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Table of Contents
Wales, called Cymru in Welsh, is a country that is part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The country of Wales is well known for its rugged coastline, mountainous national parks, distinctive Welsh language, and Celtic culture.
See the fact file below for more information on the Wales or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Wales worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
INTRODUCTION
- The largest and capital city of Wales is Cardiff.
- Wales has retained a distinct cultural identity and has its own language.
- This country is bordered to the east by England, to the north and west by the Irish Sea, and to the south by the Bristol Channel.
- If you’re a fan of castles, Wales can satisfy you since it has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world.
ETYMOLOGY
- The English words “Wales” and “Welsh” derived from the same Old English root Wealh, derived from a Germanic root meaning “Foreigner.”
- The modern Welsh name for Wales is Cymru and the Welsh people name themselves as Cymry.
- Both of these words are pronounced as ˈkəm.rɨ and are descended from the Brythonic word combrogi, which means “fellow-countrymen,” and probably came into use before the 7th century.
BRIEF HISTORY
- The Celts inhabited Wales in prehistoric times. The Romans invaded in 1st-century BCE. The name “Britons” was used by Romans for the Celts they found. Romans ended their rule in about 400. Later, a number of new Celtic kingdoms were created. The English regarded the Britons to be Welsh, which came from an Old English word meaning “foreigner.” But the people of Wales called themselves Cymry, meaning “countrymen” in Welsh.
- After Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire territory of Wales, died in 1282 and Edward I of England finished his conquest of Wales, which resulted in Wales becoming a part of England.
- A Welsh leader, Owain Glyndŵr, fought against English rule in the early 15th century. However, after he was defeated by the English, the entire regions of Wales were taken over by England, with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.
- In 1536 Wales was officially annexed to England during the reign of Henry VIII. They additionally said that people who spoke Welsh instead of English couldn’t hold public office.
- In 1801 Wales became part of the United Kingdom together with England, Scotland, and Ireland. (Later most of Ireland split from the United Kingdom, although Northern Ireland persisted.)
- In 1998, a big change was made under the Government of Wales Act (1998).
- This created an Assembly for Wales, called in Welsh as Senedd. The Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament, has responsibility for a range of laws which have been devolved from the main UK government in Westminster.
- The people voted to form a lawmaking body of their own in 1997 called the National Assembly for Wales, which was established in 1999. The National Assembly for Wales took control of many things that the national Parliament in London had handled before.
GOVERNMENT
- As in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Wales has its personal devolved government – the National Assembly for Wales – which administers many aspects of Welsh life including health and education. In different matters (taxation, foreign policy, criminal law) Wales is administered by the UK-wide parliament based in London.
GEOGRAPHY
- The country of Wales, located on the western side of central southern Great Britain, is generally a mountainous country wherein the highest mountains are found in the northwest of the country.
- The oft-quoted ‘size of Wales’ is around 20,779 km2 or 8,023 sq mi.
- Wales is bordered by England to the east and surrounded by the sea on three sides: the Irish Sea to the north and west, St. George’s Channel and the Celtic Sea to the southwest, and the Bristol Channel to the south.
- 42 percent of the South and West Wales coastline is designated as ‘Heritage Coast’.
- Being famous for its hills and mountains, Wales’ and England’s highest mountain is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh) at 1085 meters (3560 feet) high.
- Ogof Ffynnon Dddu is the deepest cave in Britain, which is situated in Wales at (304m) deep.
- Wales’ climate is mild and damp and the more mountainous regions have high rainfall.
PEOPLE
- People from Wales can trace their roots back to the Celts who lived in the area thousands of years ago.
- Wales has a population of just over three million people although there are almost three times as many sheep and lambs in Wales as there are people.
- Wales’ official languages are English and Welsh. Welsh is a Celtic based language that has seen a resurgence in recent times and is now spoken by nearly a quarter of the population.
- The oldest language in Britain is the Welsh language (Cymraeg), which could be up to 4,000 years old.
- Welsh people like to sing in Wales. There is a strong tradition of choral singing in the country and various famous singers such as Tom Jones and Charlotte Church were born there.
- The country is often termed “the land of song” for being known for its harpists, male choirs, and solo artists.
- The largest religion in Wales is Christianity. Saint David (Dewi Sant) is the patron saint of Wales. People in Wales celebrate the life of their patron saint on St. David’s Day, March 1st.
- Celebrations comprise concerts, parades, and food festivals. Saint David’s place of birth, St. David’s (or Tyddewi in Welsh) is the smallest city in the United Kingdom.
- Rugby Union is regarded as the national sport and is passionately played and followed by most of the country.
Wales Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Wales across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Wales worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Wales, called Cymru in Welsh, which is a country that is part of the United Kingdom along with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The country of Wales is well known for its rugged coastline, mountainous national parks, distinctive Welsh language, and Celtic culture.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Wales Facts
- The Welsh Flag
- Quick Facts
- Wales Timeline
- Cymru Basic Information
- Welsh Phrasebook
- Truth vs Lies
- Dewi Sant
- Color the Box
- Land of Song
- Top Sights
Link/cite this page
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Link will appear as Wales Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 27, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.