Portal:Wales

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The Wales Portal

Wales (Welsh: Cymru [ˈkəmrɨ] ^ⓘ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west. As of 2021^[update], it had a population of 3.2 million. It has a total area of 21,218 square kilometres (8,192 sq mi) and over 2,700 kilometres (1,680 mi) of coastline. It is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate. Its capital and largest city is Cardiff.

A distinct Welsh culture emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales was briefly united under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055. After over 200 years of war, the conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England was completed by 1283, though Owain Glyndŵr led the Welsh Revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, and briefly re-established an independent Welsh state with its own national parliament (Welsh: senedd). In the 16th century the whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism, exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George, was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party. Welsh national feeling grew over the century: a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, was formed in 1925, and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. A governing system of Welsh devolution is employed in Wales, of which the most major step was the formation of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament, formerly the National Assembly for Wales) in 1998, responsible for a range of devolved policy matters. (Full article...)

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The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. The International Rugby Board (IRB) regards Wales as a Tier One rugby nation, and ranks them seventh in the world as of 28 February 2011. Wales play in red jerseys embroidered with the Prince of Wales's feathers. Their current home ground is the Millennium Stadium, completed in 1999 to replace the National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park. Ten former Welsh players have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame, and two of the ten have been inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.

The governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played their first international against England. Welsh rugby struggled between the first and second World Wars, but experienced a second 'golden age' between 1969 and 1980 when they won eight Five Nations Championships (including 3 shared wins). They played in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 where they achieved their best ever result of third. Wales hosted the 1999 World Cup and, won their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 2005, which was followed by a second in 2008. Their 2005 Grand Slam is notable for being the first ever team to gain the accolade playing most matches away from home.

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Credit: Ian Griffiths

A view down the River Vyrnwy (Afon Efyrnwy in Welsh) in northern Powys, Wales.

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Did you know...?

... that Cefn Golau, a disused cholera cemetery near Tredegar, has many graves dating from August and September 1849?
... that St Mary's Church, Derwen, Denbighshire, is listed Grade I because it possesses an exceptionally complete rood screen and loft and otherwise retains much of its medieval character?
... that St Mark's Church, Brithdir has been described as one of the few full blooded Arts and Crafts churches in Wales?
... that after winning the Welsh heavyweight boxing title on Boxing Day, Tom Norris held onto the title for just 100 days before being beaten by Dick Power?

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I used to say that I spent half my life breaking bones on the rugby field, then the other half putting them back together in the operating theatre.

— J. P. R. Williams, JPR Given The Breaks – My Life In Rugby (2007).

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Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937), best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh-born, naturalized American actor of film, stage and television. Considered to be one of the greatest living actors, Hopkins is perhaps best known for his portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs (for which he received the Academy Award for Best Actor), its sequel Hannibal, and its prequel Red Dragon. Other prominent film credits include The Lion in Winter, Magic, The Elephant Man, 84 Charing Cross Road, Dracula, Legends of the Fall, The Remains of the Day, Amistad, Nixon, and Fracture.

Hopkins was born and brought up in Margam, Port Talbot. He became a U.S. citizen on 12 April 2000, retaining his British citizenship. Hopkins' films have spanned a wide variety of genres, from family films to horror. As well as his Academy Award, Hopkins has also won three BAFTA Awards, two Emmys, a Golden Globe and a Cecil B. DeMille Award. Hopkins was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1993 for services to the arts. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003, and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008.

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In the news

Wikinews Wales portal

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The following are images from various Wales-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Medieval kingdoms of Wales shown within the boundaries of the present day country of Wales and not inclusive of all (from History of Wales)
Image 2Crempog - Anglesey style (from Culture of Wales)
Image 3Two of the furnaces of the Blaenavon Ironworks (from History of Wales)
Image 4Medieval crwth instrument (from Culture of Wales)
Image 5Market Day in Old Wales by Sydney Curnow Vosper (1910) (from Culture of Wales)
Image 6Owain Glyndŵr (from History of Wales)
Image 7Harlech Castle was one of a series built by Edward I to consolidate his conquest. (from History of Wales)
Image 8'The Welsh at Mametz Wood' painted by Christopher Williams, commissioned by Secretary of State for War at the time, David Lloyd George. (from History of Wales)
Image 9Offa's Dyke (Clawdd Offa) Map. (from History of Wales)
Image 10Big Pit, National Coal Museum. (from History of Wales)
Image 11Roman invasion of Wales. (from History of Wales)
Image 12Cawl, a Welsh dish of meat and vegetables (from Culture of Wales)
Image 13King Hywel Dda depicted in a 13th-century manuscript (from History of Wales)
Image 14Standard of Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, King of Powys 1063-1075. (from History of Wales)
Image 15The Bard, 1774, by Thomas Jones (1742–1803) (from Culture of Wales)
Image 16Owain Glyndŵr painting by AC Michael (from Culture of Wales)
Image 17Portrait of William Morgan. (from History of Wales)
Image 18Caradog by Thomas Prydderch. Caradog led multiple celtic tribes against the Romans. (from History of Wales)
Image 19The Flag of Saint David (from Culture of Wales)
Image 20Red Dragon of Wales (from Culture of Wales)
Image 21Facsimile of Part of Column 579 from the Red Book of Hergest (from Culture of Wales)
Image 22Gravestone of King Cadfan ap Iago of Gwynedd (died c. 625) in Llangadwaladr church (from History of Wales)
Image 23Tom Jones performing with Janis Joplin in 1969 (from Culture of Wales)
Image 24Island of Britain in AD 500. (from History of Wales)
Image 25Senedd-Welsh Parliament, Cardiff Bay. (from History of Wales)

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This is a list of recognized content, updated weekly by JL-Bot (talk · contribs) (typically on Saturdays). There is no need to edit the list yourself. If an article is missing from the list, make sure it is tagged (e.g. {{WikiProject Wales}}) or categorized correctly and wait for the next update. See WP:RECOG for configuration options.