Wales
a country in the United Kingdom, west of England, which was an independent country until it was brought under English rule in 1284. Population: 2,903,085 (2001). Capital: Cardiff. The country's Welsh name is Cymru. Traditionally, its main industries were farming, especially sheep farming and, in South Wales, coal mining. The mines have now all closed. The Welsh language is spoken by many people, especially in the north. The Welsh
assembly gives the Welsh people more power to govern themselves while still being part of the UK. Some people, including the political party
Plaid Cymru, want Wales to be an independent country. The national
symbols of Wales are the
leek, the
daffodil, and the red
dragon. The
patron saint is Saint David.