Wales

One of the countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Wales has retained a character of its own--the result of the Celtic culture of its people and its landscape of hills and small mountains. Although much of Wales is still a land of picturesque mountains and valleys, the existence of large coalfields in the south of the country brought industry and urbanization.

Wales measures 150 miles (240 kilometers) from north to south and 115 miles (185 kilometers) from east to west at its widest part. Its area is 8,017 square miles (20,764 square kilometers). It is bounded on the north by the Irish Sea, on the west by St. George's Channel, and on the south by the Bristol Channel. In the east it borders a number of English counties.

Area: 20,764 sq km (8017 sq mi)
Population: 2.9 million
Capital city: Cardiff (pop 265,000)
People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons
Language: Welsh, English
Religion: Nonconformist Protestants, Anglicans, Catholics
Government: Parliamentary Democracy
Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Prime Minister: Tony Blair

GDP: US$1,054 billion
GDP per head: US$18,000
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 1.8%
Major industries: Agriculture and forestry, manufacturing, tourism
Major trading partners: EU & USA
Member of the EU: Yes