Wales is known for its rich culture, lovely countryside, stunning coastal areas, and amazing adventures. It is also known for its heritage sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and Castles such as Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle.
Cawl. Dating back to the 14th century, cawl, also known as 'lobscows' in areas of North Wales, is a hearty stew of lamb and seasonal vegetables that is considered to be the national dish of Wales. Usually accompanied by slabs of fresh bread, it's the perfect meal to warm up during a frosty Welsh winter.
Cambria is a name for Wales, being the Latinised form of the Welsh name for the country, Cymru. The term was not in use during the Roman (when Wales had not come into existence as a distinct entity) or the early medieval period.
In schools in England and Wales, Year 7 is the seventh full year of compulsory education after Reception, with children being admitted who are aged 11 before 1 September in any given academic year.
Wales has been inhabited by modern humans for at least 29,000 years Continuous human habitation dates from the end of the last ice age, between 12,000 and 10,000 years before present (BP), when Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from Central Europe began to migrate to Great Britain.
Wales is often called 'the land of castles' – there are 427 of them! If you visit Wales you're almost certain to see one.
Football developed in the late 19th century, and currently claims the most participation of any sport in Wales.
The name New South Wales came from the journal of Lieutenant James Cook (later Captain Cook), who sailed up the east coast of Australia in 1770. He thought that the land looked like the south coast of Wales.
Many place names consist of several words (e.g. Tanygrisiau, Glan-y-pwll) but the hyphen is not actually native to Welsh - it was introduced by the English in order to make pronunciation easier. feminine nouns mutate after 'y' (the).
In its ancient form, it was originally spoken throughout Great Britain before the arrival of English-speaking invaders in the sixth century. Apart from Latin and Greek, the Welsh language has the oldest literature in Europe.
Rolling hills
The hills and meadows of Wales are indeed green and plentiful, providing acres of beautiful scenery to discover. These vast stretches of untouched countryside are particularly impressive in areas surrounded by towering mountains, creating dramatic juxtapositions on the horizon.
Wales is on the island of Great Britain, to the west of England, and covers an area of 20,782 square kilometres (8,024 square miles). That's around half the size of the Netherlands, a similar size to Slovenia and slightly smaller than the US state of New Jersey.
The culture of Wales (Welsh: Diwylliant Cymru) is distinct, with its own language, customs, politics, festivals, music and Art. Wales is primarily represented by the symbol of the red Welsh Dragon, but other national emblems include the leek and the daffodil.
The daffodil is the national flower of Wales and is traditionally worn on St David's Day, which celebrates Wales' patron saint, David (Dewi sant in Welsh), on 1 March every year.
In Wales sport plays a prominent role, with rugby union, association football, and outdoor recreation considered the most popular.
The Denbigh Plum has been awarded protected designation of origin (PDO) status by the European Union. It marks a lengthy fight to recognise the fruit, which is Wales' only native variety. It joins Anglesey sea salt, Conwy mussels, and Caerphilly cheese among foods of protected status.