List of cities in Wales

Last updated

Wales has seven cities as of September 2022. Bangor is Wales' oldest cathedral city, [1] whereas St Davids is the smallest city in the United Kingdom. [1] Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and its most-populous, followed by Swansea the second most-populous. Since 2000, Welsh towns have submitted bids to be awarded city status as part of jubilees of the reigning British monarch or for other events, such as the millennium celebrations, with Newport, St Asaph and Wrexham awarded city status through these contests. Wrexham is the newest to hold the status, being awarded it in September 2022 as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours of Queen Elizabeth II.

Contents

List of Welsh cities

Name in EnglishName in Welsh Principal area

(Welsh name)

Year granted

or confirmed

ImageAdministrative Population [1] Urban Population (2021) [2]
Cardiff Caerdydd City and County of Cardiff
(Dinas a Sir Caerdydd)
1905 [3] Cardiff Castle - geograph.org.uk - 3111912.jpg
Cardiff Castle
359,512

(county)

348,535

(built-up area)

Swansea Abertawe City and County of Swansea
(Dinas a Sir Abertawe)
1969 [4] Swansea Bay 20190924 110549 (48786809118).jpg
Swansea Beach
and The Tower, Meridian Quay
237,834

(county)

170,085

(built-up area)

Newport Casnewydd Newport
(Casnewydd)
2002 [5] Towards the Resort Hotel, Celtic Manor Resort - geograph.org.uk - 1921315.jpg
Celtic Manor Resort
159,658

(county borough)

130,890

(built-up area)

Wrexham Wrecsam Wrexham County Borough
(Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam)
2022 [6] Wrexham - geograph.org.uk - 163421.jpg Wrexham city centre
(Hope Street)
135,132

(county borough)

44,785

(built-up area)

Bangor Bangor Gwynedd Cathedral city since 6th century. [1]
Officially conferred in 1974 [7]
Bangor (49132325086).jpg
Bangor from Port Penrhyn
15,06016,990
St Asaph Llanelwy Denbighshire
(Sir Ddinbych)
2012 [8] Kentigern Arms, St Asaph - geograph.org.uk - 2305386.jpg
Kentigern Arms
3,485
St Davids Tyddewi Pembrokeshire
(Sir Benfro)
1994 [9] Porth Brag nr Sant Stinian (St Justinian), W of St David's, Sir Benfro (Pembrokeshire), Wales 26.jpg
Porth Brâg
1,348

City bids

Since 2000, Welsh towns have competed in a contest to be awarded city status, as part of civic honours in notable celebrations, like the millennium celebrations or the Jubilee of the reigning monarch. The 2000 contest was criticised for having no Welsh bid be successful. [10] [11] [12]

Successful

Unsuccessful

Merthyr Tydfil councillors voted against a proposal to bid for city status for 2022 which followed feedback. [18]

Future

In 2024, Llanelli Town Council announced that they'll submit a bid later in the year, for Llanelli to potentially get city status. [19]

Unrecognised cities

See also

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References

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