The abolished the remaining , leaving Wales with thirteen : , , , , , , , , , , , , and , and applied the Law of England to both England and Wales, requiring the for official purposes. This excluded most native Welsh from any formal office. Wales continues to share a legal identity with England to a large degree as the joint entity of . Scotland and Northern Ireland retain separate legal systems.

Wales was for centuries dwarfed by its larger neighbour, England. Indeed, one well-known British encyclopedia was said — perhaps apocryphally — to have had an entry reading "WALES. See under ENGLAND". In steps were taken to re-establish a sense of national identity for Wales when was established as its capital. Before this, legislation passed by the had simply referred to England, rather than England and Wales.

Since and the passing of the it has been law for all documents produced by public bodies to be in both and . Many private companies have followed suit, producing literature with similar qualities.

The , sitting in , first elected in , is elected by the Welsh people and has its powers defined by the . The title of Prince of Wales is still given by the reigning British monarch to his or her eldest son, but in modern times the Prince does not live in Wales and has no direct involvement with administration or government. The Prince is, however, still symbolically linked to the principality; the investiture of took place at in , a place traditionally associated with the creation of the title in the . The investiture was considered an insult by some Welsh people, and Welsh folk singer released mocking singles called Croeso Chwedeg Nain (Welcome 69, although a literal translation would be Welcome Granny's 60th (birthday)) and Carlo (Charlie). Two members of "" – MAC (Welsh Defence Movement) – George Taylor and Alwyn Jones, the "Abergele Martyrs", were killed by a home made bomb at the day before the investiture ceremony.

Geography

Wales is located on a in central-west . The entire area of Wales is about 20,779 km2 (8,023 square miles). It is about 274 km (170 miles) long and 97 km (60 miles) wide. Wales borders by England to the east and by sea in the other three directions: the Bristol Channel to the south, St George's Channel to the west, and the to the north. Together, Wales has over 965 km (600 miles) of coastline. There are several off the Welsh mainland, the largest being in the northwest.

The main population and industrial areas are in , consisting of the cities of , and and surrounding areas.

Much of Wales's diverse landscape is , particularly in the north and central regions. The mountains were shaped during the last , the . The highest mountains in Wales are in , and include , which, at 1085 (3,560 ) is the highest peak in England and Wales. The 14 (or possibly 15) Welsh mountains over 3000 feet high are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s. The are in the south and are joined by the in mid-Wales, the latter being given to the earliest geological period of the (). Consequently, the next two periods, and were named after Welsh/ tribes from this area.

The modern border between Wales and England is highly arbitrary; it was largely defined in the 16th century, based on medieval feudal boundaries. It has apparently never been confirmed by referendum or reviewed by any Boundary Commission (except to confirm Monmouthshire as part of Wales in 1968). The boundary line follows only approximately. It separates Knighton from its railway station, virtually cuts off Church Stoke from the rest of Wales, and slices straight through the village of Llanymynech (where a pub actually straddles the line).

The is a traditional list of seven geographic and cultural in Wales: Snowdon (the highest mountain), the Gresford bells (the peal of in the medieval church of All Saints at ), the bridge (built in over the ), (a site at in ) the Wrexham steeple (16th century tower of St. Giles Church in ), the Overton yew trees (ancient trees in the churchyard of St Mary's at ) and (Wales's tallest , at 240 feet or 75 m). The wonders are part of the traditional rhyme:

Pistyll Rhaeadr and Wrexham steeple,

Snowdon's mountain without its people,

Overton yew trees, St Winefride wells,

Llangollen bridge and Gresford bells.

Highest maximum temperature: 35.2°C (95.4°F) at , on .

Lowest minimum temperature: -23.3°C (-10°F) at , on .

See also:

[]

Divisions

For administrative purposes, Wales has been divided since into 22 unitary authorities:

9

10

3 1 - Cardiff, Swansea and Newport.

For