South Wales

This article is about the area of the United Kingdom. For the Australian state, see New South Wales.
Map of one definition of South Wales, combining common definitions of South East and South West Wales, including Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, which may also be considered West Wales. Areas shaded light red are historically considered South Wales, but may be considered Mid Wales today. Other definitions of the region exist.

South Wales (Welsh: De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards to include Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. In the western extent, from Swansea westwards, local people would probably recognise that they lived in both south Wales and west Wales.[1] The Brecon Beacons National Park covers about a third of south Wales, containing Pen y Fan, the highest British mountain south of Cadair Idris in Snowdonia.

Pen y Fan
2,907 ft (886 metres)
17-18th century map of South Wales with Monmouthshire considered in this map to be part of England.

A point of some discussion is whether the first element of the name should be capitalised: 'south Wales' or 'South Wales'. As the name is a geographical expression rather than a specific area with well-defined borders, style guides such as those of the BBC[2] and The Guardian[3] use the form 'south Wales'. In a more authoritative style guide, the Welsh Government, in their international gateway website, Wales.com, state that it should always be capitalised.[4] It is always capitalised on motorway signs.

  1. ^ "People", Culture, Wales, UK: The BBC.
  2. ^ BBC Academy, 'Grammar, spelling and punctuation'. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  3. ^ The Guardian, 'Guardian and Observer style guide: C '. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  4. ^ Wales.com, 'Language and style guidance'. Retrieved 1 July 2021.