Questions about Wales
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What language do people speak in Wales?
Both Welsh and English are official languages in Wales. As of the 2021 census, 17.8 per cent of the population aged three or older, some 538,300 people, could speak Welsh. English is spoken by almost all residents and is the main language across most of the country, while Welsh remains the dominant first language in parts of the north and west. Polish is now the most common main language after English and Welsh, reflecting immigration since Poland joined the European Union.
When did Wales get its own parliament?
Wales gained a devolved legislature under the Government of Wales Act 1998, which created the National Assembly for Wales. Following a successful referendum in 2011, the assembly gained the power to pass primary legislation without requiring approval from the UK Parliament. In May 2020, the institution was renamed Senedd Cymru, or the Welsh Parliament, commonly known as the Senedd.
Who was Gruffydd ap Llywelyn and why does he matter in Welsh history?
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was the only ruler ever to unite all of Wales. He subdued all opposition by 1057 and, according to historians, "the whole of Wales recognised the kingship of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn" from around that year until his death in 1063. No ruler before or since has achieved the same feat. He died after a surprise attack by Tostig, brother of the English King Harold.
What happened to the Welsh coal industry?
The South Wales coalfield reached peak production in 1913, when nearly 233,000 men and women mined 56 million tons of coal. Cardiff was at that time the largest coal-exporting port in the world. The Great Depression, described by Phil Williams as having "devastated Wales" due to its dependence on coal and steel, ended that dominance. From the mid-1970s, heavy industry collapsed and was eventually replaced by light industry and services.
What is the highest mountain in Wales?
Snowdon, known in Welsh as Yr Wyddfa, is the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 metres. It lies within Snowdonia, a national park that contains five peaks over 1,000 metres. The group of 14 or 15 Welsh mountains above 3,000 feet are known collectively as the Welsh 3000s and are located in a small area of the north-west.
What is the Mabinogion?
The Mabinogion is a collection of medieval Welsh prose stories drawn from the White Book of Rhydderch and the Red Book of Hergest, two manuscripts dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The texts preserve remnants of pre-Christian Celtic mythology passed down orally by early Welsh poets. They include the earliest surviving forms of the Arthurian legend. Lady Charlotte Guest produced an influential English translation in the 19th century.