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. , it had a population of 3,107,494. 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. The 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 Ebbw Valley Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Cwm Ebwy) is a branch line of the Great Western Main Line in Wales. Arriva Trains Wales provide an hourly passenger service each way, between Ebbw Vale Parkway and Cardiff Central. The Great Western Railway operated a passenger service on the line from the 1850s between Ebbw Vale and Newport. The line became part of British Railways' Western Region in 1948, following the nationalisation of the railways. Passenger services ceased on the line in 1962 under the Beeching Axe, but the route continued to be used to carry freight to and from the Corus steelworks in Ebbw Vale until its closure in 2002.

Proposals to re-open the existing freight railway line to passenger services were first mooted in 1998. The Welsh Assembly Government announced their commitment to the project in 2002, as part of a package of measures to help the steel communities. Passenger services were restored to the line in February 2008, using Class 150 diesel multiple units. Predominantly single track, the Ebbw Valley Railway runs 18 miles (29 km) along the Ebbw River valley from Ebbw Vale, before joining the South Wales Main Line at Ebbw Junction, Newport. The line's stations and services are managed by Arriva Trains Wales.

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A view down the River Vyrnwy (Afon Efyrnwy in Welsh) in northern Powys, Wales.

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Did you know...?

... that the church of St Peulan, Llanbeulan, is said to have been founded by St Peulan, the son of St Paulinus?
... that the 16th-century chancel window of the church of St Cristiolus, Llangristiolus, has been described as "almost too big to fit" in the east wall?
... that a hoax electric guitar inspired version of the Welsh national anthem was credited to both Jimi Hendrix and Tich Gwilym, when it was 'unearthed' in 2006?
... that in 1896, a flooding disaster occurred at River Level Colliery in the village of Abernant, killing six colliers?

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Sasha (born Alexander Coe on 4 September 1969), is a Welsh DJ and record producer. Sasha began his career playing acid house dance music in the late 1980s, and became a central figure in the development and popularisation of electronic dance music. He partnered with fellow DJ John Digweed in 1993, touring internationally and producing a series of mixes (compilations of other artists work played in a continuous fashion). Through their track selection and mixing techniques, Sasha and Digweed were instrumental in the evolution of progressive trance and house music. Sasha has produced multiple UK-charting singles and has remixed tracks for artists such as Madonna and The Chemical Brothers. His remix of Felix da Housecat's "Watching Cars Go By" earned him a 2004 Grammy nomination. Sasha's remixing and production often combine electronic music genres, making it difficult for critics to pinpoint his musical style, including on his debut album of original work, Airdrawndagger. After achieving success as a producer and DJ, Sasha worked with younger DJs and producers such as Brian Transeau and James Zabiela, influencing their musical styles and techniques.

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In the news

Wikinews Wales portal

General images

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

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