Since 1996 Wales has been divided into 22 principal areas, 11 counties and 11 county boroughs, each with an elected council running schools, social care, roads, waste, planning and council housing. All have official names in Welsh and English.
The 22 areas
Anglesey (Ynys Môn), Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr), Caerphilly (Caerffili), Cardiff (Caerdydd), Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin), Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych), Flintshire (Sir y Fflint), Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy), Neath Port Talbot, Newport (Casnewydd), Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro), Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea (Abertawe), Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan (Bro Morgannwg), Wrexham (Wrecsam).
The most populous is Cardiff, with over 360,000 people, followed by Swansea and Rhondda Cynon Taf; the largest is Powys, covering a quarter of Wales with just 130,000 inhabitants, and the least populous is Merthyr Tydfil. In Gwynedd and Anglesey most people speak Welsh, and Gwynedd council works internally in Welsh.
Historic and preserved counties
Wales was traditionally divided into thirteen historic counties, such as Glamorgan, Pembrokeshire or Caernarfonshire. From 1974 to 1996 they were replaced by eight large counties, Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan, which still survive as preserved counties for the Crown's ceremonial functions.
Senedd constituencies
From the 2026 election the Welsh Parliament, the Senedd, has been elected in 16 large constituencies, formed by pairing the Westminster constituencies, each electing six members by closed-list proportional representation, for a total of 96 seats.
See also Wales, the history of Wales and Cardiff.