Wales Country & Tourist Information

Location
Western Great Britain.

Area
20,732 sq km (8,004 sq miles).

Population
2.95 million (official estimate 2004).

Population Density
142.3 per sq km.

Capital
Cardiff.
Population: 319,700 (official estimate 2005).

Language
English and Welsh are the official languages. Welsh is taught in all schools, and at least one-fifth of the population speaks it.

Head of Government
First Minister Rhodri Morgan since 2000.

Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II.

For information on time, electricity, passport and visa, money, duty-free and health, see the main United Kingdom section.

Recent History
Following a referendum in 1999, Wales was granted its own assembly with a considerable degree of autonomy. The Welsh Assembly does not have a similar level of power and responsibility as that enjoyed by the Scottish Parliament, in that it cannot raise taxes, but it does give the Welsh considerably more say in their own destiny than in the previous nine centuries.

Following elections in May 2007, newly elected Labor assembly members are in discussions over the party’s options for power. Labor is the biggest party, winning 26 out of the 60 seats, but is short of an overall majority in the Senedd. A possible coalition with the Liberal Democrats has already brought some criticism from within both parties. Second biggest party Plaid Cymru also holds a group meeting and leaders have not ruled out an agreement with Labor.

Press
• Wales’ major daily newspaper is the Western Mail, published in Cardiff.
• The Daily Post is the Welsh edition of the Liverpool daily.
• Wales on Sunday is a popular tabloid.
• South Wales Echo is a Cardiff-based evening paper.
• South Wales Evening Post is a Swansea-based evening paper.
• All the UK national papers are generally available, as are numerous local papers.

Radio
• BBC Radio Wales caters for the English-speaking sector.
• BBC Cymru broadcasts in Welsh.
• All national stations are also available.
• A number of local commercial stations offer output in both languages.

Public holidays observed in Wales are the same as those observed in the rest of the UK (see the main United Kingdom section).

Contact Information:

Visit Wales/Croeso Cymru
Brunel House, 2 Fitzalan Road, Cardiff CF24 0UY, UK
Tel: 0870 830 0306.
Website: www.visitwales.com

Visit Wales/Croeso Cymru in the USA
551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 701, New York, NY 10176, USA
Tel: 1 800 462 2748.
Website: www.visitwales.com


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