Wales has thirteen traditional counties (or vice counties). They serve many cultural and geographic roles and were also the basis of local government in Wales from 1888 until 1974. Since then, local government has moved away from using traditional counties as the basis of administrative areas, creating eight administrative counties for administrative purposes. These in turn were replaced in 1996, by the current principal areas of Wales. The traditional counties, however, have remained the same throughout these administrative changes. National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English(100%), Welsh(20. ... 1888 is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... The Preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 unitary authorities. ...

The vice counties are always used for biological recording to this day. This makes it easier to make comparisons in the biodiversity of different parts of Wales over time. Biodiversity or biological diversity is the diversity of and in living nature. ...

The area of Monmouthshire was not legally part of Wales until 1974, although it was usually paired with it. Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is a traditional county and principal area in south-east Wales. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English(100%), Welsh(20. ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ...

There is a minor dispute as to which of two sets of borders of the traditional counties of Wales is true and valid: see Traditional counties of England for more detail. The dispute derives from an 1844 Act of Parliament that purported to abolish several enclaves. The traditional counties of England are historic subdivisions of the country into around 40 regions. ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ...

One of these, Welsh Bicknor was an enclave of Monmouthshire between Gloucestershire and Herefordshire and thus geographically in England. Welsh Bicknor (Welsh: Llangystennin Garth Brenni) is an area of Herefordshire known as a detached parish (exclave) of the traditional county of Monmouthshire. ... Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is a traditional county and principal area in south-east Wales. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced [ ˈglɒstəʃəʳ]; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a ceremonial and administrative county in southwest England. ... Herefordshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity...

The exclave of Flintshire, called Maelor Saesneg (English Maelor) was left untouched however. Flintshire (Welsh Sir y Fflint) is a county in northern Wales. ... Categories: Stub ... The Maelor is an area of Wales, lying in the county borough of Wrexham. ...

The counties

Traditional counties of Wales

Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy)2 Glamorgan (Sir Forgannwg or Morgannwg)1 Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)1 Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro)1 Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi or Ceredigion)1 Brecknockshire (Sir Frycheiniog)2 Radnorshire (Sir Faesyfed)2 Montgomeryshire (Sir Faldwyn)2 Denbighshire (Sir Ddinbych)2 Flintshire (Sir y Fflint)1 Merionethshire (Sir Feirionnydd or Meirionnydd)1 Caernarvonshire (Sir Gaernarfon)1 Anglesey (Sir Fôn)1

1. These counties originate in 1282, following King Edward I's conquest.
2. These counties originate in 1535, with the Laws in Wales Act, 1535, converting the remaining Marcher Lordships into counties. This act was fully repealed in 1993.

Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is a traditional county and principal area in south-east Wales. ... Glamorgan or Morgannwg is a maritime traditional county of Wales, UK, and was previously a medieval kingdom or principality. ... Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin) is a county in Wales. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Sir Benfro) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ... Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi in Welsh) was a traditional county in Wales that existed between 1282 and 1974. ... Brecknockshire, also known as Breconshire or, in Welsh, as Sir Frycheiniog is an inland traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by Radnorshire, E. by Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, S. by Monmouthshire and Glamorgan, and W. by Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire. ... Radnorshire is known in Welsh as Sir Faesyfed and is an inland traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, E. by Herefordshire, S. and SW. by Brecknockshire and W. by Cardiganshire. ... Montgomeryshire (Welsh: Sir Drefaldwyn) is an inland traditional county of Wales. ... Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych) is a county in North Wales. ... Flintshire (Welsh Sir y Fflint) is a county in northern Wales. ... Merionethshire (Meirionnydd in Welsh) is a traditional county of Wales. ... Caernarfonshire, also known as Carnarvonshire or, in Welsh, as Sir Gaernarfon, is a maritime traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by the Irish Sea, E. by Denbighshire, S. by Cardigan Bay and Merionethshire, and W. by Caernarfon Bay and the Menai Straits, which separates it from Anglesey. ... [The Isle of] Anglesey or Anglesea ( Welsh: [Ynys] Môn, pronounced as Uh-niss Mawn, in IPA), is an island and county at the Western extremity of North Wales. ... Image File history File links numbered map of the traditional counties of Wales File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Events English conquest of Wales begins under Edward I of England Sicilian Vespers - Sicilians rebel against Charles of Anjou and are aided by Peter III of Aragon Births Pope Innocent VI Deaths August 25 - Thomas Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford October 13 - Nichiren December 11 - Llywelyn the Last, Prince of Wales... King Edward I of England (June 17, 1239 – July 7, 1307), popularly known as Longshanks because of his 6 foot 2 inch frame and the Hammer of the Scots (his tombstone, in Latin, read, Hic est Edwardvs Primus Scottorum Malleus, Here lies Edward I, Hammer of the Scots), achieved fame... Events January 18 - Lima, Peru founded by Francisco Pizarro April - Jacques Cartier discovers the Iroquois city of Stadacona, Canada (now Quebec) and in May, the even greater Huron city of Hochelaga (now Montreal) June 24 - The Anabaptist state of Münster (see Münster Rebellion) is conquered and disbanded. ... The Acts of Union 1536-1543 were a series of parliamentary measures by which Wales was annexed to England and the norms of English administration introduced in order to create a single state. ... In European history, marches are border regions between centres of power. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

Background

The historian William Rees says, in his "Historical Atlas of Wales": (published 1959) "... the boundaries of the modern shires have largely been determined by the ancient divisions of the country. The survival of these ancient local divisions within the pattern of historical change constitutes a vital element in the framework of the national life and helps to preserve its continuity." 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The British Broadcasting Corporation, in an article about the Shiring of Wales, says: "Along the border, districts which had long been associated with Wales were added to the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire." This article is an overview article about the Crown chartered British Broadcasting Corporation formed in 1927. ...

See also

• Subdivisions of Wales
• Traditional counties of England
• Traditional counties of Scotland
• Traditional counties of Ireland
• Association of British Counties

For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 unitary authorities. ... The traditional counties of England are historic subdivisions of the country into around 40 regions. ... The Traditional counties of Scotland are historic and cutural divisions of Scotland. ... The island of Ireland is often referred to as the 32 counties, with its two states, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, being nicknamed respectively the six counties and the twenty-six counties. ... The Association of British Counties is a pressure group in the Britain. ...

External links

• The National Gazetteer of Wales
• The Association of British Counties
• Family history links to traditional counties of Wales
• BBC History page about the Shiring of Wales
• Named map of the counties of England and Wales

United Kingdom | Wales | Traditional counties of Wales

Anglesey | Brecknockshire | Caernarfonshire | Cardiganshire | Carmarthenshire | Denbighshire | Flintshire | Glamorganshire | Merionethshire | Monmouthshire | Montgomeryshire | Pembrokeshire | Radnorshire A lovely image of the Welsh flag, derived from an SVG file by Tobias Jakobs in the sodipodi flags collection. ... [The Isle of] Anglesey or Anglesea ( Welsh: [Ynys] Môn, pronounced as Uh-niss Mawn, in IPA), is an island and county at the Western extremity of North Wales. ... Brecknockshire, also known as Breconshire or, in Welsh, as Sir Frycheiniog is an inland traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by Radnorshire, E. by Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, S. by Monmouthshire and Glamorgan, and W. by Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire. ... Caernarfonshire, also known as Carnarvonshire or, in Welsh, as Sir Gaernarfon, is a maritime traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by the Irish Sea, E. by Denbighshire, S. by Cardigan Bay and Merionethshire, and W. by Caernarfon Bay and the Menai Straits, which separates it from Anglesey. ... Cardiganshire (Sir Aberteifi in Welsh) was a traditional county in Wales that existed between 1282 and 1974. ... Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin) is a county in Wales. ... Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych) is a county in North Wales. ... Flintshire (Welsh Sir y Fflint) is a county in northern Wales. ... Glamorgan or Morgannwg is a maritime traditional county of Wales, UK, and was previously a medieval kingdom or principality. ... Merionethshire (Meirionnydd in Welsh) is a traditional county of Wales. ... Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is a traditional county and principal area in south-east Wales. ... Montgomeryshire (Welsh: Sir Drefaldwyn) is an inland traditional county of Wales. ... Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Sir Benfro) is a county in the southwest of Wales in the United Kingdom. ... Radnorshire is known in Welsh as Sir Faesyfed and is an inland traditional county of Wales, bounded N. by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, E. by Herefordshire, S. and SW. by Brecknockshire and W. by Cardiganshire. ...