Wales
(Listeni/ˈweɪlz/; Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəm.rɨ] ) is a country that is
part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. It is bordered by
England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol
Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total
area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of
coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and
central areas, including Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), its highest summit. The
country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime
climate.
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2011 Census - Population and Household Estimates for England and Wales, March 2011.Available at
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_270
487.pdf
Welsh national identity emerged among the Celtic Britons after the
Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales is regarded as
one of the modern Celtic nations. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282
marked the completion of Edward I of England's conquest of Wales, though
Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th
century. The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated
within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.
Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism,
exemplified in the early 20th century by Lloyd George, was displaced by the
growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over
the century; Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language
Society in 1962. Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, the
National Assembly for Wales holds responsibility for a range of devolved
policy matters.
At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, development of the mining and
metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society
into an industrial nation; the South Wales Coalfield's exploitation caused a
rapid expansion of Wales' population. Two-thirds of the population live in
south Wales, mainly in and around Cardiff (the capital), Swansea and
Newport, and in the nearby valleys. Now that the country's traditional
extractive and heavy industries have gone or are in decline, Wales' economy
depends on the public sector, light and service industries and tourism. Wales'
2010 gross value added (GVA) was £45.5 billion (£15,145 per head, 74.0% of
the average for the UK, and the lowest GVA per head in Britain).
Although Wales closely shares its political and social history with the rest of
Great Britain, and the vast majority of the population speaks English, the
country has retained a distinct cultural identity and is officially bilingual.
Over 560,000 Welsh language speakers live in Wales, and the language is
spoken by a majority of the population in parts of the north and west. From
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the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land
of song", in part due to the eisteddfod tradition. At many international
sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup and the
Commonwealth Games, Wales has its own national teams, though at the
Olympic Games, Welsh athletes compete as part of a Great Britain team.
Rugby union is seen as a symbol of Welsh identity and an expression of
national consciousness.
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