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Wales l0l Keep this page folded out as you read through l0l. The numbers that appear on this map relate to some of the individual numbered facts you read. They show you where in Wales the geography, events, history and tourist attractions in this book are to be found. To Dublin/Belfast/Douglas To Dublin M53

Llandudno Holyhead Anglesey 50 41 See Wales at a glance Bethesda M56 Bangor 11 Clwydian Range Location: Government: 80 km As part of the European 20 50 miles Wales is in Western Europe Llyn Llydaw 46 on the western part of mainland Union and the , Wales elects four 64 18 Britain, bordering England to the Snowdonia Llangollen east and surrounded by sea to Members to the European 60 Parliament and 40 Members Llanymynech the north, south and west. to the UK Parliament. At the Size: 2 national level, government 97 km 20,732 km (8,005 square miles). 60 miles is provided by the National Newtown 250 kms (155 miles) north to Assembly for Wales, made up south and 200 kms (124 miles) of Assembly Members, from east to west at its widest. Only which the Welsh Assembly To Rosslare 75 kms (47 miles) from the Government is formed. Aberaeron English border to the coast at 36 its narrowest. Geography: Hay-on-Wye Ranges of the hills and Fishguard 78 Population: mountains are the main 2.9 million (2001 census). 16 feature, especially in Mid Brecon That’s an average of 140 and North Wales. Valleys Pembrokeshire Coast Brecon Beacons 2 St David’s 66 Abergavenny people per km (361 people radiate across the south, Milford 50 49 per square mile). linking the mountains of Haven 70 Tenby 88 Mid Wales to the coast. 205 km Languages: 128 miles Gower 60 English and Welsh. Both The south-east is home To Rosslare 23 5 4 19 Newport M4 languages have equal legal to the largest centres of status. English is spoken as population: Cardiff, the To Cork CARDIFF 62 14, 29, a fi rst or second language capital city, Newport 47, 51, Areas of Outstanding Natural and Swansea. 59, 93 by nearly everyone, whilst Beauty and National Parks Welsh is spoken as a fi rst or second language by over 20% of the population.

Original thinkers welcome 68 To Dublin/Belfast/Douglas Liverpool To Dublin M53

Llandudno Holyhead Anglesey 50 41 SeeSee WalesWales atat aa glanceglance Bethesda M56 Bangor 11 Clwydian Range LoLocation:cation: Government:Government: Manchester 80 km AsAs part part of of the the European European Union 20 50 miles WalesWales is is inin WWesternestern Europe on Llyn Llydaw 46 Wrexham onthe the western western part part of mainlandof mainland andUnion the Unitedand the Kingdom, United Kingdom, Wales elects four 64 18 Britain,Britain, bordering bordering EnglandEngland to the Wales elects four Members Snowdonia Llangollen eastthe eastand sandurrounded surrounded by sea by seato toMember the Europeans to the Parliament European 60 Parliament and 40 Members Llanymynech theto thenorth, north, south south and and west. west. and 40 Members to the to the UK Parliament. At the Size:Size: UK Parliament. At the national Birmingham 2 level,national the Welsh level, Governmentgovernment 97 km 20,73220,782 km km²(8,005 (8,024 square sq miles). miles). 60 miles isis accountable provided by to the the National National Newtown 250229 kms kms (155(142 miles) miles) northnorth to Assembly for Wales, made up southsouth andand 200183 kmskms (124(114 miles)miles) Assembly for Wales, which has Aberystwyth 60of Members. Assembly Members, from easteast to to westwest at its widest.widest. Only Only which the Welsh Assembly To Rosslare 7557 kms kms (47 (36 m miles)iles) fr fromom thethe Geography:Government is formed. Aberaeron EnglEnglishish bo borderrder toto the coastcoast atat Ranges of the hills and 36 itsits narrowest. narrowest (OS 2013). mountainsGeography: are the main Hay-on-Wye Ranges of the hills and Fishguard 78 feature, especially in Mid and PopuPopulation:lation: mountains are the main 2.93,063,456 million (2001(2011 census).Census. North Wales. Valleys radiate 16 acrossfeature, the espec south,ia linkinglly in Mid the Brecon That’sThat’s anan averageaverage of 140 and North Wales. Valleys Pembrokeshire Coast Brecon Beacons 2 mountains of Mid Wales to the St David’s 66 Abergavenny people148 people per km per (361km² (382peop perle coast.radiate The across south-east the sout is homeh, Milford 50 49 persquare squa mile).re mile). linking the mountains of Haven 70 to the largest centres of Tenby 88 London Languages: Mid Wales to the coast. 205 km Languages: population: Cardiff, the capital Swansea 128 miles Gower 60 EnglishEnglish andand Welsh.Welsh. Both The south-east is home To Rosslare 23 5 4 city, Newport and Swansea. 19 Newport M4 languageslanguages havehave equalequal legal to the largest centres of Cardiff status. English is spoken as population: Cardiff, the To Cork CARDIFF status. English is spoken as a 62 14, 29, afirst fi rst or or second second language language by capital city, Newport 47, 51, Bristol Areas of Outstanding Natural and Swansea. 59, 93 by nearly everyone, whilst Beauty and National Parks nearly everyone, whilst Welsh Welshis spoken is spoken as a first as ora fisecond rst or secondlanguage language by over by20% over of the 20%population. of the population.

Original thinkers welcome 68 Welcome to

WalesFact Pg l–l0 Original thoughts 1 ll–26 History & Geography 9 27–37 Government & Economy 19 38–5l Language & Culture 27 52–7l Leisure & Tourism 35 72–83 Education & Health 49 84–l00 Trade & Investment 57 l0l Original thinkers welcome 67

Linked by land to England, thinking. An original language by air to the world, and by (but yes, we all speak English attitude to anyone who values too), an original people, an original thinking, loves culture, original spirit. We’ve gathered craves opportunity or simply together l0l of the original wants room to breathe. Where is thoughts from and about Wales? You’ll find the answer Wales. Our history, business to that on the fold-out page community, lifestyle, landscape opposite. What is Wales? You’ll and culture. Enjoy exploring find the answer to that on every the 20,872 km² (8,024 square page of this booklet. You’ll see miles), 3 million people, that, more than anything, Wales £47 billion economy and 3,000 and ‘Welshness’ is about original year history that is Wales. 1st

1 First for business; first for lifestyle .

You’d expect a place that cherishes original thinking to have a lot of ‘firsts’ to its name. Wales was the first industrialised nation and home to Aneurin Bevan, architect of the world’s first national health service. Today, we continue our list of firsts by being a first choice for those seeking a safe and friendly place to study and a great business environment.

Original thoughts 2 Sometimes an original thought is so good it sticks. Forever. 2 The dragon is the perfect symbol of our original thinking: bold and imaginative. Maybe that’s why we’re the only country in the world to enter the third millennium with the same symbol on our national flag that we had when we entered the second millennium.

3 “See you on the beach with your board at 5:31pm.” In Wales 3 the work/life balance isn’t a precarious tightrope act or a well-intended but impractical ambition. It’s a daily reality.

Anything good is 4worth paying for. Most of the world’s toll bridges you have to pay a toll – but then are two-way affairs: you pay you are entering one of the when you go over them, most beautiful and fascinating whichever way you are going. parts of the world. Re-cross the As a land of original thinkers, Severn Bridge to go to England, it won’t surprise you to find out however, and you won’t have to that Wales is different. Cross the pay a thing. Think about it. Severn Bridge into Wales and Why is that?

Original thoughts 4 5 6 ‘All aboard for What have an original thinking.’ ostrich, a vegetable The world’s first fare-paying and a flower got passenger railway took to the in common? rails between Swansea and Mumbles on March 25th, 1807. The three feathers of the Prince of Wales, the daffodil and the leek are all symbols of Wales. The first Black Prince who became Prince of Wales adopted the ostrich feathers after the Battle of Crécy. The leek commemorates another battle, fought against the Saxons in a field of leeks. And the daffodil? Well, in Welsh, the daffodil happens to share a common name (cenhinen Pedr) with the leek (cenhinen) and it’s a bit more colourful to wear in your jacket buttonhole.

5 7 8 The World’s first March 1st. Fair Trade Nation. The first day of spring and the In 2008 an independent panel National Day of Wales. assessed that Welsh schools, St David’s Day is the first of universities and colleges, along the UK’s patron saints’ days with towns, local and national celebrated every year. government were doing so much to promote a fairer deal for farmers in the developing world that we were qualified to call ourselves a Fair Trade Nation.

Original thoughts 6 9

7 A taste Our agriculture and coastline mean that from lamb to lobsters of Wales. and Caerphilly cheese to laverbread, all Welsh people have a bit of the gourmet in them. But with so much to do, speed and practicality sometimes win the day. Here’s the recipe for Wales’ favourite snack called ‘Caws Wedi Pobi’ in Welsh. In English it’s called ‘Welsh Rarebit’. Try it to enjoy a little taste of Wales.

Is ‘Croeso’ Welsh for hello? You are very likely to come across 10 the Welsh word ‘Croeso’ on your travels – on road signs as you enter Wales, from the 117,000 people who work in tourism and as a greeting from the local barman. It doesn’t just mean ‘Hello’ but ‘Welcome’. So Croeso i Gymru – Welcome to Wales!

Original thoughts 8 A bird’s eye view of 200 years of 11 history.

9 Once the largest slate quarries in the world, Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda, North Wales is now home to the longest and fastest zip wire rides in Europe.

12 13 Celts and Conquerors. Wales. Popular since We Welsh trace our original 250,000 BC. thinking and love of poetry, That’s when it’s thought Wales music and art (as well as our was first inhabited. We waited language) back to the Celts. another 245,000 years before From 500 BC, they were the building anything you can still dominant force in Wales, until see today. ‘Cromlechs’ or the arrival of the Romans. standing stone structures were Like the Normans after them, built just before the Iron Age. the Romans built many a fortification to subdue the unruly Welsh. The Romans and Normans have gone, but we’ve kept the castles. There are hundreds of them left for visitors to enjoy today.

History and Geography 10 15 Saying ‘yes’ or ‘ie’. In September 1997, the majority of voters said yes (or ‘ie’ in Welsh) to the establishment of a national 14 assembly. For the first time in Coal-powered history. over 400 years, Wales became a distinct constitutional entity Our natural resources fuelled within the UK when HM The the world in the 18th and 19th Queen opened The National centuries and changed Wales Assembly for Wales in May 1999. in just 30 years into something completely original: the world’s first industrialised nation. By 1913, over 250,000 miners were producing over 57 million tons of coal and Cardiff was the world’s biggest port.

11 17 Mt Everest. It may not be in Wales, but it gets its English language 16 name from Welshman An ancient land. Sir George Everest from Crickhowell. Proof that Literally. wherever you find a challenge, Around St David’s Head in you’ll find a Welsh person the far south-west of Wales, taking it on (in his case, as we have some of the oldest Surveyor General of India exposed rocks on the planet. in 1865). Snowdon, however, Whilst our landscapes, valleys, is in Wales. OK, at 1,085 metres hills and coastline are all (3,560 feet) it may be more home-grown, the name ‘Wales’ than a few centimetres is not. It is derived from the shorter than Everest, but ancient Anglo Saxon for we’re just as proud of it. It’s ‘foreigners’ or ‘wealas’: hence the highest peak in the UK ‘Wales’. outside Scotland. Which is probably why the first team to successfully scale Everest in 1953 trained on Snowdon.

History and Geography 12 18

13 The Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and.... Pontcystyllte Aqueduct. When ‘the stream in the sky’ was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2009 it became the latest Welsh site to join the Castles of King Edward 1 and Blaenavon Landscape on this illustrious list of places of ‘outstanding universal value’.

Are there any deserts in Wales? Strictly speaking, no. But film makers of the epic Lawrence of Arabia were so impressed by the Merthyr Mawr sand dunes near that they decided 19 to let them stand in for the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. Or maybe they just remembered that original thinker and author of ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’, T. E. Lawrence (or ‘Lawrence of Arabia’), was himself from Tremadog, Wales.

History and Geography 14 20

15 Like what you see? We’ve got 398 natural lakes not counting the 90 we built ourselves.

21 22 Rain: If you were designing a Welsh invention. a country, how green Wales has a temperate climate, would you make it? thanks to the Atlantic. Like the 50%, 70%, 80%? rest of the British Isles, it can be a bit cloudy, but rain falls Four-fifths of Wales is given mainly between October and over to agriculture. So, whilst in January. After all, you don’t get our urban landscapes you’ll find to have stunning green valleys plenty of cosmopolitan life, like ours without watering them we’ve preserved much of our a bit. Maybe that’s why, natural landscape as originally after pioneering the use of intended. 80% of Wales is Radar in the second world agricultural – and woodland war, Eddie Bowen of Gendros covers a further 12.5%. in Swansea went on to invent artificial rain in the 1950s.

History and Geography 16 23 24 You are staring Highs and lows. at an AONB. Wales is big on mountains. No, that’s not another Welsh Snowdonia links to the place name: it’s short for ‘Area of Cambrian Mountains, which Outstanding Natural Beauty’. link to the Brecon Beacons Wales is home to the first ever and the Black Mountains in the area to win this accolade: the south. And where you get . highs, you also get lows – like the awesome green valleys for which we’re so famous.

17 25 26% Why would you want Officially beautiful. to walk right around a 26% of Wales’ land surface country? is designated as either National Park or as an Area of Because in Wales you can. In Outstanding Natural Beauty. 2012 the Wales Coast Path became the longest continuous path along a nation’s coastline. If you’re looking for a challenge you can do all 870 miles in one go but most of us take it in shorter distances, with stretches which are wheelchair friendly. Yes, we know the coast only goes around 3 sides of Wales – but if you also walk Offa’s Dyke, the border with England, you can walk right around the country.

History and Geography 18 27 28 Original Thinker, MP. From a thought to Some of the heavyweights of a proposal to one British politics, or ‘MP’s – of Europe’s newest Members of Parliament – have come from Wales. Like democracies. British Prime Minister in the What originally was an last century David Lloyd aspiration – devolution – became George MP, with his original a reality in May 1999. Two years thoughts on social welfare. Or after the people of Wales voted Aneurin Bevan MP, with his to establish a national assembly, very original invention of the the first election of members world’s first national health took place. Wales now has a service. devolved government within the UK. It just shows the power of an idea when its time has come.

19 29 30 A public building Legislation – completed on time made in Wales. and on budget? From its early beginnings in 1999, Now there’s an the National Assembly now has full law-making powers. A 2011 original thought. referendum confirmed the The stunning National support of the Welsh people for Assembly for Wales building in legislation to be made in Wales , which was for Wales in relation to most designed by original thinker public services, as well as culture, Richard Rogers (of Pompidou economic development and the Centre, Paris fame) and opened environment. in 2006, houses the 60 elected Assembly Members (AMs). Wales still elects 40 Members of Parliament (MPs) to the UK Parliament in London and the Secretary of State for Wales is in the Cabinet that sits at the heart of the UK Government. We also elect four Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

Government and Economy 20 31

21 Forward thinking. It’s not just our National Assembly and its building that have been designed to meet current and future 31 needs. From its creation, the National Assembly for Wales has always had a statutory responsibility to promote sustainable development. 32 “Wales is a single noun, but a plural experience.” This quote from cultural historian Dai Smith is not just true of the inclusive, social nature of our people. It’s also true of our politics. Assembly Members have regularly used both English and Welsh as the working languages of debate and government. And in 2012 The National Assembly for Wales (Official Languages) Act became the first Welsh Bill to receive Royal Assent following the 2011 referendum on law making powers.

Government and Economy 22 33

23 To find out what the light’s like on the top floor of a Kuala Lumpur skyscraper, come to Cardiff. The Skydome at the Welsh School of Architecture can simulate the sky conditions at any time of day at any place in the world. It uses 640 lamps to work out how to maximise the use of natural light in a building, reduce the use of electric light and control solar radiation. 34 35 Big ideas are a Small country, speciality in Wales. big economy. Like the advanced £47billion big to be almost semi-conductor wafers exact. Today that economy is manufactured by IQE’s plc driven by the original thinking of of St Mellons, South Wales. workers in 21st Century sectors, As well as enabling a range such as advanced materials and of optical applications, IQE’s manufacturing, life sciences and wafers are faster and more creative industries. powerful than traditional silicon and are exported all over the world. Maybe we’ll have to rename the St Mellons area the Semiconductor Wafer Valley.

Government and Economy 24 36

25 Fancy a £5 billion holiday? Tourism in Wales employs 117,000 people and earns 37 some £5 billion a year. Where would the So a fair amount of the currency struck by the Royal internet be without Mint in Llantrisant for the UK Wales? and other countries finds its Welshman Donald Davies way back home to Wales. invented ‘Packet Switching’ – sending large amounts of data across the world by breaking it up into smaller packets of data which move independently through a series of networks. Today we’re committed to making superfast broadband available to 96% of all homes and businesses.

Government and Economy 26 Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychw yrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch 38 Language of Europe. We call Welsh the “language of heaven” but these days it is has its place in Europe too. Since 2008 Ministers at the Wales. Cymru. Council of the European Union have had the option of speaking So good they Welsh with full translation into named it twice. the EU’s 23 official languages. Every road sign in Wales is an opportunity to brush up on your Welsh. How many other countries give drivers a free language lesson? 39

27 Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychw yrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch 40 Welsh: From Arthur to Oscar. Did you know that two films have been What you see nominated for Oscars – Hedd Wyn and Solomon a Gaenor (and say) is what under the ‘Best Foreign Language you get. Film’ category? It’s not just the Welsh people It’s also quite possible that the who are straightforward and first round table discussions were open. Our language is too. held in the language. The earliest It’s a phonetic language where references to King Arthur and what you see is what you get. Merlin are all in Welsh! Which arguably makes it easy Welsh is a Celtic language and for even beginners to has special legal status. With pronounce. Although 562,000 speakers, it is the most visitors to the village with widely spoken Celtic language. Britain’s longest place name, Over 40% of 3 to 15 year olds Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogery- can speak Welsh. There are chwyrndrobwllllantysilio- dedicated Welsh language radio gogogoch may not agree. and TV channels. And the 1993 Welsh Language Act and 2011 Welsh Language Measure say that public bodies must give Welsh and English equal status. 41 There is even a Commissioner to make sure that happens. Language and Culture 28 42 43 And the prize for Is it a record? most original National Another Welsh world record Anthem goes to… goes to in Cardiff. Established in 1894, it’s Yes, it’s Wales. ‘Hen Wlad fy the world’s oldest record shop. Nhadau’ or ‘Land of my Fathers’ Pop in and ask for some famous (you can see a few bars of it Welsh artists, from here) is one of the world’s show-stopping originals oldest national anthems still used or Tom Jones today. Written by father to the contemporary sounds and son team Evan James (lyrics) of the , and James James (melody), or Cate Le Bon. In the mood for “Hen Wlad fy Nhadau”, celebrates something more classical? Try the landscape, love of music, the internationally famous poetry and sense of community or the that unites Wales and the Welsh to wonderfully sublime voice of this day. Have a try at the Katherine Jenkins. few bars reproduced here – guaranteed to stir the soul.

29 44

‘What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.’

These famous lines are from the poem ‘Leisure’ by William Henry Davies. Davies was a wanderer and a highly original Welsh poet. As you can tell, he was a man who knew how to appreciate a landscape.

Language and Culture 30 45 46 Nothing comes Sit in on an . close to Welsh We have our own annual harmony singing. week-long celebration of the originality of Welsh culture. Hear the voices of the Our music, poetry, dance, Morriston Orpheus Male literature and crafts. It’s called Voice Choir in close harmony The National Eisteddfod of and it’s as close as you’ll get to Wales. The name comes from perfection. Like many other the Welsh ‘eistedd’, ‘to sit’ Welsh choirs, they tour the (though feel free to dance, join world taking this unique in or tour the many different musical form to millions. The attractions rather than just Welsh National also ‘sitting’ there). And we don’t just tours, as well as performing at champion home-grown the originality and creativity, we in Cardiff Bay, as does the BBC encourage it wherever it National Orchestra of Wales. originates from at events such as the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen.

31 47 48 As original as the Poetry wherever performances it hosts. you look. The brief to the architects of the ‘In the mustardseed sun, by full Wales Millennium Centre was to tilt river and switchback sea create something ‘unmistakably where the cormorants scud…’ Welsh and internationally These opening lines from Dylan outstanding’. That’s a motto we Thomas’ ‘Poem on his Birthday’ try to live up to in everything we reveal two other great Welsh do. The result is one of the largest loves. Our landscape and the theatres in the world, hosting poetry it inspires. We are true ballet, opera, theatre and dance. Celts, with an in-built feeling for poetry and art. (Robert Zimmerman was so inspired by the work of that he changed his name to ‘Bob Dylan’.)

Language and Culture 32 49

33 Are there little green men in Wales? Well, not so much little green men but certainly a big Green Man. The Green Man Festival is just one of our many festivals. If it moves, grows, sings, is edible, makes you laugh, feels good, sounds good, or just looks pretty, we’ll celebrate it with a festival. Any excuse really. 50 51 Alice (and Peter!) Doctor Who. in Wales. Welsh television writer and Not only local poets, painters, novelist Terry Nation created singers and musicians are Doctor Who’s most famous inspired by Wales. It was in enemy for the original series Llandudno, North Wales, that in the 1960s. When Swansea C. L. Dodgson (also known as born writer Russell T Davies Lewis Carroll) created and set revived the cult TV programme Alice in Wonderland. Whilst in 2005 even he could not Beatrix Potter took inspiration have predicted the world-wide for her world-famous Peter phenomenon it has become. Rabbit books from Tenby, These days fans from all over West Wales. the world can be found dalek spotting in Cardiff.

Language and Culture 34 52 What do you call that ‘enjoying-myself- talking-passionately- and-eloquently-with- friends’ feeling? Ever had a feeling you just can’t put into words? In Wales, when that happens, we invent one. Hwyl. A very Welsh word for a very Welsh emotion.

35 Leisure and Tourism 36 53 54 Wales is not a Rugby is not a national spectator sport. obsession: we take it We may have lots of beautiful much more seriously landscapes, but they’re not just than that. for looking at. Mountain-bike them. Horse-ride them. Swim Since it first came into the them. Fish them. Sail them. country in the 1850s the Canoe them. Hike them. White egalitarian, physical nature water raft them. Surf them. of rugby has been a natural fit with our temperament. Even here you’ll find examples of our original thinking: our style of play is often referred to as ‘imaginative’, ‘creative’ or ‘adventurous’ (and not only by us!).

37 55 56 On our bikes. Wimbledon wouldn’t We don’t know whether it is our be Wimbledon Olympic champion role models without Wales. like Nicole Cooke and ; maybe it is our more We like sports so much we than 1,200 miles of national invent them. Lawn tennis is the cycle track with some fantastic lasting legacy of North Wales scenery; or could it be the resident Major Walter Wingfield, thrills of the UK’s first full scale who patented the game. With mountain bike park at Bike Park its simple rules, it was accessible Wales. Whatever it is, cycling is to all and has certainly stood the very popular in Wales and with test of time. its benefits to health that’s fine by us.

Leisure and Tourism 38 57 58 Flying the flag at the Climb, scramble, friendly games. run, jump and swim No is yourself fit. complete without the Queen’s That’s the original thought Baton Relay – but did you know behind a sport invented it originated in Wales? The first in Wales. Coasteering. It’s a ever baton used, when the guided expedition along a Empire and Commonwealth coastline that will get you Games were held in Cardiff in trying all of these activities. 1958, can now be seen at the And with such a spectacular . Our coastline to go at, no wonder it sportsmen and women love the was invented here. As was Commonwealth Games because another world first: bog it means competing under the snorkelling. Proof that we Welsh flag. never stop looking for original ways to enjoy our country and ourselves.

39 59 Join 74,499 other fans. The is an incredible 40,000 square metre (430,570 square foot), 74,500 seater arena. When we built it, it was the world’s largest stadium with a retractable roof. If you were going to build such a monster, where would you look? A greenfield site? Regenerate old industrial land? Being Welsh, we had an original thought and put it right in the centre of our capital city. Visit Cardiff and you can’t mistake its futuristic pylons, just like you can’t mistake the sound of more than 70,000 rugby fans singing ‘Bread of Heaven’ on match day.

Leisure and Tourism 40 41 60 61 Golfing Holiday. What a score! The Twenty Ten course at the 1957: John Charles – Celtic Manor Resort where the Juventus – £65,000 was played is 2013: – just one of the 200 golf courses Real Madrid – €100million in Wales. At Llanymynech Golf (£85million) Club, on the fourth hole you tee off in Wales, putt in England and Two world record breaking return to Wales three holes later. transfers of Welsh footballers who also shared the distinction of being Wales’ youngest ever international player when they made their international debut.

Leisure and Tourism 42 Opening time: 1380 AD. The Blue Anchor Inn, located in the village of East Aberthaw, is a complete original and 62 has served thirsty and hungry customers for over five centuries.

43 63 64 Croeso / Welcome. The Prisoner Each year around 10.5 million of Portmeirion. visitors come to stay in Wales The highly original Italianate and over a hundred million architecture created by Sir Clough come just for the day. Williams-Ellis at Portmeirion captured the world’s imagination when it became the setting for an equally original 1960s television series, The Prisoner. At Portmeirion today, fans of the architecture join fans of the television series, as well as fans of Snowdonia’s coastline and fans of just a great day out. The village also hosts the annual Festival No 6 for fans of music, art and culture.

Leisure and Tourism 44 Wise words. Sometimes, it Sir Clough Williams-Ellis left us takes 250 years more than Portmeirion. He also to appreciate a left the original thought that inspired it: that you develop good idea. a naturally beautiful site without When the tunnel of yew trees defiling it. We like to think we was planted at Aberglasney stuck to Sir Clough’s wise words a quarter of a millennium ago, in growing our tourism business. the gardener must have been a very patient man. It took many decades for them to grow into the amazing arcade they 65 are today. 66

45 How do you like Think laterally, your castles? Norman, and you can turn a Gothic or Victorian? symbol of oppression We’ve got 641 castles to choose into a money-spinner. from in Wales. More per square Many of our castles were built kilometer than any other by invaders to rule over Wales. European country. We got rid of the invaders, but kept their castles. We’ve even turned these former symbols of domination into tourist attractions (now there’s a 67 creative thought!). 68

Leisure and Tourism 46 69 70 Ignore the sheep, Buried treasure. they just work here. ‘Big Pit’ coal mine has become a Sheep outnumber people showcase of what made Wales 3:1 in Wales. Welsh lamb is the world’s first industrialised famous the world over. And nation. This underground when they are hard at work treasure is now one of Wales’ looking impossibly scenic in National Museums and the a Welsh landscape, it’s hard surrounding area of Blaenavon to believe they don’t work is one of three ‘World Heritage for Welsh tourism. Sites’ in Wales.

47 71 Is the Welsh flag blue? No, but with beaches right around our coastline carrying the Blue Flag accreditation for cleanliness, you could be forgiven for wondering if we’d changed our national flag.

Leisure and Tourism 48 72 73 Wales = Education. Pi: a Welsh character. The man who had the original Another Welsh original thinker thought of inventing the ‘=’ sign is William Jones, who in 1706 as a shorthand for ‘equals’ was became the first person to Robert Recorde from Tenby. use the Greek letter Pi (π) That was back in 1550. Love as a mathematical symbol of learning is a part of Wales. to calculate the circumference Children generally attend to diameter ratio of circles. school between 5 and 16 years old. We have 1,376 state nursery and primary schools for younger children, 4 middle schools and 212 state secondary schools for 11–16 year olds. Many young people then choose to stay in full-time education after 16, either in their secondary school or one of our further education colleges. At 18, they can leave to enter the world of work or follow further courses of study.

49 74 75 Child’s Play. Meet Elizabeth ‘Bessie’ We believe learning should be Phillips Hughes, BA fun. The Foundation Phase is Hons. the statutory curriculum for all 3 to 7 years old children in Wales is a country of early Wales. It is based on the adopters – and that’s particularly principle that early years’ true of education. ‘Bessie’ from provision should offer a sound Carmarthenshire was the first foundation for future learning. ever woman to achieve a first Young children are given class honours at degree level opportunities to gain first hand and went on to campaign for experiences through play and universal secondary education. active involvement relevant to Today there are almost 130,000 their developmental stage. higher education students in Wales. We think Bessie would be proud to see the number of departments at our 9 higher education institutions carrying out research of national and international excellence.

Education and Health 50 76 Some lessons you can’t learn in a classroom.

51 Independent learners. Welsh schoolchildren can study the Welsh Baccalaureate alongside existing qualifications. It encourages them to become 77 effective independent learners and to learn how to develop and use transferable skills. Exciting and interesting activities give them wider experiences and increases their understanding of active citizenship.

Lifelong learning is an industry in Wales. As well as formal work-based learning and career development for adults, we are also home to 78 the world’s second hand book capital where educational – and not so educational – books can be picked up at bargain prices. Hay-on-Wye’s world famous Literary Festival attracts people world wide. It’s all the very original idea of Richard Booth who over 40 years ago opened Hay’s first second-hand bookshop in the town’s old fire station.

Education and Health 52 79 80 Where science Teaching the world of evolves. medicine new words. In science, the theories of Have you ever talked of ‘visiting Charles Darwin that so radically a shrink’, undergoing ‘analysis’ changed our understanding of or tried to ‘rationalise someone’s human development would not motives’? If so, you owe it to have evolved so fast without the person who coined these Alfred Russel Wallace from Usk. words and organised the world’s Both men’s work formed part of first psychiatric conference in the original presentation of the Salzburg alongside Carl Gustav theory of evolution of species Jung – psychiatrist Ernest Jones by natural selection in 1858. from Gowerton. Today the Psychology Department of has an international reputation in its field.

53 Education and Health 54 81

55 You can make a healthy meal, but how do you make a healthy nation? That is the job of the and its five-year vision Together for Health. Healthcare is delivered by seven health boards and NHS trusts in Wales and programmes like Change4Life are pioneering ways of improving people’s health and wellbeing. Since devolution, life expectancy in Wales has increased; men now live to an average age of 78.2 and women 82.2 – an increase of around four years.

82 83 The original health Life Sciences – service. it’s in our DNA. A Welshman was the driving Prof. Sir Martin Evans, force behind the establishment Chancellor, Cardiff University of the world’s first national was awarded the 2007 Nobel health service in 1948. Aneurin Prize in Medicine for “a series Bevan, as the UK’s Minister of ground-breaking discoveries for Health, was inspired by the concerning embryonic stem community health projects cells and DNA recombination in he saw in action in Tredegar, mammals”. South Wales.

Education and Health 56 84 What a great place to put a country. We can’t lay claim to the original thought of putting Wales so close to key European markets. But we would like to take the credit for all of the strategic rail, road, sea and air links we’ve invested in to promote trade. We’re 2 hours from London and we’ve invested billions in developing future-proof transport and communications for business with fast and effective links from South, North and Mid Wales to England, Ireland and beyond – to Europe and the rest of the world.

57 85 86 Exporting “Testing, testing.” imagination. Among the many scientific Many original thinkers trace and engineering firsts to their roots to Wales, including come from Wales is the carbon architect Frank Lloyd Wright. microphone. Developed by Next time you visit one of his David Edward Hughes of Bala original creations, like New in the 1870s, the technology York’s Guggenheim Museum, still forms the basis of all try looking for the Welsh motto microphones. In 1879, he he incorporated in many of his successfully transmitted radio buildings. ‘Y Gwir yn Erbyn y Byd’. signals over a distance of ‘The Truth against the World’. several hundred metres, Thanks Frank, we couldn’t have pre-dating Marconi’s first put our national pride in original experiments by 16 years. thinking any better. Guglielmo Marconi also came to Wales to carry out radio experiments with his Welsh collaborator, William Preece. An early example of a Welsh wireless network perhaps?

Trade and Investment 58 87

59 In the zone: It could be Energy at Anglesey or Haven Waterway, Manufacturing at Deeside or Ebbw Vale, Aerospace at St Athan – Cardiff Airport, Financial & Professional Services at Central Cardiff, or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems at Snowdonia. Whichever they choose, businesses can enjoy compelling incentives and a first class business infrastructure in all 7 of our Enterprise Zones. 88 89 Self-starting, original Internet shopping, thinking. In a can. 19th century style. Our entrepreneurial spirit Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones, a draper is also evident in one of from Newtown, invented home mankind’s greatest inventions: shopping when he saw the canned beer! It was invented potential of emerging railway at the Felinfoel Brewery, networks and a reformed postal Llanelli, in 1933, with the first system to expand his market. cans on sale in 1935. Without Some say he also invented business brains like this, and direct mail, sending leaflets more recently those of people out to advertise his goods. like Sir Howard Stringer and One must have found its way Michael Morritz, the world to Queen Victoria. She was would be a distinctly less one of Sir Pryce’s more high original place. profile customers.

Trade and Investment 60 90 91 Getting Connected: From Swansea High Performance Computing to outer space. (HPC) Wales is a £40m The fuel cells like those on collaboration between global the NASA Apollo and Shuttle technology giant Fujitsu, programmes were first invented Welsh Government and Welsh by William Grove of Swansea. universities, which gives “Wales, we don’t have a businesses and researchers problem...” access to world class, secure and easy-to-use HPC technology. Unique in the UK, this supercomputing infrastructure and service can help firms carry out financial forecasting and model customer behaviour, helping to predict future trends. We like making things – and we’re good at it! Our long established heritage of manufacturing and expertise is why companies come to Wales when they’re looking for quality in advanced materials and manufacturing. When Toyota was looking for somewhere outside Japan to manufacture its new hybrid engine it chose Wales. Perhaps this was because they’d seen how well things were going for Airbus manufacturing their A380 wings here. 61 92

Trade and Investment 62 You are in good company. We don’t do after care, there is no after in Wales. For us, its all about an ongoing partnership with your We know a thing business. We provide dedicated or two about big support to new businesses coming financial transactions. into Wales, as well as individual account management to our In the early1900’s the world’s 45 Anchor Companies. We hold first £1 million cheque was businesses hand throughout. signed at the in Cardiff. Today, with a high concentration of Financial and Professional Services-related graduates, Cardiff is home to the fastest growing financial 94 services sector in the UK. 93 63 Why fish grow bigger in smaller ponds. Every incoming business is vital to us. In Wales, you get to be a big fish in a small pond. And we do everything we can to help. As a smaller country, you have more direct access to opinion-formers and decision-makers within government. Not to mention 96 the opportunity to thrive within Because we’re small a mutually supportive business on size, we are community that can help your business grow. small on red tape too. 95

Trade and Investment 64 97 98 Treat business people Executives who as people? What an have a love of space, original idea! lower housing costs It seems obvious, but most and quality leisure Governments spend so long time – and a dislike luring business in, they forget that business is all about people. of congestion, long We see attracting business as commutes and the start of the relationship, not the end of it. You’ll find we pollution – would have lots of bright ideas to help be wise to consider you and your executives get Wales for their the most out of Wales. business.

65 99 100 Why shouldn’t better PMA. Three letters quality cost you less? all Welsh employees It’s a radical thought, but when have after their name. you look at the well-educated, committed, flexible workforce, We Welsh have a Positive the lower cost of quality Mental Attitude. It goes with commercial property (and the our original thinking. Just ask stunning cities and landscapes the likes of Ford, Sony, GE and that are thrown in for free), Toyota. Most businesses that it’s also a very appealing one. invest in Wales repeatedly reinvest. No wonder we feel so positive!

Trade and Investment 66 Original thinkers welcome. We hope that this book has given you a flavour of what Wales is all about. And there’s obviously much more to find out. For more information visit wales.com

67 Original thinkers welcome 68 Wales

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