Wales
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Ana Fonseca nº1 10º1 History:
The story of Wales begins with Celts. They began migrating from their central European homeland around 1000 b.C.
The recorded history of Wales begins with the arrival of the Romans on Welsh borders. At that time people spoke a Celtic language (Brythonic).
In 784 Offa, King of Mercia builds a dyke from sea to sea, the first permanent boundary between the Welsh and English people. Offa’s Dyke shaped the territory of Wales.
In 1935 the first radio broadcast in Welsh is made. The BBC begins to broadcast Welsh language programs from their studio at Bangor, Gwynedd.
In 1955 Cardiff is officially declared capital of Wales. Cardiff is Europe's youngest capital city.
And finally, in 1999 the National Assembly for Wales is officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen.
Geography:
Wales is part of UK.
It's situated to the west of England. Wales has 8,000 square miles (20,720 km²) and 3,063,758 inhabitants (2011).
Cardiff is the capital of Wales.
Climate:
Wales has a moderate climate, very similar to the rest of the UK. The temperature in winter is around 6°C and in summer it’s climbing up to 20°C.
Landscape:
- Beaches and coastline: It’s a country that looks to the sea and wherever you are in Wales, you’re rarely far from it.
- Mountains: Shaped by the last Ice Age, its landscape is mountainous. Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales and England.
- Lakes and rivers: Wales has got 398 natural lakes, so it’s no wonder that they enjoy water sports.
- Gardens of Wales: There are more than 107.000 plant species in gardens throughout Wales.
- Wales Coast Path: It’s currently the only country in the World to have a continuous coastal path stretching its entire length.
- National parks: Wales is a small country but it has three national parks.
Brecon Beacons Natural Park
Pembrokeshire Coast
Natural Park
Snowdonia National Natural Park
- AONB: It has five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This country has five AONB:
Gower Peninsula Clwydian Hills
Isle of Anglesey Coast Wye Valley
Llŷn Peninsula
Accommodation:
Wales offers B&B's hotels, fantastic self catering cottages, world class camping and a luxury holiday village!
Bluestone National Park Resort
Ruthin Castle Hotel
Best Western PLUS Maldron Hotel
Sleeperz Hotel Cardiff
Culture:
- Language: Wales was one of the first countries to use its own language to create laws, and the word Cymry was used to describe its people as long ago as the 7th century.
What’s certain that Welsh language is Britain’s oldest. It’s from Indo-European and Brythonic origins. The Romans were the first to commit these words to paper, introducing elements of Latin still present today.
National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
- Music: Names like Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey are very important in Wales.
- Cinema: From legendary crooners and icons of cinema to cutting-edge comedians and one of the finest poets ever to grace the page, Wales has produced abundant talent in entertainment.
Actors like Rhys Ifans, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones or comedian like Rob Brydon or theatre actor like Michael Sheen are big names in this country.
- Literature: It’s not by chance that the Hay Festival is one of the world’s top literature events.
Roald Dahl and Martin Amis work was shaped by childhoods in Wales. Today, a new generation of TV writers, like the team behind Dr. Who and Torchwood, are creating a new wave of cutting-edge drama.
- Sports:
Sport Wales is the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity in Wales.
The most famous sports in this country are: Rugby, Football and Horse racing.
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff by Chris Aylward
Liberty Stadium, Welsh team: Swansea
- Gastronomy:
Wales is bursting with great food. They’re famous for their cakes, breads, meat and cheeses - smoked, sweetened and matured.
Some of the product/companies famous in Wales are:
- Black Mountains Smokery (Mid Wales)
- Tregroes Waffle Bakery
- Trealy Farm Charcuterie
- Caerfai Farm, St Davids
Curiosities:
- Between 1276 and 1295 was built or repaired 17 castles in Wales. Today it has over 600 castles.
-At 1176 Lord Rhys holds a grand gathering of poets and musicians from all over Wales at Cardigan Castle. This was known as the very first Eisteddfod, a Welsh festival of music and literature that is still held all across Wales today.
- At 1856 Evan James and James of Pontypridd compose 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' (Land of my Fathers) which is now the Welsh national anthem.
Bibliography: http://www.wales.com/en/content/cms/English/About_Wales /Landscapes/Landscapes.aspx http://www.visitwales.com/explore/literature http://www.visitwales.com/explore/traditions-history/welsh- language http://www.visitwales.com/things-to-do/attractions/sports- events http://www.visitwales.com/things-to-do/attractions/food-and- drink/glorious-welsh-food http://www.wales.com/en/content/cms/English/About_Wales /History_ancestry/History_of_Wales/History_of_Wales.aspx