Welcome to Wales

Welcome to Wales

The name Wales comes from a word used by the ancestors of the English, meaning stranger or foreigner. The Welsh name for Wales is Cymru, which comes from a word meaning friend or ally. Friend or stranger – two very different ways of looking at Welsh identity.

This sense of being different is still very strong today, even though Wales has been part of Great Britain for centuries. Some people are happy being part of Britain, but many are not sure. This led to a referendum in 1997 asking the Welsh if they wanted some form of independence. The answer was yes, although it was a very small majority. The following year the National Assembly for Wales was established. It only has limited power, however.

At one time, Welsh was in danger of dying out, but now 20% of the population speak the language. The country has also been officially bilingual since 1967. Road signs have to be in both Welsh and English, and children learn both languages at school.

Apart from farmers, most people live in or near the towns and valleys of South East Wales. This is the industrial centre of the country. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, Wales produced more coal, steel and iron than anywhere else in the world. These were needed for the new steamships and railways, and gave work to thousands of people.

Those times are long gone, however. These days you are more likely to get a job in a bank or a Japanese electronics company. There are several of these based in Wales. If you’re lucky, you might even work for the Royal Mint, which moved from London to Llantrisant in 1967. It produces coins and medals for over 60 countries, as well as all the coins used in Great Britain.

Most tourists come to see the Welsh mountains or the beautiful scenery by the coast. There are many long, sandy beaches in the north, which are easy to get to from English cities such as Liverpool or Manchester. Pembrokeshire in the southwest is famous for its coastal National Park. Here you will find unspoilt beaches and dramatic, rocky cliffs. It’s a great place for rock climbing, hang gliding, kayaking and coasteering. It’s also perfect for spotting dolphins, seals and wild birds.