General information
Population: 2,966,000 inhabitants (2006)
Area: 20,779 km²
Institutions: National Assembly for Wales
Major cities: Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham, Aberystwyth
State administration: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Territorial languages: Welsh and English
Official language: English
Date of national holiday: March 1
Major religion: Christianity (Protestant)
Capital: Cardiff
Primer minister: Rhodri Morgan, Welsh Labour Party (2007)
Political system: One of the four "home nations" of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Distribution of seats in parliament (2007). 60 members:
Welsh Labour Party - 26
Plaid Cymru - 15
Welsh Conservative Party - 12
Welsh Liberal Democrats - 6
Independents - 1
Electoral system: Plurality voting system (first-past-the-post) in 40 electoral districts and proportional representation in the other 20.
Government: Coalition of the Welsh Labour Party and Plaid Cymru.
Degree of self-government
In 1999 Wales approved a referendum on the creation of their National Assembly, which has legislative powers, although not to the degree of the Scottish parliament.
Observations
In the last elections to the Assembly, in 2007, the pro-independence Plaid Cymru gained seats, which gave them a place in the government. Plaid had a role in the executive along with the Welsh Labour Party on the agreement that there would be an increase in Welsh self-government at the end of the current legislature.
Politics
National
Assembly for Wales new.wales.gov.uk
Website
of the Welsh Labour Party www.welshlabour.org.uk
Website
of Plaid Cymru www.plaidcymru.org
Language
and Culture
Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg
(Welsh Language Board)
www.byig-wlb.org.uk
Cymdeithas
yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) www.cymdeithas.com
Media
S4C,
television in Welsh www.s4c.co.uk
South
Wales Echo, Welsh newspaper in English
walesonline.co.uk
South
Wales Evening Post, Welsh newspaper in
English www.thisisswansea.co.uk