**Geography and Boundaries**:
– North Wales historically referred to as Gwynedd.
– Snowdonia stronghold for Welsh culture and identity.
– Defined by 6 principal areas with a population of 698,400 in 2018.
– Borders with South or Mid Wales vary by organization.
– North Wales has diverse geology with mountains, valleys, and coast.
– Commonly defined by 6 principal areas: Isle of Anglesey, Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, and Wrexham County Borough.
– Historical divisions include Anglesey, Caernarfonshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Merionethshire, and Montgomeryshire.
– North Wales border follows historic county boundaries with peripheries of 6 principal areas.
**Heritage and Tourism**:
– Three of four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales located in North Wales.
– Hosts UNESCO Biosphere reserve Biosffer Dyfi Biosphere.
– North Wales has several heritage railways, contributing over £50 million annually to the local economy.
– Tourism is principal industry with areas like Snowdonia and medieval castles.
– Llanberis Lake Railway, Fairbourne Railway, and others are popular narrow-gauge heritage railways.
– Area size of North Wales is 6,172 sq km with two cathedral cities.
**Transport**:
– No motorways in North Wales; main roads mostly east-west.
– Port of Holyhead is main commercial and ferry port.
– North Wales has 66 rail stations, with Rhyl and Bangor among the busiest.
– Rail network split due to mountainous regions; managed by Network Rail and operated by Transport for Wales Rail.
– Major connections through Chester and Shrewsbury; North Wales Coast Line connects to Dublin Port.
**Population and Demographics**:
– North Wales had an estimated population of 698,400 in 2018.
– Majority identify as Welsh; terms for people include North Welsh and Gogs.
– Flintshire is most populated area, Anglesey least populated.
– Population density is 113.6 persons per square kilometer.
– Approximately 41.9% of the population speaks Welsh.
**Government and Administration**:
– North Wales divided into 6 historic counties and preserved counties.
– North Wales electorally divided into constituencies and wards.
– North Wales Senedd electoral region covers northern coast, Anglesey, and northeast.
– Used for local news, regional tourism, and town planning.
– Debate on capitalization of North Wales; Welsh Government’s style guide uses lowercase.
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North Wales (Welsh: Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley (Bryniau Clwyd a Dyffryn Dyfrdwy), known for its mountains, waterfalls and trails, wholly within the region. Its population is concentrated in the north-east and northern coastal areas, with significant Welsh-speaking populations in its western and rural areas. North Wales is imprecisely defined, lacking any exact definition or administrative structure. It is commonly defined administratively as its six most northern principal areas, but other definitions exist, with Montgomeryshire historically considered to be part of the region.
North Wales
Gogledd Cymru North of Wales, Northern Wales, Y Gogledd | |
|---|---|
 Historical extent of North Wales (red and lighter red), Montgomeryshire (lighter red) is sometimes also considered Mid Wales. Other cultural definitions of North Wales vary. | |
 Six principal areas of Wales commonly defined to be North Wales, for policing, fire and rescue, health and regional economy. | |
| Sovereign state |  United Kingdom |
| Constituent country |  Wales |
| Historic counties | List |
| Principal areas | List
|
| Preserved counties | |
| Localities | |
| Area | |
| • Land | 6,172 km2 (2,383 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2018) | 698,400 |
| • Density | 113.6/km2 (294/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | North Welsh, North Walian, "gogs" (informally) |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcode | LL, CH, SY |
Those from North Wales are sometimes referred to as "Gogs" (from "Gogledd" – the Welsh word for "north"); in comparison, those from South Wales are sometimes called "Hwntws" by those from North Wales.
The region includes the localities of Wrexham, Deeside, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Flint, Bangor, Llandudno, and Holyhead. The largest localities in North Wales are the city of Wrexham and the conurbations of Deeside and Rhyl/Prestatyn, where the main retail, cultural, educational, tourism, and transport infrastructure and services of North Wales are located. Bangor and St Asaph are the region's cities, Bangor is Wales' oldest city, whereas St Asaph is one of Wales' smallest and was awarded status in 2012. Wrexham, the region's largest settlement, became a city in 2022.