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Wales
General information factsheet
+ Geography and climate
+ Population
+ Government
and sovereignty
+ Economy
+ Historical
background
+ Tourism and Culture
Geography and climate
St. Davids Head, West Wales
Photo © P. Kelly - Celtia.info |
| Location:
Western Europe, western part of the island of Great Britain, facing the east coast
of Ireland.
Area: 20,779 sq km (nearly the size of Slovenia or New
Jersey).
Coastline: 1,176 km.
Terrain: dominated by hills
and low mountains, with exceptional elevations in the north and south east. See
webcams & pictures..»
Forest: 289,000 ha. - (14%)
Highest elevation: Snowdon (1,085 m) on north Wales.
Climate: temperate
maritime, influenced by the North Atlantic current, the "Gulf Stream";
mild winters, cool summers and consistently humid. See
weather forecast..»
Temperature and rainfall index:
| Cardiff
(South) | Aberystwyth
(West) | | Temp.
August | 21 C
/ 12 C | 18 C
/ 12 C | | Temp.
January | 7 C
/ 2 C | 7 C /
2 C | | Rainfall | 1048
mm | 1051 mm |
PopulationPopulation: 2,9 million.
Much of the Welsh population
is concentrated in the south Wales cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport.
Main 3 cities: Swansea, Cardiff, Newport. See
webcams & pictures..»
Welsh diaspora: largest Welsh emigrant
communities are found in England, the USA and Argentina. Welsh
abroad..»
Population growth rate: +2.4% between 1991 - 2001.
Ethnic composition: Base of Celtic and Germanic (Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian).
New population contributions mainly from England and other white European groups.
Religious affiliation: Christians 72%, No religion 18%, Others: 10% (2001).
Official languages: English and Welsh.
English is spoken and understood
by 100% of the Welsh population.
Welsh is taught at schools. It is estimated
that about 585,000 people in Wales can speak Welsh, mainly in the west and northwest
areas of the country. Language
info..»
GovernmentSovereignty:
Principality united with England since the Act of Union of 1536. In 1999 Wales
became an autonomous territory of the United Kingdom with with limited autonomy
on economy, environment, health, social services, education and culture.
Government
type: Autonomous region of the United Kingdom. More
info..»
Capital: Cardiff.
Administrative divisions:
11 county boroughs (Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy, Gwynedd, Merthyr
Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham), 9 counties
(Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire,
Pembrokeshire, Powys, The Vale of Glamorgan), 2 cities and counties (Cardiff,
Swansea).
Constitution: Unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law
and practice.
Legal system: English common law.
Executive branch:
National Assembly for Wales, composed by a President (First Minister) and a Cabinet
(Assembly Ministers) appointed by the First Minister.
Legislative branch:
The National Assembly for Wales (formed by 60 members elected by popular vote,
serve four year term) can pass secondary legislation in Wales. The National Assembly
for Wales cannot pass its own primary legislation and main legislative power remains
in the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament at Westminster, London, England.
Judicial branch: Supreme Courts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
and H.M. House of Lords.
Current Government: Centre-Left government
of The Welsh Labour Party. First Minister: Mr. Rhodri Morgan. More
info..»
Political parties: Welsh Labour Party / Llafur Cymru;
Welsh Conservative Party; Plaid Cymru / The Party of Wales; Welsh Liberal Democrats
/ Democratiad Rhyddfrydol Cymru. More
info..»
National holiday: There is no official Welsh national
holiday, although St.
Davids, 1 March, is unofficially celebrated as Wales'
national day.
Official flag: Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon), a
red dragon over a green and white field. It is believed that the dragon was adopted
by the native Britons from the standards of the Roman army. The white and green
field is a reminder of the colours of the Welsh Tudor royalty. |
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