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 Holy Bible is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 29 August 1994 by Epic Records and was the last of the band's albums released before the disappearance of lyricist and guitarist Richey Edwards (credited as "Richey James" on the album sleeve), on 1 February 1995.

Edwards was facing problems with alcohol abuse, self-harm and anorexia nervosa at the time the album was written and recorded, and its contents are considered by some sources to reflect his mental state. The songs focus on themes relating to politics and human suffering.

The album won widespread critical acclaim and features in "Best Album of All Time" polls in the UK. It has been described by the NME as "a work of genuine genius". Although it reached number six on the UK albums charts, global sales were disappointing compared to previous albums, and the record did not chart in mainland Europe or North America. The album was promoted with tours and festival appearances in the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, in part without Edwards.

An expanded 10th Anniversary Edition of the album was released in 2004.

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Credit: Stemonitis

The Welsh language is, with English, one of the two official languages of Wales, and most road signs in Wales are bilingual.

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Did you know...?

... that the Welsh library educator Peter Havard-Williams served as Chief Librarian to the Council of Europe?
... that tree-ring dating shows that the wood for the rood screen in St Brothen's Church, Llanfrothen, Gwynedd, came from trees felled between 1496 and 1506?
... that troops of both the 28th Infantry Division and 75th Infantry Division were stationed at Seabank Hotel in Porthcawl during World War II?
... that St Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn in Gwynedd is located in an isolated position on a former island in a lake, and is approached by an ancient causeway?

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Why am I the first Kinnock in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Why is Glenys the first woman in her family in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Was it because our predecessors were thick? Does anybody really think that they didn't get what we had because they didn't have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment? Of course not. It was because there was no platform upon which they could stand.

— Neil Kinnock, speech at the Welsh Labour Party conference, Llandudno, 15 May 1987.

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Michael Christopher Sheen, OBE (born 5 February 1969) is a Welsh film and stage actor. He was born in Newport to Irene (née Thomas) and Meyrick Sheen, both of whom worked in personnel management; his father is also a part-time professional Jack Nicholson look-alike. When Sheen was five, the family moved to Liverpool, where he became a lifelong Liverpool F.C. fan. He returned to his parents' home of Port Talbot, Wales three years later, where he attended Glan Afan Comprehensive School and played football for Baglan boys club.

Sheen joined the West Glamorgan Youth theatre, where he was a contemporary of writer Russell T Davies. After leaving school, he accepted a place to study acting at the National Youth Theatre of Wales in Cardiff and then trained at the internationally renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Having worked with screenwriter Peter Morgan on five films, Sheen has become known for his portrayals of well-known public figures: Tony Blair in The Deal, The Queen, and The Special Relationship, David Frost in the stage production and film version of Frost/Nixon, and Brian Clough in The Damned United. He also played the Lycan Lucian in all three of the Underworld films, the vampire Aro in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and more recently, the role of Castor in Tron: Legacy.

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In the news

Wikinews Wales portal

General images

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

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