Wales
is a principality located to the west of England off
the northwest coast of the European mainland. Wales,
along with England, Scotland, and Northern
Ireland,
is part of the United
Kingdom.
Wales is bordered on the east by England, on the north by the Irish Sea, on the west by Saint George's Channel, and on the south by the Bristol Channel and the Celtic Sea.
Wales has a land area of 20,732 square kilometers and is similar in size to Massachusetts. The population of Wales, as of mid-2005 was 2,958,600.
Wales has two official languages, English and Welsh. The predominant language is English, though Welsh is spoken by about 26 percent of the population of Wales. The Welsh Language Bill (1992) guaranteed equal status to the Welsh and English languages in Wales.
There is a strong sense of cultural identity in Wales. Most Welsh descend from a mixture of Welsh, Anglo-Saxon, Norse and French ancestry, and identify with the Celtic linguistic and literary tradition. A small minority of immigrants from Africa and Asia have arrived from England in recent years.
The predominant religion of Wales is Methodism (Protestant) stemming from the 18th century.
Wales was incorporated administratively into England by the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1543. The British monarch's eldest son has held the title of Prince of Wales since 1301, under Edward I.
In July 1997, the British government issued a proposal for devolving the legislative authority over domestic affairs to Wales. The proposal included the establishment of the Welsh Assembly. A referendum of Welsh voters was held shortly thereafter. Although only 25 percent of Welsh voters voted for the proposal, the British government implemented the proposal, and elections for the 60-member Welsh Assembly were held in May 1999. Legislative power over Welsh domestic affairs was transferred to the Welsh Assembly on July 1, 1999.
The currency is the British Pound Sterling.
Web Sites
Websites for Kids:
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Wales
Databases
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