Wales, in Welsh Cymru, is the smallest of the three nations of Great Britain: a large mountainous peninsula on the west coast, between the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel, of about 21,000 square kilometres and just under 3.2 million people. A land of castles, mining valleys, choirs and rugby, it keeps one of the most vibrant Celtic languages in Europe and a strong identity forged by centuries of resistance to England. For many English people it is the green refuge a few hours from home; for the Welsh it is a nation with its own history and culture, which in recent decades has also regained a parliament. The capital is Cardiff.
Geography
Welsh territory is largely hilly and mountainous. In the north rise the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia), with the highest peak in Wales and England, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), 1,085 metres, which can also be reached by rack railway; in the centre lie the almost uninhabited Cambrian Mountains; in the south Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) and the valleys where coal was mined. The long, indented coast offers cliffs, beaches and peninsulas such as Gower, Pembrokeshire and Llŷn, and since 2012 Wales has been the first country in the world with a continuous footpath along its entire coast, the Wales Coast Path, about 1,400 kilometres long. Wales has three national parks and is said to have more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe: over six hundred, including Edward I's fortresses at Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech and Beaumaris, a UNESCO site.
History in brief
The Welsh descend from the Celtic Britons who lived on the island before the Romans and the Anglo-Saxons, who pushed them westwards; the English name Wales comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigners". In the Middle Ages Wales was divided into principalities, briefly unified by rulers such as Llywelyn the Great; in 1282 Edward I of England conquered it and built a chain of castles to control it. The last great revolt, led by Owain Glyndŵr in the early 15th century, failed, and with the laws of 1536 and 1543 Wales was annexed to England. In the 19th century the coal and iron of the southern valleys made it an industrial powerhouse, with Cardiff the world's leading coal port. See the history of Wales.
Politics and institutions
After the 1997 referendum, won by a whisker, Wales gained a devolved assembly in 1999, which in 2020 was renamed Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament. It has powers over health, education, transport, the environment, agriculture and some taxes, and since 2026 it has had 96 members elected by closed-list proportional representation. For more than a century Wales was a Labour stronghold, and Labour led the Welsh Government from 1999, but in the May 2026 election the nationalist Plaid Cymru became the largest party and its leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, was elected First Minister. Distinctive Welsh policies include free prescriptions and the 20 mph default speed limit in built-up areas. Wales is divided into 22 local authorities (see administrative divisions).
The Welsh language
Welsh (Cymraeg) is a Celtic language related to Breton and Cornish, with a literature dating back to the 6th century. It is official alongside English, taught in all schools and present on all road signs. After a long decline, it is now spoken by about 18% of the population, rising to more than half in some north-western areas such as Gwynedd and Anglesey; the Welsh Government aims to reach a million speakers by 2050. See also the languages of the UK.
Culture and traditions
Wales is called "the land of song": male voice choirs, born in the mining communities, and the Eisteddfod, the great festival of poetry, music and culture in Welsh held every August, are pillars of its identity. Rugby is the national sport, and the national team's matches at the Principality Stadium are moments of collective celebration. The national symbol is the red dragon on a white and green field, the leek and the daffodil are also emblems, and the patron saint, St David, is celebrated on 1 March. Wales gave the world the poet Dylan Thomas, actors such as Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins and singers such as Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. See Welsh traditions.
Economy
The Welsh economy, once based on coal and steel, has been transformed: today the public sector, services, tourism, agriculture and sheep farming, renewable energy and some advanced industries such as aerospace and semiconductors matter most. Average incomes remain among the lowest in the UK, and the closure of the Port Talbot blast furnaces in 2024, replaced by an electric arc furnace, marked the end of an era.
What to visit
Cardiff with its castle and bay, Edward I's castles in the north, Eryri National Park and the summit of Yr Wyddfa, the Pembrokeshire coast and the tiny city of St Davids, the Gower peninsula, the fantasy village of Portmeirion, the mining valleys and the Big Pit museum, and the book town of Hay-on-Wye with its literary festival.