WALES Authors: Mikołaj i Kuba

THE HISTORY OF WALES The original population of Wales has left a huge megalithic structures. Later, the Celts occupied the area. The Romans occupied areas of Wales from the 1st to 5th century BC. Despite the subsequent invasions of Jutes, Angles and Saxons, Wales retained its individuality. In the eighth century BC. The Welsh tribes were able to defend themselves against the invading Anglo-Saxons. In 1282, there was a final annexation of Wales by England. In 1301, King Edward I gave the title of Prince of Wales to his son, Edward II, as a gesture of witnessing the unity and the relationship between Wales and England.

POLITICS The capital Wales it is Cardiff and it is located in the south-western part of the Island. In the Middle Ages, it was an independent kingdom of Wales, but now it is an integral part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In 1267, Wales has entered into a personal union with England. The first elections to the Welsh Assembly were held on the 2nd of May, As a result of the report Better Governance for Wales, developed in 2002 by the Assembly[3], the position of the autonomous bodies of Wales was significantly strengthened and the Act on the Government of Wales 2006 was enacted [4]. As in Scotland, a separate executive was created with the Welsh First Minister, Prif Weinidog.

GEOGRAPHY Wales lies on the Irish Sea in the south-western part of the island of Great Britain. From the east its land borders England and to the south there is a sea border, the Bristol Channel. The area of Wales is a mountainous and highland region and it occupies almost the entire surface of the Cambrian mountain range, with the highest peak - Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon, 1085 m above sea level. The biggest cities: Caerdydd / Cardiff (324.8 thousand Inhab.), Abertawe / Swansea (228.1 thousand), Casnewydd / Newport (140.2 thousand), Rhondda (72.4 thousand), Y Barri / Barry (47.9 thousand). Head of State : Queen Elizabeth II Total area : km 2. Total population :

FARMING Industry is concentrated in the south-east of Wales, on the Bristol Channel coast, in the so-called South Wales Basin. Although most of the area of Wales is covered by agri- cultural lands (arable land covers approx. 20% of Wales), with the dominance of cattle and sheep breeding, agriculture does not play a significant role in the economy of Wales.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION 9 counties (counties) 10 urban counties (county boroughs) 3 cities (cities)

CAWL Cawl is a traditional dish eaten by the Welsh e.g. on St. David's Day. It is a kind of stew with Welsh lamb and vegetables, including leek, which is the national symbol of Wales. It is the tastiest when served on the next day after it is prepared.

CREMPOG Crempog, also known as traditional Welsh pancakes (ffroes) made of flour, eggs, milk and butter. Most often, these pancakes are served by the Welsh when they celebrate someone’s birthday - with butter, fish, meat, or raspberries.

CARROT CAKE Carrot cake is extremely popular in the UK. It is a sweet dessert with grated carrots, which, when baked, give the dough a soft, dense and moist texture. Carrots served as an ingredient of cakes in the Middle Ages. Sugar was expensive then and difficult to obtain. In the 1960s, the carrot cake won the hearts of Americans.

TOM JONES A British singer, guitarist, television presenter and actor. Since 2006, he is known as Sir Thomas - Knight Bachelor. His popularity is proved by numerous tours in Europe, the US and the world, and a large number of awards and honors. He is admired by fans for singing, improvisation, great contact with the audience, stage charisma and energy. Many music critics defines him as an icon of pop culture like Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson.

GARETH BALE Gareth Bale is the Welsh footballer who plays as a winger for Real Madrid. His adventure began with a ceremonial ball from the earliest ages. In less than a year, he jumped from the age category of 17 to the adult age category. The senior team debut on the 27th of May, 2006, against Trinidad and Tobago.

TRIVIA Value – 1 pound= 100 pence Wales - one of the four components of the United Kingdom Wales has over 900 castles and fortresses.

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