known as the Senedd (Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament), holding devolved powers from the UK Parliament.
• For local government, Wales is divided into 22 council areas.

Law and Justice

• Welsh Law was codified by Hywel Dda around 930, emphasizing compensation to victims rather than punishment by the ruler.
• Welsh Law was replaced for criminal cases by the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, and fully replaced by English law under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542.
• English law is a common law system where legal precedents are binding.
• The Senedd can draft and approve laws outside of the UK Parliamentary system to meet the specific needs of Wales.
• Wales has four regional police forces and five prisons, with female inmates being imprisoned in England.

Geography and Climate

• Wales is a mountainous country located on the western side of central southern Great Britain, about 170 miles (270 km) north to south.
• It is bordered by England to the east and by sea in all other directions.
• Wales has about 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline.
• Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is the highest mountain at 1,085 m (3,560 ft).
• Wales has three national parks: Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, and Pembrokeshire Coast, and five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
• Wales has a changeable, maritime climate and is one of the wettest countries in Europe.
• The highest maximum temperature recorded was 37.1 °C (99 °F) at Hawarden, Flintshire on 18 July 2022, and the lowest minimum temperature was −23.3 °C (−10 °F) at Rhayader, Radnorshire on 21 January 1940.

Flora and Fauna

• The coasts and surrounding islands are home to various seabirds like gannets, puffins and razorbills.
• Birds of prey include merlins, hen harriers, and red kites.
• Larger mammals like bears, wolves, and wildcats died out during the Norman period.
• Mammals include shrews, voles, badgers, otters, stoats, weasels, hedgehogs, and fifteen species of bat.
• Marine animals include basking sharks, Atlantic grey seals, leatherback turtles, dolphins, porpoises, jellyfish, crabs, and lobsters.
• Unique freshwater fish include char, eel, salmon, shad, sparling and Arctic char, while the gwyniad is unique to Wales.
• The Snowdon lily is a native plant.

Economy & Transport

• Wales has transformed from an agricultural country to an industrial and then a post-industrial economy.
• Mining and export of coal was the dominant industry until the post-war era.
• The service sector accounts for the majority of jobs.
• Livestock farming is the focus of agriculture, with about 78 per cent of the land used for agriculture.
• Tourism bolsters the economy of rural areas.
• The pound sterling is the currency used, with the Royal Mint based in Llantrisant since 1980.
• The M4 motorway links Newport, Cardiff, and Swansea.
• The A55 expressway connects Holyhead and Bangor with Wrexham and Flintshire.
• Cardiff Airport is the international airport of Wales.
• Ferry services to Ireland operate from Holyhead, Pembroke Dock, and Fishguard.

Education & Healthcare

• Formal education before the 18th century was exclusive to the elite.
• Welsh is a compulsory subject in all state schools for pupils aged 5–16 years old.
• NHS Wales (GIG Cymru) provides public healthcare through seven local health boards and three all-Wales trusts.
• NHS Wales directly employs over 90,000 staff.

Demographics

• The population of Wales in 2021 was 3,107,500.
• Most of the population increase occurred in coal mining districts during the Industrial Revolution.
• Wales has seven cities: Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham, Bangor, St Asaph and St Davids.
• 55.2 per cent identified as "Welsh only" in 2021.

Language

• Welsh is an official language in Wales as legislated by the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.
• Welsh and English are also official languages of the Senedd.
• The Welsh-speaking population of Wales aged three or older was 17.8 per cent (538,300 people) in 2021.
• English is spoken by almost all people in Wales and is the main language in most of the country.

Religion

• Christianity is the largest religion in Wales, with 43.6 per cent of the population describing themselves as Christian in the 2021 census.
• The patron saint of Wales is Saint David (Dewi Sant), with Saint David's Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant) celebrated annually on 1 March.
• Non-Christian religions are a small minority, making up approximately 2.7 per cent of the population.

Ethnicity

• According to the 2021 census, 93.8 per cent of the population identified as "White".
• The second-highest ethnicity in 2021 was "Asian, Asian Welsh or Asian British" at 2.9 per cent.

Culture

• Wales has a distinctive culture, including its own language, customs, holidays, and music.
• There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales, including the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd.
• The red dragon is the principal symbol of national identity. "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" (Land of My Fathers) is the de facto national anthem.
• Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity.
• The annual National Eisteddfod is the country's main performance festival.