Welsh Culture and History

• Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom
• It is bordered by the Irish Sea, England, the Bristol Channel, and the Celtic Sea
• As of 2021, the population was approximately 3.2 million
• The total area of Wales is 21,218 square kilometers (8,192 sq mi)
• The coastline spans over 2,700 kilometers (1,680 mi)
• Cardiff is the capital and largest city

Welsh Culture and History

• A distinct Welsh culture emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal in the 5th century
• Wales was briefly united under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055
• King Edward I of England completed the conquest of Wales by 1283 after over 200 years of war
• Owain Glyndŵr led the Welsh Revolt in the early 15th century, briefly re-establishing an independent Welsh state
• In the 16th century, Wales was annexed by England under the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542
• Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century and Welsh national feeling grew over the century
• The Senedd (Welsh Parliament) was formed in 1998 and is responsible for devolved policy matters

Industrial Revolution and Modern Wales

• The mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural to an industrial society
• The South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused rapid population expansion
• Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales
• Since the decline of heavy industries, the public sector, light and service industries, and tourism play major roles in its economy.
• Agriculture in Wales is largely livestock-based
• Welsh and English are official languages
• Welsh is dominant in parts of the north and west, with 538,300 speakers nationally
• There are four UNESCO world heritage sites in Wales, three of which are in the north

Etymology

• The names "Wales" and "Welsh" derive from the Old English word "Wealh", referring to inhabitants of the Western Roman Empire
• Anglo-Saxons used the term to refer to the Britons
• The Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is the Welsh name for Wales, from the Brythonic word "combrogi"

Early History

• The territory of Wales was permanently settled from the end of the last ice age
• The Great Orme became Britain's premier copper producer during the Bronze Age
• The island became distinctively Celtic in culture, and the Iron Age Celtic culture were called the Britons by the Romans

Post-Roman Britain

• The Roman withdrawal in 383 led to a post-Roman nation of Britons
• Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers displaced the indigenous culture and language
• One group of Britons became isolated in the western peninsula and were named Welsh by their English neighbors

Medieval Wales

• Medieval Wales was divided into separate kingdoms that fought amongst themselves and their English neighbors
• Viking and Norse settlements occurred in coastal areas such as Swansea, Fishguard, and Anglesey
• Hywel ap Cadell formed the kingdom of Deheubarth in the 10th century, controlled most of Wales by 942 and codified Welsh law
• In 1057, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn united all of Wales, the only king to do so.

Norman and English Influence

• The Normans invaded Wales, creating the Norman Welsh marches and dividing them from the unconquered Pura Wallia
• Llywelyn ab Iorwerth forced Welsh princes to submit to him in 1216
• Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was recognized as Prince of Wales by the English King Henry III in 1267
• Edward I conquered Wales in 1283, and the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 ended Welsh independence
• Wales was divided into the Principality, ruled by Edward, and the Marches, ruled by feudal marcher lords
• The Welsh rebellion under Owain Glyndŵr occurred from 1400–1415
• Under the Laws in Wales Acts of Henry VIII, the Welsh became full citizens in the Kingdom of England with parliamentary representation

Act of Union and Industrial Revolution

• The Act of Union in 1707 created the Kingdom of Great Britain
• Increased mining and exploitation of Welsh natural resources led to rapid population expansion and resentment towards industrialists
• Religious revivals transformed the nation, beginning a tradition of non-conformism
• Radical Welsh working-class movements emerged, leading to events like the Merthyr Rising of 1831 and the Newport Rising of 1839

19th and 20th Century developments

• Wales experienced a strengthened political culture, cultural revival, and renewed interest in Welsh literature
• A report on education known as the Treachery of the Blue Books blamed Welsh language and non-conformism for poor educational standards
• This led to the rise of the Welsh nationalist movement
• In 1998, the Government of Wales Act created a devolved Welsh assembly, now the Senedd or Welsh Parliament

Government and Politics

• Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom
• There are 32 Welsh Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons
• The Wales Office is a department of the UK government responsible for Wales
• Wales has a devolved, unicameral legislature known as the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) with devolved powers from the UK Parliament It has been divided into 22 council areas since 1996 for local government purposes

Devolved Government

• The Government of Wales Act 1998 created the National Assembly for Wales
• The National Assembly was reformed by the Government of Wales Act 2006, creating a separate executive, the Welsh Government
• Following a 2011 referendum, the National Assembly gained powers to make laws on devolved subject areas
• In May 2020, the National Assembly was renamed "Senedd Cymru" or "the Welsh Parliament"
• Devolved areas of responsibility include agriculture, economic development, education, health, housing, local government, social services, tourism, transport, and the Welsh language

Law

• Welsh Law ("Cyfraith Hywel") was codified around 930 by Hywel Dda and emphasized compensation to victims rather than punishment by the ruler
• Welsh Law remained in force until the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, after which English law replaced it for criminal cases
• The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 provided that all laws applying to England would automatically apply to Wales unless explicitly stated otherwise
• English law has been the legal system of England and Wales since 1536
• The Senedd has the authority to draft and approve laws outside of the UK Parliamentary system Wales is served by four regional police forces and has five prisons Female inmates are imprisoned in England

Geography

• Wales is a mountainous country located on the western side of central southern Great Britain
• It is about 170 miles (270 km) north to south
• Bordered by England to the east and by the Irish Sea, St George's Channel, Celtic Sea, and Bristol Channel in all other directions
• It has about 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and over 50 islands
• The landscape is mountainous, particularly in the north and central regions with the highest peak, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), at 1,085 m (3,560 ft)
• Wales has three national parks: Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, and Pembrokeshire Coast
• It also has areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Anglesey, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, the Gower Peninsula, the Llŷn Peninsula, and the Wye Valley
• The south and west coasts are often blasted by Atlantic westerlies/south-westerlies

Geology

• The earliest geological period of the Palaeozoic era, the Cambrian, takes its name from the Cambrian Mountains
• Roderick Murchison and Adam Sedgwick established principles of stratigraphy and paleontology using Welsh geology
• The Ordovician and Silurian periods are named after ancient Celtic tribes from this area

Climate

• Wales is located in the north temperate zone with a changeable, maritime climate
• It is one of the wettest countries in Europe, characterized by cloudy, wet, and windy weather, with warm summers and mild winters
• The highest maximum temperature was 37.1 °C (99 °F)
• The lowest minimum temperature was −23.3 °C (−10 °F)
• Crib Goch in Snowdonia is the wettest spot, averaging 4,473 millimeters (176 in) of rain per year

Flora and Fauna

• Wildlife is similar to Britain, but with some unique distinctions
• Hosts a variety of seabirds like gannets, Manx shearwater, puffins, kittiwakes, shags, and razorbills
• Birds of prey include the merlin, hen harrier, and red kite
• Mammals include shrews, voles, badgers, otters, stoats, weasels, hedgehogs, and fifteen species of bat
• Pine martens have been reintroduced, and feral goats can be found in Snowdonia
• The first official beaver release occurred in the Dyfi Valley in March 2021
• Some 2,500 disused coal tips are home to many of Wales' rarest land invertebrates The waters attract marine animals, including basking sharks, Atlantic grey seals, leatherback turtles, dolphins, porpoises, jellyfish, crabs, and lobsters Wales is also known for shellfish, including cockles, limpet, mussels, and periwinkles Some unique plant species include the Snowdon lily, spotted rock-rose, and Draba aizoides

Economy

• Over the last 250 years, Wales has transformed from agriculture to industrial and post-industrial economy
• Since WWII, the service sector comprises the majority of jobs
• In 2018, the GDP was £75 billion
• Mid-19th century until the post-war era saw coal mining and export dominance
• From the mid-1970s, the Welsh economy faced massive restructuring to light industry and services
• Poor soil makes it unsuitable for crops, so livestock farming has been the focus Tourism is very important to the economy of rural areas Wales was awarded Fairtrade status, the first nation to achieve that The pound sterling is the currency used in Wales The COVID-19 pandemic affected all sectors of the economy

Transport

• The M4 motorway connects West London to South Wales, linking Newport, Cardiff, and Swansea
• The A55 expressway runs along the North Wales coast, connecting Holyhead and Bangor with Wrexham and Flintshire
• The A470 is the main north-south Wales link, running from Cardiff to Llandudno
• Rail transport includes the Wales & Borders franchise
• Cardiff Airport is the international airport of Wales
• Regular ferry services to Ireland operate from Holyhead, Pembroke Dock, and Fishguard

Education

• A distinct education system has developed in Wales
• The first grammar schools were established in Welsh towns
• Use of the Welsh language gradually increased at schools in Welsh-speaking areas
• The University College of Wales opened in Aberystwyth in 1872
• Welsh is a compulsory subject in all of Wales's state schools for pupils aged 5–16
• Welsh-medium higher education is delivered through the individual universities

Healthcare

• Public healthcare in Wales is provided by NHS Wales (GIG Cymru), comprised of seven local health boards and three all-Wales trusts
• Responsibility for NHS Wales passed to the Welsh Assembly under devolution in 1999
• In 2006, there were seventeen district hospitals in Wales
• NHS Wales directly employs over 90,000 staff, making it Wales's biggest employer

Demography

• The population of Wales doubled from 587,000 in 1801 to 1,163,000 in 1851
• Large-scale migration into Wales occurred during the Industrial Revolution
• The resident population of Wales in 2021 was 3,107,500
• Wales has seven cities: Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham, Bangor, St Asaph, and St Davids

Language

• Welsh gained official language status as legislated by the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011
• English is spoken by almost all people in Wales and is the main language in most of the country
• Northern and western retain many areas where Welsh is spoken as a first language
• Increased Polish immigration has made Polish the next most spoken lauguage after English and Welsh

Religion

• Christianity encompasses religious life in Wales for more than 1,400 years
• The 2021 census saw the non-religious outnumber the Christian population
• Saint David (Dewi Sant) is the patron saint of Wales
• The Church in Wales has the largest attendance of the denominations
• Islam is the largest non-Christian religion

Ethnicity

• The 2021 census indicated a majority of the population identified as "White"
• Other ethnic groups are "Asian, Asian Welsh or Asian British", "Mixed or multiple ethnic groups", "Black, Black Welsh, Black British, Caribbean or African", and "Other ethnic group."
• The first statue of a named, non-fictional woman outdoors was raised for Wales's first black headteacher, Betty Campbell
• Patti Flynn became the first black Welsh woman to be awarded a purple plaque in 2023
• In 2024, Vaughan Gething was elected First Minister of Wales becoming the first black head of government in Europe

National Identity

• The 2021 census shows that most identified as Welsh, either "Welsh only" or "Welsh and British"
• A 2022 YouGov poll supports the general idea that most consider themselves Welsh to some degree

Culture

• Wales has its own language, customs, holidays, and music
• There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales
• Native Celtic mythology has been passed down orally by the cynfeirdd (early poets)
• The Mabinogion are prose stories from the White and Red Books The Historia Britonum and Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae are other mythological sources

Literature

• Wales has one of the oldest unbroken literary traditions in Europe
• Early Welsh verse survives in medieval versions by the poets Taliesin and Aneirin
• William Morgan was the first person to translate the Bible into Welsh in 1588
• Developments in 19th-century Welsh literature include Lady Charlotte Guest's translation of the Mabinogion
• 1885 saw the publication of Rhys Lewis by Daniel Owen, the first novel written in Welsh
• Under Milk Wood, the most famous of Thomas' works, was first broadcast in 1954
• R. S. Thomas was very important in the 20th Century.

Museums and Libraries

• Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales has seven sites with free entry
• The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth houses important collections of printed works, art, and maps

Visual Arts

• Works of Celtic art have been found in Wales
• Celtic Christianity contributed to Insular art during Early Medieval period
• The Hereford Gospels and Lichfield Gospels are the illuminated manuscripts from Wales
• Richard Wilson painted several Welsh scenes on visits from London
• An Act of Parliament led to establishment of Cardiff School of Art
• Sir William Goscombe John and Christopher Williams made Welsh works
• The Kardomah Gang was an intellectual circle in Swansea
• Ewenny Pottery, Cambrian Pottery, Nantgarw Pottery, Portmeirion Pottery have become iconic

National Symbols and Identity

• Wales is seen as a modern Celtic nation
• The red dragon symbolizes national identity and pride
• According to legend, Ambrosius prophesies that the Celtic Britons conquer the island and push back the Anglo-Saxons to the sea
• The red dragon appears on the national flag of Wales, official since 1959
• The banner of Owain Glyndŵr is associated with Welsh nationhood with four lions on red and gold -The Prince of Wales's feathers is also used in Wales; it consists of three white feathers emerging from a gold coronet and the motto Ich dien (I serve).
• Welsh people celebrate Saint David's Day on 1 March
• "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" is the de facto national anthem of Wales

Sport

• More than 50 national governing bodies regulate sports in Wales
• Wales is represented at major world events.
• Welsh athletes compete alongside those of Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland as part of a Great Britain team at the Olympic Games
• Wales has hosted sporting events like the Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup, Ryder Cup, and UEFA Champions League Final.
• Rugby union is a symbol of Welsh identity and national consciousness
• Wales has had its own football league since 1992
• In international cricket, Wales and England field a single representative team

Media

• Wales became the UK's first digital television nation in 2010
• BBC Cymru Wales and ITV Cymru Wales broadcast television and radio programmes in Welsh and English
• S4C broadcasts mostly in Welsh at peak hours
• The Western Mail is Wales's only print national daily newspaper
• The Books Council of Wales promotes Welsh literature
• Main publishing houses include Gomer Press, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Honno, and Y Lolfa Cambria, Planet, and Poetry Wales are the journals with a Welsh focus.

Cuisine

• Traditional Welsh dishes include laverbread, bara brith, cawl, cawl cennin,and Welsh cakes
• Now, Welsh diets owe more to India, China, and the United States

Performing Arts

• Wales is known as "the land of song"
• The National Eisteddfod is the country's main performance festival
• The Llangollen International Eisteddfod provides an opportunity for singers and musicians
• Traditional instruments of Wales include the telyn deires (triple harp), fiddle, crwth (bowed lyre), and the pibgorn (hornpipe)
• The BBC National Orchestra of Wales performs in Wales and internationally
• The Welsh National Opera is based at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay
• The earliest surviving Welsh plays are two medieval miracle plays Traditional dances include Welsh folk dancing and clog dancing
• The National Dance Company Wales is resident at the Wales Millennium Centre