Regions of Wales

Map of North Wales; common modern day definition in dark red, historical definition in dark red and light red (Montgomeryshire).

Map of South Wales, 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.

The most known regional divide in Wales is the north-south divide, between North Wales and South Wales, largely based on geographical, historical and cultural factors.[8] The Cambrian Mountains form a mountainous interior of Wales, limiting the connection between North and South due to insufficient transport links.[9] Most of the population of Wales is concentrated on opposing sides of Wales, centred along either the South Wales coast in cities such as Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea, or the North Wales coast and north-east borderlands in settlements such as Deeside, Rhyl, Llandudno and Wrexham. Transport links between North and South Wales are significantly weak,[10] 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.[11][12] Liverpool is sometimes described as the "Capital of North Wales", as its the largest city closest to North Wales.[13] Historical maps divide North and South Wales using the border between Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, and Cardiganshire and Merionethshire, but the modern day divide is described to be ambiguous or arbitrary.[14]

Unlike New England (for England), Nova Scotia (Latin for "New Scotland", for Scotland), and New Ireland (for Ireland), the historical divide is shown through the naming of New South Wales in Australia, and the proposed, but never came to fruition, naming for parts of Canada as New North Wales.

Some organisations historically used the term "North and South Wales" when referring to all of Wales, or had separate "North Wales" and "South Wales" organisations. Organisations include: The North and South Wales Bank, North Wales Craftsmen and General Workers' Union, Monmouthshire and South Wales Miners' Association, North Wales Quarrymen's Union, North Wales Miners' Association and South Wales Miners' Federation.

Since devolution, the Welsh Government is making efforts to increase connection between north and south.[8][15] Although in 2013, there were reports that the Welsh Government potentially shortchanged the north by £131.53 million, which critics describe to be proof of a modern north–south divide. The government responded stating the figures are "highly misleading", as it ignores funding through Wales-wide programmes, and that the government has spent more on health and transport in the north than the south-east, and more on education than the national average. 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.[16]

There is a ministerial post in the Welsh Cabinet for North Wales affairs, and a North Wales office of the Senedd, although no First Minister of Wales has been from North Wales so far. South Wales accounts for almost three quarters of Wales' population, whereas North Wales (in particular North West Wales) is home to a majorities of Welsh speakers. The divide between North and South remains partly as a cultural divide, North Wales is generally more rural and Welsh-speaking, whereas South Wales is more urban. Plaid Cymru has called for a trans-Wales railway as a solution to bridge the cultural divide between north and south.[17]

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.[18]

There may be a tourism divide between north and south Wales due to geographic and existing transport capabilities, with tourism in the north aimed for 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.[19]

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. It is argued that using a lower case letter for a region is mainly used as merely a geographic identifier, and a capital 'N' to distinctly separate the regions for cultural, organisational, or statistical purposes from other parts of Wales. Such usage of letter case may follow ideological lines, with a capitalised letter used in preference by those who view a region to be distinctly separate from the rest of Wales, whereas a lowercase letter to just show its geographic location in Wales. The regions' lack of definition or local government purpose are used as reasons for lowercase usage. Organisations operating Wales-wide with no regional variations or structures, may prefer to use lower case. Whilst organisations only operating in a one or a few regions, or operate differently in each region of Wales may opt for a capitalised letter. Local media, with some based on the regions, tend to use the capitalised letters, whereas national or UK news outlets may use lowercase, such as BBC News. The Welsh Government's style guide uses lowercase,[20] whereas Visit Wales uses capitalised, with the latter having their own version of Wales' regions.[21] 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".[22]

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. This is to avoid one principal area being administered by two or more separate regional organisations, for example, health or regional economy.

• North Wales — Commonly defined presently as the principal areas of Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey and Wrexham County Borough[lower-alpha 1] With Montgomeryshire, an Historic county of Wales, historically considered part of North Wales, but since 1974 its been part of the principal area and preserved county of Powys, which as a whole is more commonly described as Mid Wales. Meirionnydd, historically Merionethshire, presently a part of Gwynedd, may also be considered Mid Wales.
  • North East Wales — Described as a sub-region of North Wales, a grouping of principal areas, an area, or a region in its own right. North East Wales comprises: Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham County Borough.
  • North West Wales — Described as a sub-region of North Wales, a grouping of principal areas, an area, or a region in its own right. North West Wales comprises: Conwy County Borough, Gwynedd, and Isle of Anglesey.
  • (a "North Central Wales" is sometimes used to refer to Conwy County Borough and Denbighshire)
• Mid Wales or Central Wales — Commonly defined presently as the principal areas of: Ceredigion, and Powys. Meirionnydd, historically Merionethshire, presently a part of Gwynedd which as a whole is commonly considered North Wales, may also be considered Mid Wales.
• Mid and South West Wales — A "region" composed of the two regions of Mid Wales and South West Wales.
• Mid and West Wales — A "region" composed of the two regions of Mid Wales and West Wales.
• South Wales — Generally defined to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire; its definition may also include parts of West Wales which are described as South West Wales. Historically its been defined as anything south of Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire, and if applied this historic definition would wholly include fifteen principal areas, and most of Powys excluding Montgomeryshire. A definition excluding modern Mid Wales (Ceredigion and Powys), would define South Wales to be composed of the principal areas in the groupings below:
  • South West Wales — Described as a sub-region of South Wales, a grouping of principal areas, an area, or a region in its own right. South West Wales comprises: Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, and the City and County of Swansea.
  • South East Wales — Described as a sub-region of South Wales, a grouping of principal areas, an area, or a region in its own right. South East Wales comprises: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend County Borough, Caerphilly County Borough, City and County of Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan
  • (a "South Central Wales" is sometimes used to refer to Bridgend County Borough, City and County of Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and the Vale of Glamorgan, namely by Natural Resources Wales)
• East Wales — an International Territorial Level 2 region (see below) for Wales, including Powys, Flintshire and Wrexham, Monmouthshire and Newport, and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan. Alternatively the east parts of South Wales, named as "South East Wales".
• West Wales — Generally defined as: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, and under some definitions Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Alternatively the West parts of South Wales, named as "South West Wales". Those in Gwynedd and Anglesey are more likely to describe themselves as North West Wales rather than West Wales. West Wales is home to significant Welsh-speaking areas.
• West Wales and the Valleys — an International Territorial Level 2 region for Wales, comprising those not in East Wales. (see below)

• North Wales, South Wales (2 region model)
• North Wales, Mid Wales, South Wales (3)
• North Wales, Mid and South West Wales, South East Wales (3)
• North Wales, Mid Wales, South East Wales, South West Wales (4)

Map of a definition of North Wales, Mid Wales and South Wales

17-18th Century Map of North Wales

17-18th Century Map of South Wales

Note: names in-between inverted commas ("), implies there are other definitions of the region that may be more common.

• North Wales — northern six principal areas (i.e. excluding Powys)[2][23]
• Mid Wales — Ceredigion and Powys
• "West Wales" — with the common definition of South West Wales
• "South Wales" — with the common definition of South East Wales

• North Wales — northern six principal areas (i.e. excluding Powys)[4]
• "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

Either a three economic region model or a four economic region model:[5][24]

• North Wales
• Mid and South West Wales
• South East Wales

• North Wales
• Mid Wales
• South West Wales
• South East Wales

• North (North Wales)[6]
• Mid Wales
• South West (South West Wales)
• South East (South East Wales)

Described as the six "areas" (with an additional "marine area") by Natural Resources Wales[3]

• North East Wales — Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham[25]
• North West Wales — Conwy, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey[26]
• Mid Wales — Ceredigion and Powys[27]
• South Central Wales — Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cardiff[28]
• South East Wales — Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen[29]
• South West Wales — Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire[30]

• North West Wales[31]
• North East Wales — Border and Coast
• Central Wales
• South East — the Capital Network
• Swansea Bay — Waterfront & Western Valleys
• Pembrokeshire — The Haven

• "North East Wales" — Clwyd with boundaries between 1974 and 1996[32]
• "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.

• "North Wales" — Clwyd and Gwynedd with boundaries between 1974 and 1996 (excluding Meirionnydd)[32]
• 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

• Royal Society of Architects in Wales: Branches in North, Mid, West and South Wales (latter described as the "Design Circle" (RSAW South)).
• The Wildlife Trusts: Gwent, Montgomeryshire, North Wales, Radnorshire, and South and West Wales.
• For the National Forest for Wales Welsh-Government programme, Wales is divided into three "areas", North, Mid, South. Although boundaries were not shown, labels of each forest site's location in each area roughly corresponded to North Wales as the six principal areas, Mid Wales as Ceredigion and Powys, with South Wales being the remainder.

Police forces, fire and rescue services, and health boards, are sometimes named after regions of Wales, but largely for geographic purposes, due to a lack of alternative names, with the South Wales Police covering most of the historic county of Glamorgan, in the southernmost part of Wales.

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

• North Wales
• Mid and South West Wales
• South East Wales

• North Wales
• Mid Wales
• South West Wales
• South East Wales

ITL (formerly NUTS) 2 and 3 regions; East Wales (orange) and West Wales and the Valleys (green)

• East Wales
• West Wales and the Valleys

• South Wales Valleys ("The Valleys")
• North Wales
• South Wales

• Welsh Wales — Areas with majority of those identifying as 'Welsh'
• British Wales — Areas with majority of those identifying as 'British'
• Y Fro Gymraeg — Areas with majority Welsh-speakers

• Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey — Majority Welsh-speaking region (>40%)[33]
• Conwy, Denbighshire, Pembrokeshire and Powys — Significant Welsh-speaking region (20-39%)[33]
• Rest of Wales — Minority Welsh-speaking region (<19%)[33]

Two dialect model:[18]

• Northern Welsh — North Wales
• Southern Welsh — South Wales

Four dialect model:[34]

• Gwyndodeg — North West Wales
• Powyseg — Northern Mid Wales and North East Wales
• Dyfedseg — South West Wales (includes subdialect Iaith Sir Benfro — "Pembrokeshire language")
• Gwenhwyseg — South East Wales

Map of the four city regions; North (pink); Mid (yellow); Swansea Bay (purple); and Cardiff (orange)

• 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).

• Tourism Partnership North Wales
• South West Wales Tourism Partnership
• Tourism Partnership Mid Wales
• Capital Region Tourism
• Forgotten Landscapes Project (Blaenavon)

• North Wales[35]
• Mid Wales[35]
• South West Wales[35]
• South East Wales[35]

• North Wales Regional Skills Partnership[36]
• South West and Mid Wales Regional Learning and Skills Partnership (for Swansea Bay and Mid Wales deals)[36]
• Cardiff Capital Region Skills Partnership (South East Wales)[36]

• M4 Corridor in England and Wales
• Trunk road agents:
  • North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent
  • South Wales Trunk Road Agent
• Regional Metros:
  • North Wales Metro
  • South Wales Metro
  • Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro
• Former regional transport consortia:
  • South East Wales Transport Alliance
  • South West Wales Integrated Transport Consortium
  • Taith Joint Board (North Wales excluding Meirionydd in Gwynedd)
  • TraCC (Mid Wales including Meirionydd in Gwynedd)

• Welsh Marches
• Welsh Lost Lands
• Mersey-Dee or North Wales Mersey Dee — cross-border economic sub-region of varying definition, used mainly to promote local development and strategic co-operation. "Mersey-Dee" mainly refers to areas around rivers Dee and Mersey, i.e. Cheshire West and Chester, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Flintshire and Wrexham County Borough. "North Wales Mersey Dee" includes the aforementioned, plus the rest of North Wales (i.e. Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey).
• Severnside
• Western Gateway

North

Mid and West

South
Central

South
East

South
West

Map of the Senedd electoral regions

• North Wales (Senedd electoral region) & North Wales (European Parliament constituency)
• Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region) & Mid and West Wales (European Parliament constituency)
• South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region) & South Wales Central (European Parliament constituency)
• South Wales East (Senedd electoral region) & South Wales East (European Parliament constituency)
• South Wales West (Senedd electoral region) & South Wales West (European Parliament constituency)

Map of the various historical regions of Wales

• Rhos region of North Wales
• Ystrad Tywi
• Meirionnydd
• Rhwng Gwy a Hafren
• Deheubarth

• Snowdonia
• Swansea Bay (region)

• Anglesey Coalfield
• North Wales Coalfield
  • Denbighshire Coalfield
  • Flintshire Coalfield
• Pembrokeshire Coalfield
• South Wales Coalfield

• Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
• North Wales Fire and Rescue Service
• South Wales Fire and Rescue Service

• North Wales Crusaders
• South Wales Ironmen, later renamed as West Wales Raiders

• Local health boards — some health boards are described to be "regional" health boards due to the size of their coverage.
  • Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board — locally described as the "North Wales health board"
  • Hywel Dda University Health Board — locally described as the "West Wales health board"