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   ormer county of southwest Wales, created in 1974 and in 1996, divided
between the unitary authorities of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire.
Carmarthenshire: Welsh - Sir Gaerfyrddin.
Unitary authority in south Wales
Ceredigion: Unitary authority in southwest Wales
Pembrokeshire: Welsh - Sir Benfro. Unitary
authority in southwest Wales 
 Carmarthenshire County Council
- Ceredigion County Council - Pembrokeshire Council
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 Carmarthenshire
|
 owns and cities |
The administrative centre is Carmarthen |
 rea |
2,390 sq km/923 sq mi |
 opulation |
(1996) 68,900 |
| opography |
Carmarthenshire is dominated by the Vale of Tywi, but there
are numerous grassy hills, mostly under 300 m/ 1,000 ft. The chief rivers are the Tywi,
Taf, and Teifi On the eastern border is the Brecon Beacons National Park. In the east is
the Black Mountain range, while in the north is the southern spur of the Cambrian
Mountains, including Mynydd Mallaen (459 m/1,1,506 ft). Along the coast are extensive
sands and marshes, and the industrial port of Llanelli is situated in the south. |
 ommerce |
The valleys are fertile and the hillsides afford good
pasturage. Dairy farming, stock-raising, and some woollen milling are undertaken. The
Museum of the Woollen Industry is situated at DreFach-Felindre, 5 km /3 mi east of
Newcastle Emlyn. |
| amous people |
The home of Dylan Thomas is situated in the village of
Laugharne, 6 km/3.7 mi southeast of St Clears. |
| ttractions |
Laugharne - Laugharne Castle, now in ruins, was built c.
1300 on the site of an earlier castle built in the 12th-century. There is also the remains
of a 15th-century church. The Boathouse, the home of the poet Dylan Thomas, is here, as is
his grave, at the church of St Martin. The village features in his work `Under Milk WoodŽ
Bryncaerau Castle at Llanelli is now a museum housing an art gallery, a pottery collection
and a display showing the history of the tinplate industry. The port was closed for
trading purposes in 1951. |
Ceredigion |
| owns and cities |
 The administrative centre is Aberaeron. Other main towns are Aberystwyth,
Cardigan, Lampeter, Llandyssul, and Tregaron. |
| rea |
1,793 sq km/ 692 sq mi. |
| opulation |
(1996) 68,900 |
| opography |
 Washed on the west by Cardigan Bay, Ceredigion extends from the mouth of the
Dovey to the mouth of the Teifi, and has an extensive eastern boundary with Powys. The
surface of the district is comprised of Cambrian and Silurian rocks, and the interior is
mountainous. Traces of early British camps are scattered over the district, and there are
remains of Roman roads and military stations, and inscribed stones. The ruins of the
12th-century Strata Florida Abbey to the southeast of Aberystwyth are also of
interest.Part of the Cambrian Mountains are here, including Plynlimon Fawr (752 m/2,468
ft). The main rivers are the Teifi, Rheidol (with the Rheidol Falls being spanned by the
Devil's Bridge), Ystwyth, Aeron, and Tywi.The Cambrian Mountain area offers a quiet
unspoilt beauty which is well worth exploring. |
| ommerce |
The main occupation is agriculture. In the north and northeast
there are large sheep farms, while in the lower parts of the district, milk production
plays the main part in farming activity. There is a large milk-collecting and processing
factory at Felinfach. There are a number of small woollen mills, and a considerable amount
of tourist traffic at the coastal resorts of Borth, Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, New Quay,
Tresaith, Llangranog, and Aberporth. The rivers and lakes are noted for freshwater
fishing, while coracle fishing still survives on the River Teifi. Formerly, mineral
deposits of lead, copper, and zinc were mined here. |
| amous people |
|
| ttractions |
 Aberaeron - Coastal resort and administrative headquarters
of Ceredigion. It has a harbour surrounded by brightly painted Georgian houses, and
facilities for sailing and sea angling. There are bracing cliff-top walks with the coastal
resort of New Quay just 5 miles away.
Devil's Bridge - The River Mynach joins the River Rheidol where there are three
bridges over a deep gorge (35 m/115 ft). The site of Devil's Bridge provides important
evidence for Ice-Age evolution.
Aberystwyth - Commercial, tourist, and educational centre, situated at the mouths of the
Rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol in Cardigan Bay. |
Pembrokeshire |
| owns and cities |
The administrative centre is Haverfordwest. |
| rea |
1,588 sq km/613 sq mi. |
| opulation |
(1996) 117,700 |
| opography |
 Pembrokeshire is bounded on the south by the Bristol Channel and on the west
and north by St George's Channel, into which protrudes St David's Head. The chief bays are
Milford Haven and St Bride's, the coast of which is part of the national park; smaller
bays include Fishguard and Newport. All have good anchorage. A number of
islands lie off the coast, including Skokholm, Skomer, Caldey, Ramsey, and Grassholm, as
well as many rocky islets, including the group known as the Bishops and Clerks, which has
a lighthouse. The south coast is wild and precipitous, fronted by high cliffs.The area
includes the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and there is an oil refinery at Milford
Haven. Group of mountains in the south of Powys, central Wales. Pen y Fan (885 m/ 2,904
ft) and Corn Du (873 m/2,864 ft) are the major peaks. It is the highest mountain mass of
Old Red Sandstone in the British Isles. The area is designated as a National Park. There
is a mountain centre near Defynog. |
| ommerce |
 Pembrokeshire is undulating, consisting of green hills alternating with
fertile valleys. The main relief is the Preseli Hills in the northeast; the most important
rivers are the East and West Cleddau, which unite and form a navigable portion of Milford
Haven. There are many prehistoric monuments in the district. Other main industries include
agriculture, fishing and woollen milling. |
| amous people |
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| ttractions 
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 St David's - (Welsh Tyddewi)
Small town at the tip of southwest Wales, situated on the River Alun just 2 km/1.2 mi from
the sea. Its cathedral, founded by St David, the patron saint of Wales, was rebuilt
between 1180 and 1522. Formerly the resort of pilgrims, the town is now a summer tourist
centre. St David settled in the 6th century.  His relics are preserved in the
sandstone cathedral, which contains the stone screen of Bishop Gower (died 1347), the
carved stalls of Bishop Tully (died 1481), and the fan-vaulting of Bishop Vaughan (died
1522). There are also splendid ruins of Bishop Gower's 14th-century palace.St
Govan's chapel - 13th century chapel located at the bottom of 52 steps from the
cliff tops south of Bosherton. The coastal path heads westwards past Hunstman's leap where
apparently the hunstman's horse died of a heart attack after jumping across the gap in the
cliffs.
Tenby - (Welsh Dinbych-y-pysgod) Coastal resort 15 km/9 mi east of Pembroke. It is
situated on a narrow promontory jutting out into Carmarthen Bay. By the late 15th century
Tenby was a prosperous small port. Part of the castle and most of the 13th-century town
walls still exist.
Haverfordwest - (Welsh Hwlffordd) Town and administrative headquarters of
Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales, on the West Cleddau River, 10 km/6 mi northeast of Milford
Haven; population (1991) 13,300. It is the centre of a busy agricultural marketing area.
It was a flourishing port from Tudor times to the early part of the 20th century. The
castle dates from about 1120.
Milford Haven - (Welsh Aberdaugleddau) Seaport on the estuary of the
east and west Cleddau rivers 13 km/8 mi southwest of Haverfordwest. It has oil refineries,
and a terminal for giant tankers linked by pipeline with Llandarcy, near Swansea. There is
also a fishing industry and the town was used as a naval base in both world wars. The
natural harbour, one of the finest in the world, runs inland for some 35 km/22 mi and
varies in breadth from 1.5-3.5 km/1-2.2 mi with a depth of 29-37 m/95-121 ft. It can
accommodate ships of 275,000 t. Development of Milford Haven as a major oil port began in
1957, and it has become the largest oil-importing port in the UK. The Milford Haven
Conservancy Board has been set up to control navigation in the harbour and the Welsh Marine Life Rescue charity
have their base in the harbour.
Stackpole Quay on the Pembrokeshire coastal path, was built to serve a
limestone quarry.
Preseli Hills - Range of hills in the southwest rising to 536 m/ 1,759 ft (at Foel
Cwmcerwyn) and crossed by a primitive trackway. A site of Neolithic settlement, the
eastern section of these hills is thought to have provided the bluestone of Stonehenge;
this is the only known place in Britain where bluestone is found.
Tenby
 Welsh Dinbych-y-pysgod
Coastal resort, 15 km/9 mi east of Pembroke. It is situated on a narrow promontory jutting
out into Carmarthen Bay. By the late 15th century Tenby was a prosperous small
port. Part of the castle and most of the 13th-century town walls still exist.
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