Article Outline
Wales, part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, united politically, legally, and administratively with England and occupying a broad peninsula on the western side of the island of Great Britain. Wales also includes the island of Anglesey, which is separated from the mainland by the narrow Menai Strait.
Wales is bounded on the north by the Irish Sea; on the east by the English counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire; on the south by the Bristol Channel; and on the west by Saint George’s Channel and Cardigan Bay. The maximum north-south extent of the Welsh mainland is 220 km (137 mi); in an east-west direction the distance varies between 60 and 155 km (36 and 96 mi). The total area of Wales is 20,760 sq km (8,015 sq mi). Cardiff is the capital, largest city, and principal seaport of Wales.
Wales has an irregular coastline with many bays, the largest of which is Cardigan Bay. Wales is almost entirely mountainous, except for narrow, low-lying coastal regions, mainly in the south and west, and lowlands along the English border. The raised plateau of the Cambrian Mountains extends north and south through central Wales and occupies about two-thirds of Wales. Other major highland areas are the Brecon Beacons in the southeast and the rugged, volcanic rocks of Snowdon massif in the northwest. Mount Snowdon, which reaches an elevation of 1,085 m (3,560 ft), is the highest point in England and Wales.
The Dee is the principal river of Wales. It originates in the mountains of Snowdonia National Park and flows through northern Wales into England and then into the Irish Sea. The Wye and the Severn rivers rise in the mountains of central Wales, flow into England, and empty into the Bristol Channel. In the south numerous rivers flow through steep valleys, including the Usk, Teifi, and Towy. Bala Lake in Snowdonia National Park is the largest natural lake in Wales. The River Dee flows through it.
Most plant and animal life is similar to that of England. Wales has abundant ferns and mosses in low-lying, wet areas. Grasslands predominate at higher elevations. Some wooded areas, including stands of mountain ash, oak, and various coniferous species, are found in the mountains at elevations up to 300 m (1,000 ft). At higher elevations chiefly small shrubs, coarse grasses, and alpine plants subsist. Among the few animals found in Wales but not in England are the pine marten and the polecat. The red kite was nearly extinct in Britain by the early 1900s. Conservation efforts during the 20th century reestablished this bird of prey in Wales.
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