List of Welsh principal areas

Last updated

Population in Wales is concentrated in South Wales and the northeast; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated Wales Principal Areas Density Map.svg
Population in Wales is concentrated in South Wales and the northeast; the remainder of the country is sparsely populated

This is a list of the 22 principal areas of Wales [1] [2] giving their most recent date of creation and the style by which they are known.

The population and density are from the Office for National Statistics 2022 estimates. [3]

NamesDate
created
PopulationPopulation densityAreaStyleAdministrative centre
EnglishWelsh(/km2)(/mi2)(km2)(mi2)
Cardiff Caerdydd1996 [lower-alpha 1] 372,0892,6416,84014154County, city Cardiff
Swansea Abertawe1996 [lower-alpha 1] 241,2826391,660378146County, city Swansea
Rhondda Cynon Taf 1996239,0185641,460424164County borough Pontypridd
Carmarthenshire Sir Gaerfyrddin1996 [lower-alpha 1] 189,117802102,370920County Carmarthen
Caerphilly Caerffili1996176,1306351,640277107County borough Ystrad Mynach
Newport Casnewydd1996 [lower-alpha 1] 161,5068482,20019073County borough, city Newport
Flintshire Sir y Fflint1996 [lower-alpha 2] 155,319353910440170County Mold
Bridgend Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr1996146,1365831,51025197County borough Bridgend
Neath Port Talbot [lower-alpha 3] Castell-nedd Port Talbot1996142,158322830441170County borough Port Talbot
Wrexham Wrecsam1996135,394269700504195County borough, city Wrexham
Powys 1974133,89126675,1812,000County Llandrindod Wells
Vale of Glamorgan Bro Morgannwg1996133,4924031,040331128County borough Barry
Pembrokeshire Sir Benfro1996 [lower-alpha 1] 124,367772001,618625County Haverfordwest
Gwynedd [lower-alpha 4] 1974 [lower-alpha 5] 117,591461202,535979County Caernarfon
Conwy [lower-alpha 6] 1996114,2901022601,126435County borough Conwy
Denbighshire Sir Ddinbych1996 [lower-alpha 2] 96,558115300837323County Ruthin
Monmouthshire Sir Fynwy1996 [lower-alpha 2] 93,886111290849328County Usk
Torfaen 199692,8607391,91012649County borough Pontypool
Ceredigion [lower-alpha 7] 199671,610401001,785689County Aberaeron and Aberystwyth
Isle of Anglesey Ynys Môn1996 [lower-alpha 1] 69,04997250712275County Llangefni
Blaenau Gwent 199667,0146161,60010942County borough Ebbw Vale
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tudful1996 [lower-alpha 1] 58,8835281,37011143County borough Merthyr Tydfil

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Re-instated as a principal administrative authority after a gap
  2. 1 2 3 Re-instated as a principal administrative authority after a gap. Boundaries significantly altered in 1996 from its previous incarnation.
  3. Named as 'Neath and Port Talbot' in legislation. Name changed by the council.
  4. Named as 'Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire' in legislation. Name changed by the council.
  5. Boundaries significantly altered in 1996 from its previous incarnation.
  6. Named as 'Aberconwy and Colwyn' in legislation. Name changed by the council.
  7. Named as 'Cardiganshire' in legislation. Name changed by the council.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwynedd</span> County and preserved county in Wales

Gwynedd is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Bangor is the largest settlement, and the administrative centre is Caernarfon. The preserved county of Gwynedd, which is used for ceremonial purposes, includes the Isle of Anglesey.

Local government in Wales is primarily undertaken by the twenty-two principal councils. The councils are unitary authorities, meaning they are responsible for providing local government services within their principal area, including education, social work, environmental protection, and most highway maintenance. The principal areas are divided into communities, most of which have an elected community council. The services provided by community councils vary, but they will typically maintain public spaces and facilities. Local councils in Wales are elected; the most recent local elections in Wales took place in 2022, and the next are due to take place in 2027.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic counties of Wales</span> Sub-divisions in Wales

The historic counties of Wales were the thirteen sub-divisions used in Wales from either 1282 and 1535, up to their abolition in 1974, being replaced by eight counties. They were used for various functions for several hundred years, but for administrative purposes have been superseded by contemporary sub-national divisions, some of which bear some limited similarity to the historic entities in name and extent. They are alternatively known as ancient counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torfaen</span> County borough in Wales

Torfaen is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. Torfaen is bordered by the county of Monmouthshire to the east, the city of Newport to the south, and the county boroughs of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent to the south-west and north-west. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire, and between 1974 and 1996 was a district of Gwent, until it was reconstituted as a principal area in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaenau Gwent</span> County borough in Wales

Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Its highest point is Coity Mountain at 1,896 feet (578 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conwy County Borough</span> County borough in Wales

Conwy County Borough is a county borough in the north of Wales. It borders Gwynedd to the west and south and Denbighshire to the east. The largest settlement is Colwyn Bay, and Conwy is the administrative centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meirionnydd</span> Region of Wales

Meirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county. It is currently a committee area within the county Gwynedd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counties of England</span> Geographic divisions of England

The counties of England are a type of subdivision of England. Counties have been used as administrative areas in England since Anglo-Saxon times. There are three definitions of county in England: the 48 ceremonial counties used for the purposes of lieutenancy; the 84 metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties for local government; and the 39 historic counties which were used for administration until 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceremonial counties of England</span> Category of areas in England

Ceremonial counties, formally known as counties for the purposes of the lieutenancies, are areas of England to which lord-lieutenants are appointed. They are one of the two main legal definitions of the counties of England in modern usage, the other being the counties for the purposes of local government legislation. A lord-lieutenant is the monarch's representative in an area. Shrieval counties have the same boundaries and serve a similar purpose, being the areas to which high sheriffs are appointed. High sheriffs are the monarch's judicial representative in an area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preserved counties of Wales</span> Ceremonial divisions of Wales for lieutenancy and shrievalty purposes

The preserved counties of Wales are the eight current areas used in Wales for the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty. They are based on the counties which were used for local government and other purposes between 1974 and 1996. Each comprises one or more of the 22 single-tier principal areas which are used for administrative purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flintshire</span> County in Wales

Flintshire is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the English ceremonial counties of Merseyside and Cheshire, across the Dee Estuary to the north and by land to the east respectively, Wrexham County Borough to the south, and Denbighshire to the west. Connah's Quay is the largest town, while Flintshire County Council is based in Mold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Principal areas of Wales</span> Subdivisions of Wales; counties and county boroughs

The principal areas of Wales, comprising the counties andcounty boroughs of Wales, are a form of subdivision in Wales. There are currently 22 principal areas in Wales, and they were established in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Arfon</span> Former district of Gwynedd, Wales

The Borough of Arfon was local government district with borough status from 1974 to 1996, being one of five districts in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-metropolitan county</span> County-level entity in England

A non-metropolitan county, or colloquially, shire county, is a subdivision of England used for local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community (Wales)</span> Lowest tier of local government in Wales

A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England but, unlike English parishes, communities cover the whole of Wales. There are 878 communities in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Montgomeryshire</span> Former district of Powys, Wales

The District of Montgomeryshire or Montgomery was one of three local government districts of the county of Powys, Wales, from 1974 until 1996. The district had an identical area to the previous administrative county of Montgomeryshire. The district was abolished in 1996, with Powys County Council taking over its functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Anglesey County Council</span> Local government authority in north-west Wales

The Isle of Anglesey County Council is the local authority for the Isle of Anglesey, a principal area with county status in Wales. Since 2022 the council has 35 councillors who represent 11 multi-member electoral wards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwent (county)</span> Preserved county in south-east Wales

Gwent is a preserved county and former local government county in southeast Wales. A county of Gwent was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972; it was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent. The authority was a successor to both the administrative county of Monmouthshire and the county borough of Newport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pembrokeshire County Council</span> Local government of Pembrokeshire, Wales

Pembrokeshire County Council is the local authority for the county of Pembrokeshire, one of the principal areas of Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South East Wales</span> Region of Wales

South East Wales is a loosely defined region of Wales generally corresponding to the preserved counties of Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan and Gwent. Highly urbanised, it includes the cities of Cardiff and Newport as well as large towns in the South Wales Valleys.

References

  1. "Welsh Local Authority Links - WLGA". www.wlga.wales. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 - Schedule 1: The New Principal Areas". Legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 5 July 1994. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  3. "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics . 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.