Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire
County of Carmarthenshire
Sir Gaerfyrddin
Wales Carmarthenshire locator map.svg
Geography
Area
- Total
- % Water
Ranked 3rd
2,395 km²
? %
County Town Carmarthen
Largest Town Llanelli
ISO 3166-2 GB-CMN
ONS code 00NU
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2010 est.)
- Density
 
Ranked 4th
180,700
Ranked 18th
75 / km²
Ethnicity 99.4% White
Welsh language
- Any skills
Ranked 3rd
63.6%
Politics
Arma of carmarthenshire County Council
Carmarthenshire County Council
http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/
Control NOC (Independent-led coalition)
MPs
AMs
MEPs Wales

Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin or Sir Gâr) is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. The county town and administrative centre of Carmarthenshire is Carmarthen and the most populous settlement is the area in and around the town of Llanelli.

With its fertile land and agricultural produce, Carmarthenshire is known as the "Garden of Wales".[1]

Contents

History

Carmarthenshire has its early roots in the region formerly known as Ystrad Tywi (Vale of [the river] Tywi) and part of the Principality of Deheubarth during the High Middle Ages, with the court at Dinefwr.

Following the Edwardian Conquest of Wales, the region was reorganized by the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 into Carmarthenshire.

Carmarthenshire has been spelt in other ways in the past, including:

  • Carmardenshire
  • Caermarthenshire
  • Caermardi / Caermardī
  • Caermaridunum / Caermaridvnvm


Geography

Llyn y Fan Fawr, below Fan Brycheiniog in the Black Mountain

The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, to the south by the Bristol Channel and to the west by Pembrokeshire. Carmarthenshire has a population of approximately 178,000[2], with just over 50% (50.05%[3]) whom are Welsh speakers. The surface generally is upland and mountainous. Fforest Fawr and Black Mountain extend into the east of the county and the Cambrian Mountains into the north. The south coast contains many fishing villages and sandy beaches. The highest point is Fan Brycheiniog, 2,525 feet (770 m). (although the main summit is in Powys). Carmarthenshire is the largest historic county by area in Wales.

It is drained by several important rivers, especially the Towy, which flows into the Bristol Channel, and its several tributaries, such as the River Cothi. The Towy is the longest river flowing entirely within Wales and is noted for its trout and salmon fishing. Other rivers include the Loughor (which forms the eastern boundary with Glamorgan), and the Gwendraeth Fawr.

Principal towns are Ammanford, Burry Port, Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Llanelli, Llandeilo, Newcastle Emlyn, Llandovery, St. Clears, Whitland and Pendine. The principal industries are agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism. Although Llanelli is by far the larger town in the county, the county town remains in Carmarthen, mainly due to its central location.

Government

Carmarthenshire became an administrative county with a county council taking over functions from the Quarter Sessions under the Local Government Act 1888. Under the Local Government Act 1972, the administrative county of Carmarthenshire was abolished on 1 April 1974 and the area of Carmarthenshire became three districts within the new county of Dyfed : Carmarthen, Dinefwr and Llanelli. Under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, Dyfed was abolished on 1 April 1996 and the three districts united to form a unitary authority which had the same boundaries as the original Carmarthenshire. In 2003, following a local campaign, the Clunderwen community council area was transferred to Pembrokeshire.

Places of interest

Carreg Cennen castle
Talley Abbey from hillside
Carmarthenshire
Geography
1831 area 606,331-acre (2,453.73 km2)
HQ Carmarthen
Chapman code CMN
History
Succeeded by Dyfed
Demography
1831 population
- 1831 density
100,740[4]
0.2/acre
Politics
Governance Carmarthenshire County Council (1889-1974)

Historical places

Geography


Museums

Heritage railways

Sports venues

See also

References

External links

Coordinates: 51°51′22″N 4°18′38″W / 51.85611°N 4.31056°W / 51.85611; -4.31056


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Carmarthenshire — Principal Area Verwaltungssitz Carmarthen Fläche 2.395 km² Einwohner 180.800[1] (2009) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Carmarthenshire — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ubicación de Carmarthenshire en Gales. Carmarthenshire es una autoridad unitaria situada en Gales, en la zona occidental de Gran Bretaña. Fue asimismo uno de los trece condados históricos de Gales …   Wikipedia Español

  • Carmarthenshire — (welsch Caersyrddin), Grafschaft im südlichen Wales, liegt zwischen Pembroke und Glamorganshire an der Carmarthenbai des Kanals von Bristol und grenzt im Innern an Cardiganshire und Brecknockshire. Sie hat ein Areal von 2405 qkm (43,7 QM.) mit… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Carmarthenshire — a ↑county in southwestern Wales …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Carmarthenshire — [kär mär′thən shir΄, kär mär′thənshər] former county of SW Wales, now part of Dyfed …   English World dictionary

  • Carmarthenshire — 51°51′22″N 4°18′38″O / 51.85611, 4.31056 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Carmarthenshire — /kahr mahr dheuhn shear , sheuhr/, n. a historic county in Dyfed, in S Wales. * * * ▪ county, Wales, United Kingdom also called  Carmarthen , Welsh  Sir Gaerfyrddin        county of southwestern Wales, extending inland from the Bristol Channel.… …   Universalium

  • Carmarthenshire — Sp Karmárdenšyras Ap Carmarthenshire angliškai Ap Sir Gaerfyrddin vališkai L Velso grafystė, Jungtinė Karalystė …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Carmarthenshire — Sp Karmárdenšyras Ap Carmarthenshire angliškai Ap Sir Gaerfyrddin vališkai L Velso grafystė, D. Britanija …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Carmarthenshire — Admin ASC 2 Code Orig. name Carmarthenshire Country and Admin Code GB.WLS.X7 GB …   World countries Adminstrative division ASC I-II

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