Wales ( or Cymru) is located in South-Western Great Britain and has an area of about 20 768 km². Wales has a population of just over 2,9 million and the capital is Cardiff . Although the heir of the British crown is called the Prince of Wales, he does not have any political power in Wales .
The name, Wales , is derived from the Germanic word for different and the nation has not been independent since it was conquered by the English king in 1282. However, Wales has not been directly controlled by London since 1999. Wales value their cultural, celtic heritage and a nationalistic movement called Plaid Cymru has existed since the 1800s. In 1974, Plaid Cymru got two representatives elected to the British parliament and the English have in more recent times relinquished some of its power over to the Welsh people. Wales has its own celtic language which is spoken by about 610 000 people, not only in Wales , but also outside the country's border. |
