Wales is part of the UK

The country of Wales is one of the constituent parts of the administrative-territorial units of the United Kingdom. It is located in the south-west of the English island. Most of its borders adjoin the sea: in the north the state is washed by the Irish, in the southwest by the St George Passage, in the south by the Bristol Bay. The length of the coastline of Wales is 1,200 km. In the east, the state borders the counties of Gloucestershire, Cheshire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. The county of Wales is 3 million people. The total area is almost 21 thousand km ². Wales in the Russian version was previously pronounced as Wallis. Therefore, the inhabitants of the country are still called Welsh.

Historical data

It is known that people have lived in this territory since the last ice age. At the beginning of our era the country of Wales was inhabited by Roman conquerors, who developed gold mines here. After their departure, at the beginning of the 5th century AD, E., the Britons created in this area many independent kingdoms. However, due to constant internecine wars, the separated areas were quickly conquered by the Anglo-Saxons and Scots. Only under the reign of King Henry VIII, this territory becomes a united kingdom, having a legal merger with the rest of Britain. Many people care: Wales is a separate country or not? In fact, he was never an independent territory, but always had a special status within the Kingdom.

In the 18th century, Wales became the center of the industrial revolution. In the country, the largest deposits of iron ore, coal, tin were found. During this period, more and more workers come here, who become permanent residents of the country. The city of Cardiff has always been the most important port, and in 1955 it receives the status of capital. Currently, the settlement is the largest in the country.

Characteristic

The country of Wales stretches from north to south. Numerically its length in this direction is 274 km, from east to west - 97 km. Most of the territory (about 70%) is occupied by the Cambrian mountains. They are composed of volcanic and sedimentary rocks with wide ridges, which are deeply cut by river valleys. In the north-west, Wales frames the Snowdon mountain range. The homonymous peak of this system is the highest point of the country (1,085 m). The southern part is occupied by the Brecon-Beacons ridges. In addition, 23% of the territory of Wales falls on land, most of which is occupied by pastures.

The mountain nature of the country was taken as a basis for studying geological periods and the foundations of paleontology. And this left a certain imprint. So, this moment influenced the name of the Paleozoic periods: Cambrian - according to the old name of Wales (Cambria), the Silurian and Ordovician names in honor of the Celtic tribes living in the territory of the country.

Climatic features

Where is the Wales country located and in what climatic zone? We'll talk about this now. The climate is a typical sea, with warm mild winters and cool summers. In the west, Wales is not protected from the Atlantic winds, which often invade its territory. The average summer temperatures are + 17 ° ... + 19 ° С, winter temperatures - + 5 ° ... + 7 ° С. Frosts in the country are rare, as well as snow. Here is Wales unique in its weather conditions.

Which country still boasts such good weather, especially if we compare the climate of Russia? Steady snow cover is not observed. Precipitation falls in the form of rains and fogs. And their number varies from west to east: from 1,200 to 700 mm / g. The climate of Wales is cooler than in the UK, because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

Division into administrative objects

According to the administrative-territorial division, the country is divided into 22 unitary districts. Of these, 9 regions have the status of counties, 10 - county-cities and 3 - city-cities. The act of local self-government was adopted in 1994. Although the boundary between Wales and England is stipulated, it has not been formally established. The largest cities are Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Newport and St. Davis. Unlike in other countries, a large part of the country's population does not live in large settlements. Welshmen prefer to settle in small towns and small towns.

Government

The head of the government of Wales is the British monarch (now Elizabeth II). The head of the Government of the Assembly is responsible for the executive branch, and the legislative one belongs to the British Parliament. The executive bodies include the Government of Wales, headed by the Prime Minister. It consists of 7 people. The main branches of the economy are the mining industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, oil production and processing. Also, agriculture and dairy farming are developing.

Beauty of the country

Wales has always attracted travelers to its land. There is much to see. These are enchanting landscapes, ancient castles, small ancient cities with narrow streets and a special national flavor. Great Britain honors traditions and history. But in the described country, this moment is manifested most clearly.

National parks

The country of Wales has many natural national parks. They occupy a fifth of the territory. In the south is the Brecon Beacons. The status of the park was received in 1957. In this territory there are four mountain ranges, the geopark of Forrest Favre and the old trading town Brecon.

In the north-west of the country is another natural landmark. It's about Snowdonia National Park. It covers the adjoining territory of the highest point of Wales - Mr. Snowdon. The most part of the park is the mountains. But there are also lands suitable for agriculture. Snowdonia is a popular place for tourist routes. Especially for this purpose, trains run along the territory, and bus routes are laid.

In the western part of Wales there is a third national park - "Pembrokeshire-Coast". This area is striking in a variety of landscapes. Rocks that approach sandy beaches, cliffs, hilly peaks, coastal estuaries overgrown with grass - all this is an amazing local nature.

Supplement to the natural landscapes of national parks are human buildings - ancient palaces and castles, small villages that have preserved their original appearance. Unlike other national parks in the world, those located in Wales are not considered a remote area. In their borders are pastures, villages and even cities.

Those students who become familiar with this information will be able to accurately answer the question: "Wales is a city or a country?" They easily compose an interesting presentation or an abstract. By telling only accurate and correct data about the state, one can get a good grade at a school or college.