History of Wales
To understand a fantastic, vibrant and interesting country such as Wales you first have to examine the Welsh history. In the Iron Age and the early Medieval period, Celtic Britons inhabited Wales until a Welsh national identity emerged, long after the Roman withdrawal from Britain.
Wales is known to be one of the modern Celtic nations of today, keeping true to their rich heritage. Llywelyn the Great was responsible for founding the Principality of Wales in 1216, around one hundred years after the Edwardian Conquest. The defeat of Llewelyn by Edward I in the 13 th Century saw the final of the Anglo-Norman conquest of Wales and so began the English occupation of the country.
Wales was then incorporated into England subsequently, with Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 creating a legal entity of England and Wales. The British Royal Family would traditionally bestow the title of Prince of Wales on the male heir apparent of the reigning monarch. Wales began to grow in its independence with distinct Welsh politics developing in the 19 th century and the 1955 proclamation of Cardiff as the capital city.
Cardiff is the largest of the cities in Wales and has a population of 317,500 people. In its history Cardiff has been the biggest coal port in the world and has a greater tonnage of cargo than London or Liverpool in WWI. Cardiff currently stands as the largest media centre in the UK outside of London.
Demographics of Wales
Two-thirds of people in Wales live in the South of the country with another concentration of people in the East. The main inhabited areas of Wales consist of the cities Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Wrexham, as well as the surrounding areas. 96% of the population of Wales is White British (according to the 2001 census) with 2.1% non-white, with the majority of this demographic concentrated in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.
A quarter of the Welsh population have been born outside of Wales, with a mere 3% of these being born outside of the UK. The symbol of the red Welsh Dragon stands as being the primary representation of Wales, with the leek and daffodil being the other national emblems. 80% of the land surface of Wales in used for agriculture, with a small percentage being arable land.
The majority is permanent grass pasture or rough grazing for many herd animals, i.e. cows and sheep. Despite Wales' huge popularity for producing beef and dairy cattle products in the Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire areas most popularly, Wales is actually better-known for sheep farming, with lamb being the main meat in the Welsh cuisine.
Traditional food dishes in Wales include laverbread (a seaweed dish), bara brith (fruit bread), Cawl (lamb stew), cawl cennin (leek soup), Welsh cakes and Welsh lamb. Wales is indeed popular for its cuisine, with the 2005 Welsh National Culinary Teams returning from the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg with eight gold, fifteen silver and seven bronze medals, as well as being placed 7 th in the world.
The Welsh Landscape
Wales has long been known as a country featuring immense natural beauty, the likes of which have inspired many authors and artists, including J.R.R. Tolkien's “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Much of this gorgeous landscape consists of mountain ranges, particularly in the north and central regions, known to be shaped during the last ice age.
The highest of the Welsh mountains are in the Snowdonia National Park, which includes Mt. Snowdon, which stands at 3,560ft and is the highest peak in Wales. There are fourteen Welsh mountains that stand at over 3,000ft and these are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s, located in the North-West of the country.
Wales itself has three national parks, Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and the Pembrokeshire Coast, as well as four Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Anglesey, the Clwydian Range, the Gower Peninsula and the Wye Valley. In fact the Gower Peninsula was the first area in the whole of the UK to be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.
The religion in Wales with the most followers is Christianity, with 72% of the population claiming to be Christian in the 2001 census. The largest denomination is the Presbyterian Church of Wales and was born from the Welsh Methodist revival in the 18 th century. The currency of Wales is the same as in the rest of the United Kingdom, using GBP.
Known as the Seven Wonders of Wales, a doggerel verse detailing seven geographic and cultural landmarks in the country was composed in the 18 th Century. These wonders are unusually in the North of Wales, but must be seen on any visit. They are Mount Snowdon, The Gresford Bells, the Llangollen Bridge, St. Winefride's Well, The Wrexham Steeple, The Overton Yew Trees and the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall.
Wales itself has given birth to a number of great artists, authors, sportsmen, musicians and more, largely due to the strong family values and inspiring area they have grown in. With shows such as Gavin and Stacey and comedians such as Rob Brydon, Wales is enjoying a boost in tourism and as a result there are a number of new attractions to be enjoyed in Wales.
There are excellent transport links to the area and a number of holiday directories and online resources that can advise you on how to plan your stay. It is advisable to visit Wales with a reason to return home, as once you are there you may not wish to!