Wales (Cymru)

Wales is 150 miles (240 kilometers) from north to south and 115 miles (185 kilometers) from east to west at its widest part. Its area is 8,017 square miles (20,764 square kilometers). It is bounded on the north by the Irish Sea, on the west by St. George's Channel, and on the south by the Bristol Channel. In the east it borders a number of English counties.

Most of Wales consists of mountains and hills of ancient origin. The main range of the Cambrian Mountains extends from north to south. The highest massif is in the northwest and contains Wales's highest mountain, Snowdon 3,560 feet (1,085 meters) in height. The Cambrian Mountains decrease in height toward the south. South of Snowdon the summit of Cader Idris rises to 2,927 feet (892 meters), and in central Wales the major peak is Plynlimon at 2,468 feet (752 meters). Southern Wales consists of hill country in the west, with a few summits of more than 1,000 feet (305 meters). To the east there is a small area of mountains. The highest are the Brecon Beacons, which reach 2,906 feet (886 meters). These mountains are of younger origin than the Cambrian and contain coal. Along the English border are such small ranges as the Berwin Mountains, Beacon Hill, Radnor Forest, and the Black Mountains (Breacon Beacons).

Pen-y-fan range, Breacon Beacons

The west coast of Wales forms a large irregular semicircle with the Lleyn peninsula on the north and the large peninsula that ends at St. David's Head on the south. The Isle of Anglesey lies off the northwest coast. The only extensive areas of flat land in Wales are found on the Isle of Anglesey, in the Vale of Glamorgan, and on the Gower peninsula on the south coast and in the extreme southwest around Pembroke.

Tenby, West Coast

The principal river is the Severn, which flows from the slopes of Plynlimon to the English border. Other rivers are the Wye, Dee, Towy, Usk, and Teifi. The largest lake is Bala in northern Wales. Nearby Lake Vyrnwy is an artificial reservoir, which supplies the English city of Liverpool.

The climate of Wales is strongly influenced by its nearness to the sea and its mountains. The west coast has high rainfall, averaging more than 50 inches (127 centimeters) a year. East of the mountains rainfall totals are lower. Summers are cool and average below 60 F (15.6 C), while winters are in general mild, averaging above 40 F (4.4 C) during the coldest month. In the higher mountain regions, however, winters can be cold and snowfall heavy.

The major natural resource is coal. The largest field is in southern Wales, with a smaller field in the northeast. The South Wales coalfield is one of the largest in the British Isles. The rivers of central and northwestern Wales produce hydroelectric power and drinking water for the English Midlands. Iron ore deposits occur but are mostly exhausted. A little petroleum is extracted in the south.

Vegetation is similar to that of much of the rest of the British Isles. The original forests of the mountain areas have largely been removed, and much of Wales consists of moorland. In some areas new forests have been planted, consisting of spruce, fir, and pine. About 13 percent of the country is forested.

Most animals and birds found in Wales also occur in other areas of Great Britain. Unique species are the polecat and pine marten.

The inhabitants of Wales number about 2.7 million. During the centuries the population had a strong influx of people from other parts of the British Isles. The Welsh have nevertheless maintained the old Celtic language, which is descended from that of the ancient Britons. Welsh, or Cymraeg, is spoken by 19 percent of the population, compared with some 50 percent in 1900. The decline is largely from the adoption of English as the everyday language of most Welsh people. Almost all Welsh speakers also speak English. Serious efforts have been made to preserve the Welsh language. It is now recognized as equal with English for legal and administrative affairs in Wales. The capital city is Cardiff, with 280,000 inhabitants Other large cities are Swansea and Newport.

The educational system is similar to that of England. In some primary and secondary schools Welsh is the main language of instruction. The University of Wales has colleges in five cities, including the capital of Wales, Cardiff (Caerdydd).

Writing in Welsh began in the 6th century with the poems of Aneirin and Taliesin. The best-known product of early Welsh literature is the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from the 11th to the 13th century. The 14th and 15th centuries were a rich period for Welsh poetry. By the 16th century the first prose writing had appeared. Translations of the Bible and religious writings in particular helped to keep the Welsh language alive during the following centuries. The greatest poets of this period were Huw Morus and Goronwy Owen. In the 20th century there was not only poetry but essays, short stories, and a few novels. Among modern poets were Robert Parry, Thomas Gwyn Jones, and Dylan Thomas.

Dylan Thomas

The Welsh not only love poetry but are also keen singers. Choral singing is a popular activity, with Welsh folk songs and hymns as favorites. Every year there is a national poetry and singing competition called the Eisteddfod in which individuals and choirs from all over Wales participate.

The Welsh are predominantly Protestants. Most belong to the Presbyterian Church of Wales.

Farming in Wales generally takes the form of livestock herding. Sheep are grazed in large numbers on the sprawling moorlands and hill slopes, while dairy cows are kept in the lowland areas. Milk and cattle are sent to the English market. Only about 8 percent of the total agricultural area of Wales is used for growing crops. Barley and fodder crops are the main products. Farms are generally small, and many are subsidized by the government.

Welsh industry is based on the coalfields of the south. At one time metallic ores were mined, but these are now exhausted. Coal is mined in a number of valleys, most significantly the Rhondda Valley. The coal is largely used in the iron and steel industry of southern Wales. The drop in demand for steel and coal, however, resulted in the closing of some plants and coal mines and the reorganization of others. Unemployment is high, but attempts to introduce new light industries have met with some success. There is a large petroleum-refining complex at Milford Haven and a chemicals and engineering industry in the Swansea area. There have also been recent investments by east asian electornics firms and computer groups who use Wales as a stop before europe. Transportation and communications are organized along the same lines as in England. The mountainous nature of the country makes access to some areas difficult.

The Welsh elect members to the British Parliament, which meets in London. A Welsh Office, headed by a secretary of state for Wales, handles Welsh affairs. Wales is a principality, and the symbolic title prince of Wales is traditionally bestowed on the heir to the British throne. Recent political developments have afforded a welsh assembly that will now sit in the capital, Cardiff. This may now allow wales the independence it has sought for hundreds of years.

The history of Wales begins with the Roman occupation and subsequent conversion to Christianity in the 4th century. The Anglo-Saxon invasion led to the gradual retreat of the Britons to the west, where the mountains of Wales acted as a refuge. By the 9th century a Welsh state emerged under such princes as Rhodri the Great and Hywel Dda. The Normans invaded Wales in the 11th century and built a number of castles to assist control of the country.

Such leaders as Owain Gwynedd, Llywelyn the Great, and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd resisted the attempts of the English kings in the 12th and 13th centuries to subdue Wales completely. Edward I of England, however, succeeded in conquering Wales and named his son prince of Wales in 1301. In 1401 Owen Glendower led a successful revolt against the English, which resulted in the temporary independence of Wales with Glendower as its prince. By 1410 the English had reasserted control, and in 1536 Wales was united with England. By the 1800s industrialization in Wales had increased rapidly. The hist ory of Wales has been closely linked to that of England.

Dodd, A.H. A Short History of Wales (David & Charles, 1988).

Haines, George. Let's Visit Wales (Chelsea House, 1988).

Sutherland, D.B. Wales (Childrens, 1987).