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Regions of Wales#Statistical regions

{{Short description|Undefined class of subdivision in Wales}}

Wales has traditionally been divided into a number of ambiguous and ill-defined areas described as regions, reflecting historical, geographical, administrative, cultural and electoral boundaries within the country. Presently, the most common form of division of Wales into "regions" has been using cardinal and intercardinal references: north or south-west for example. None of the variously described "regions" have official status or defined boundaries; neither is there a fixed number of regions. Various organisations use different regions and combinations of regions for their individual purposes. This includes devolved institutions, such as Visit Wales, Natural Resources Wales, and the Welsh Government itself, using different sets of Wales' regions. Wales is most commonly sub-divided into between two and four regions, with a North–South divide, and North, Mid, South East and South West division being common. This article lists the various terms applied to be the "regions of Wales" and the regions used by various organisations.

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File:LEWIS(1833) p1.028 MAP OF NORTH AND SOUTH WALES.jpg

Status

The regions of Wales have little administrative status, as of 2022, nor are they officially defined. Local government is primarily managed by the twenty-two principal areas.

Some argue that Wales should stop using terms to describe regions of Wales, as they lack both strict definitions and boundaries, and instead consider Wales as a single entity. However, others campaign for more recognition of Wales' various regions, such as the north and west.{{Cite web|date=2017-11-09|title=Why it's time to dump North Wales and South Wales and come together as a nation|url=https://nation.cymru/opinion/north-wales-south-wales-why/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Nation.Cymru|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=Give us back our real places: why north Wales shouldn't be North|url=https://www.thenational.wales/news/19352513.give-us-back-real-places-north-wales-shouldnt-north-dr-alan-sandry/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=The National Wales|language=en}}

=Historical usage=

{{See also|Geography and identity in Wales}}

== North-South divide ==

File:North Wales Map.svg; common modern day definition in dark red, historical definition in dark red and light red (Montgomeryshire).]]

File:South Wales Map.svg, defined either by combining South East and South West Wales (dark red); or the historic definition (dark red and light red); there are other definitions.]]

There may be a north-south divide, between North Wales and South Wales.{{Cite web|title=20 years of Welsh Devolution: Is there still a North / South divide in Wales?|url=https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/15961589.20-years-of-welsh-devolution-is-there-still-a-north-south-divide-in-wales/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=The Leader|language=en}} The Cambrian Mountains form a mountainous interior of Wales, limiting the connection between North and South with few transport links between them.{{Cite book|last=Minnis|first=Andrew|url=https://senedd.wales/media/ikgjp3bn/ki-013-english.pdf|title=East-west or north-south? Strategic priorities for a Welsh transport infrastructure|publisher=National Assembly for Wales|year=2013|location=senedd.wales}} Most of the population of Wales is concentrated on opposing sides of Wales. Transport links between North and South Wales are significantly weak,{{Cite news|date=2019-10-18|title=Driving in Wales: Why the north-south road is so slow|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-50086660|access-date=2021-12-11}} with major north–south links passing through England, and both the North and South, having closer transport links with North West England, and South West England respectively.{{Cite web|title=20 years of Welsh Devolution: Is there still a North / South divide in Wales?|url=https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/15961589.20-years-of-welsh-devolution-is-there-still-a-north-south-divide-in-wales/|access-date=2021-12-11|website=The Leader|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Connecting North and South Wales|url=https://news.tfw.wales/blog/connecting-north-and-south-wales|access-date=2021-12-16|website=Transport For Wales News|language=english}} Liverpool is sometimes described as the "Capital of North Wales", as its the largest city closest to North Wales.{{Cite web|last=Weston|first=Alan|date=2021-03-01|title=Liverpool's deep rooted connection with 'North Wales'|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-liverpool-became-known-the-19939401|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Liverpool Echo|language=en}} Historical maps divide North and South Wales using the boundaries between Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, and between Cardiganshire and Merionethshire, but the modern-day divide is described as ambiguous or arbitrary.{{Cite web|last=Pyke|first=Chris|date=2016-06-17|title=Where is the dividing line between North and South Wales?|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/fun-stuff/dividing-line-between-north-south-10819744|access-date=2021-12-11|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}

=== Modern usage ===

Since devolution, the Welsh Government is making efforts to increase connection between north and south.{{Cite web|title=Connecting North and South Wales|url=https://news.tfw.wales/blog/connecting-north-and-south-wales|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Transport For Wales News|language=english}} However in 2013 there were reports that the Welsh Government may have short-changed the north by £131.53 million, which critics describe as proof of a modern north–south divide. The government responded that the figures are "highly misleading", as they ignore funding through Wales-wide programmes, and that the government has spent more on health and transport in the north than in the south-east, and more on education than the national average. The then First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, disagreed that there was a north–south divide in Wales, but stated that there would "never be a time" that people will no longer see a north–south divide.{{Cite web|last=Flint-NW|first=Rachel|date=2015-11-24|title=Has North Wales been shortchanged by millions due to the north-south divide?|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-been-shortchanged-millions-10489132|access-date=2021-12-16|website=North Wales Live|language=en}}

There is a part-ministerial post in the Welsh Cabinet for "North Wales",{{Cite web |title=Cabinet members and ministers |url=https://gov.wales/cabinet-members-and-ministers |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=GOV.WALES |language=en}} and a North Wales office of the Senedd.{{Cite web |title=Senedd North Wales Office |url=https://senedd.wales/visit/our-estate/senedd-north-wales-office/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}} Plaid Cymru has called for a trans-Wales railway as a solution to bridge the cultural divide between north and south.{{Cite web|date=2019-12-07|title=Plaid Cymru calls for trans-Wales railway to boost economy|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/07/plaid-cymru-calls-for-trans-wales-railway-to-boost-economy-adam-price|access-date=2021-12-16|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

There is a north–south divide in language, not only between more and less Welsh-speaking areas, but also in terms of accents (both relating to English and Welsh) and dialects of Welsh.{{Cite web|last=Robinson|first=Jonnie|date=24 April 2019|title=Accents and dialects of Wales|url=https://www.bl.uk/british-accents-and-dialects/articles/accents-and-dialects-of-wales|access-date=2021-12-16|website=www.bl.uk|publisher=British Library}} There is also a cultural divide between "gogs" in the north and "hwntws" in the south.

There may be a tourism divide between north and south Wales due to geographic and existing transport capabilities, with tourism in the north aimed at nearby tourists from the rest of the UK and closer airports in Liverpool and Manchester, for day trips and staycations; whereas strategies for the south by the devolved administrations aim for more international and longer-term tourism through Cardiff Airport in the south. Strategies based on drawing tourists through Cardiff Airport may not have a big impact on the north due to a lack of connectivity with Cardiff Airport and the north of Wales.{{Cite web|last=Russell|first=Matt|date=2018-08-20|title=The north-south divide of Welsh tourism|url=https://www.coinslot.co.uk/2018/08/20/the-north-south-divide-of-welsh-tourism/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=Coinslot International|language=en-US}}

=Capitalisation=

There is a debate whether to spell the regions of Wales with a capitalised letter or a lowercase letter, for example either a lower case 'n' for north Wales or a capitalised 'N' for North Wales (see North Wales#Capitalisation). The debate has been coined as the "to cap or not to cap" debate in media. Usage varies, BBC News{{Cite web |title=A-Z complete guide |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsstyleguide/all/bbc.com/newsstyleguide/all/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en |quote=Also lower case for south Wales, north Wales, mid-Wales etc.}} and the Welsh Government{{Cite web|title=GOV.WALES style guide|url=https://gov.wales/govwales-style-guide|access-date=2021-12-11|website=GOV.WALES|language=en}} for example use lowercase, whereas Visit Wales uses capitalised, with the latter having their own version of Wales' regions.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-13|title=Guidance on house style and use of language mechanics|url=https://www.wales.com/editorial-style-guides/language-style-guide|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Wales|language=en}} David Williams, chairman of the North Wales Business Club, announced his support for capping the term "North" in "North Wales" stating that the region should be "very recognisable [...] in our own right".{{Cite web|last=Hughes|first=Owen|date=2017-09-24|title=Why North Wales should ALWAYS be in capital letters...business leader makes case for 'capping up'|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/north-wales-should-always-capital-13658795|access-date=2021-12-11|website=North Wales Live|language=en}}

List of regions

{{Politics of Wales}}

=Geographical regions and sub-regions=

Regions using the cardinal and intercardinal points of a compass, e.g. north and south-west for nomenclature, and are based mainly on physical and environmental geographic factors due to their lack of definition.

For many administrative purposes, most of the regions follow the boundaries of the twenty-two principal areas of Wales. Those listed below are based on the usage by organisations further down.

File:Wales map.png

File:Principatus Walliae pars borealis vulgo North Wales - CBT 6599369.jpg]]

= By organisation =

File:Principatus Walliae pars australis vulgo South-Wales - CBT 6599377.jpg]]Note: names in-between inverted commas ("), implies there are other definitions of the region that may be more common.

== Visit Wales ==

{{See also|Visit Wales}}Visit Wales uses four regions:{{Cite web|title=Introduction to Wales|url=https://www.visitwales.com/info/introduction-wales|access-date=2021-12-06|website=VisitWales|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Destinations|url=https://www.visitwales.com/destinations|access-date=2021-12-05|website=VisitWales|language=en}}

== Business Wales ==

Business Wales uses four regions:{{Cite web|title=Regions of Wales|url=https://businesswales.gov.wales/walesscreen/locations/regions-wales|access-date=2021-12-05|website=Business Wales - Wales Screen|language=en}}

  • North Wales — northern six principal areas (i.e. excluding Powys)
  • "Mid Wales" — Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys
  • "South East Wales" — Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan
  • "South West Wales" — Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea

== Welsh Government Economic Action Plan ==

Either a three economic region model or a four economic region model:{{Cite web|date=13 December 2017|title=Prosperity for All: economic action plan|url=https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-02/prosperity-for-all-economic-action-plan.pdf|website=gov.wales|publisher=Welsh Government}}{{Cite web|title=OECD case study: Considerations for economic regions in Mid Wales and South West Wales|url=https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/d8266e16-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/d8266e16-en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=www.oecd-ilibrary.org|language=en}}

=== Three region model ===

=== Four region model ===

== Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 (Welsh Government) ==

== Natural Resources Wales ==

Described as the six "areas" (with an additional "marine area") by Natural Resources Wales{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / Area Statements|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}

  • North East Wales — Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / North East Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/north-east-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}
  • North West Wales — Conwy, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / North West Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/north-west-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}
  • Mid Wales — Ceredigion and Powys{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / Mid Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/mid-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}
  • South Central Wales — Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cardiff{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / South Central Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/south-central-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}
  • "South East Wales" — Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / South East Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/south-east-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}
  • "South West Wales" — Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire{{Cite web|title=Natural Resources Wales / South West Wales Area Statement|url=https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/area-statements/south-west-wales-area-statement/?lang=en|access-date=2021-12-05|website=naturalresources.wales|language=en-gb}}

== Wales Spatial Plan ==

{{See also|Wales Spatial Plan}}Note: no clear boundaries shown, merely labels on a blank map.

  • North West Wales{{Cite book|last=Winter|first=Graham|url=https://senedd.wales/media/czgpbm1a/tb-08-008-english.pdf|title=Members' Research Service: Topic Brief ⁠— Wales Spatial Plan|date=September 2008|publisher=National Assembly for Wales}}
  • North East Wales — Border and Coast
  • Central Wales
  • South East — the Capital Network
  • Swansea Bay — Waterfront & Western Valleys
  • Pembrokeshire — The Haven

==Former organisations==

===Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales===

{{See also|Welsh Development Agency}}

====Pre-mid-1990s regions====

  • "North East Wales" — Clwyd with boundaries between 1974 and 1996{{Citation|last1=Phelps|first1=Nick|title=Regions, Governance and FDI: The Case of Wales|date=2000|url=https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230599161_15|work=The Globalization of Multinational Enterprise Activity and Economic Development|pages=366–389|editor-last=Hood|editor-first=Neil|place=London|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK|language=en|doi=10.1057/9780230599161_15|isbn=978-0-230-59916-1|access-date=2021-12-17|last2=Morgan|first2=Kevin|last3=Fuller|first3=Crispian|editor2-last=Young|editor2-first=Stephen|url-access=subscription}}
  • "North West Wales" — Gwynedd with boundaries between 1974 and 1996 (excluding Meirionnydd); (Modern Isle of Anglesey, half of Gwynedd and half of Conwy County Borough)
  • Development Board for Rural Wales — Mid Wales (Powys and Ceredigion) and Meirionnydd of Gwynedd.
  • "West Wales" — Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire (excluding Llanelli).
  • South Wales (West) — Llanelli, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and parts of Bridgend County Borough
  • South Wales (Valleys) — Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly County Borough, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and parts of Bridgend County Borough.
  • South Wales (East) — City and County of Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, and the Vale of Glamorgan.

====Post-mid-1990s regions====

  • "North Wales" — Clwyd and Gwynedd with boundaries between 1974 and 1996 (excluding Meirionnydd)
  • Development Board for Rural Wales — Mid Wales (Powys and Ceredigion) and Meirionnydd of Gwynedd.
  • "West Wales" — Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, City and County of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend County Borough
  • "South Wales" — Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly County Borough, City and County of Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan

==Other organisations==

=Statistical regions=

== StatsWales ==

StatsWales divides Wales into "Economic regions", of either a three economic region model or a four economic region model:

=== Three region model ===

=== Four region model ===

== International Territorial Level 2 regions ==

File:NUTS 3 regions of Wales map.svg

=Cultural regions=

==Denis Balsom's three-Wales model (1985)==

=Linguistic regions=

==Welsh speakers==

  • Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey — Majority Welsh-speaking region (>40%){{Cite journal|last1=Irvine|first1=Fiona E.|last2=Roberts|first2=Gwerfyl W.|last3=Jones|first3=Peter|last4=Spencer|first4=Llinos H.|last5=Baker|first5=Colin R.|last6=Williams|first6=Cen|date=March 2006|title=Communicative sensitivity in the bilingual healthcare setting: A qualitative study of language awareness|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03733.x|journal=Journal of Advanced Nursing|language=en|volume=53|issue=4|pages=422–434|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03733.x|pmid=16448485 |issn=0309-2402|url-access=subscription}}
  • Conwy, Denbighshire, Pembrokeshire and Powys — Significant Welsh-speaking region (20-39%)
  • Rest of Wales — Minority Welsh-speaking region (<19%)

==Dialect regions==

Two dialect model:

Four dialect model:{{Cite web|last=Harries|first=Robert|date=2018-09-30|title=Why we use different words for the same thing based on where in Wales we live|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/dialects-wales-how-one-country-15194987|access-date=2021-12-05|website=WalesOnline|language=en}}

=City regions=

{{main|Regional economy in Wales}}

File:Wales City Regions map.svg

  • North Wales Economic Ambition Board — consisting the principal areas of: Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, and Wrexham County Borough, in the north of Wales. (A common definition of North Wales).
  • Growing Mid Wales Partnership — consisting the principal areas of: Ceredigion, and Powys
  • Swansea Bay City Region — consisting the principal areas of: Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, and Swansea, around Swansea Bay in south-west Wales. (Similar definition to South West Wales).
  • Cardiff Capital Region — consisting the principal areas of: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend County Borough, Caerphilly County Borough, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan, in south-east Wales. (Similar definition to South East Wales).

=Regional Tourism Partnerships=

=Regional Corporate Joint Committees=

{{main|Corporate Joint Committee}}

= Regional Skills Partnerships =

=Transport-related=

=Cross-border regions=

  • Welsh Marches
  • Welsh Lost Lands
  • The Mersey Dee Alliance, composed of Cheshire West and Chester, Flintshire, Wirral and Wrexham councils, describes an "economic sub-region" known as the Mersey Dee.{{Cite web |title=Mersey Dee Alliance – Connecting people |url=http://www.merseydeealliance.org.uk/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |language=en-GB}} Sometimes expanded to also include the rest of North Wales as "North Wales (and) Mersey Dee".{{Cite web |date=2018-10-29 |title=World-class sectors driving growth across North Wales & Mersey Dee region {{!}} TheBusinessDesk.com |url=https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/2031176-world-class-sectors-driving-growth-across-north-wales-mersey-dee-region |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=North West |language=en}}
  • Severnside
  • Western Gateway{{Cite web |title=About the Western Gateway |url=https://western-gateway.co.uk/about-western-gateway |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=Western Gateway |language=en}}

=Electoral regions=

{{Image frame|width=225|content={{Image label begin|image=Welsh Assembly electoral regions 2011.svg|width=250}}

{{Image label small|x=0.6|y=0.2|scale=250|text =North}}

{{Image label small|x=0.425|y=0.75|scale=250|text=Mid and West}}

{{Image label small|x=0.71|y=1.1|scale=250|text= South
Central}}

{{Image label small|x=0.775|y=0.95|scale=250|text= South
East}}

{{Image label small|x=0.51|y=1.0|scale=250|text= South
West}}

{{Image label end}}|caption=Map of the Senedd electoral regions|align=right}}

=Historic regions=

File:A Short History of Wales - Map - The Wales of the Princes.jpg

=Natural regions=

== Tourism names ==

==Coal mining regions==

=Fire and Rescue=

=Rugby league=

=Rugby union=

=Others=

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Regions of Wales|state=collapsed}}

{{Geography of Wales}}

{{Principal areas of Wales}}

*