Carmarthenshire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Carmarthenshire principal area
Image:WalesCarmarthenshire.png
Geography
Area
- Total
- % Water
Ranked 3rd
2,395 km²
? %
Admin HQ Carmarthen
Most Populous Town Llanelli
ISO 3166-2 GB-CMN
ONS code 00NU
Demographics
Population:
- Total (2006 est.)
- Density
 
Ranked 4th
178,000
Ranked 18th
74 / 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
Image:WalesCarmarthenshireTrad.png
Ancient extent of Carmarthenshire
Geography
1831 area 606,331 acre
HQ Carmarthen
Chapman code CMN
History
Succeeded by Dyfed
Demography
1831 population
- 1831 density
100,740[1]
0.2/acre
Politics
Governance Carmarthenshire County Council (1889-1974)

Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin) is a unitary authority in West Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. Its main towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford.

Contents

[edit] Geography

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 170,000, 55.1% of 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 the Fan Brycheiniog, 2,525 feet (770 m). Carmarthenshire is the largest historic county by area in Wales.

Principal towns are Ammanford, Burry Port, Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Llanelli, Llandeilo, Newcastle Emlyn and Llandovery, Sandy, St. Clears, Whitland, Pendine. The main rivers are the Tywi, the Loughor (which forms the eastern boundary with Glamorgan), and the Gwendraeth Fawr. 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.

[edit] Government

Main article: Carmarthenshire County Council

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 April 1, 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 April 1, 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, Clunderwen community council area was transferred to Pembrokeshire.

[edit] Schools

Top performing secondary schools in Carmarthenshire, (5 GCSEs, grade A-C, according to the latest inspection report from Estyn)

75% Ysgol Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen (Welsh-medium)

69% Ysgol Tre-Gib, Llandeilo (Bilingual)

69% Ysgol Gyfun Dyffryn Taf, Whitland (Bilingual)

68% Ysgol Pantycelyn, Llandovery (Bilingual)

64% Ysgol Gyfun Maes yr Yrfa, Cefneithin (Welsh-medium)

61% Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn, Newcastle Emlyn (English)

60% Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade, Llanelli (Welsh)

59% St John Lloyd Cath Comprehensive School, Llanelli (English)

58% Amman Valley Comprehensive School, Ammanford (Bilingual)

57% Queen Elizabeth Maridunum Sch, Carmarthen (English)

56% Queen Elizabeth Cambria School, Carmarthen (English) (Now combined as Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthen)

44% Bryngwyn School, Llanelli (English)

44% Ysgol y Gwendraeth, Drefach (English)

40% Coedcae School, Llanelli (English)

37% Glan-y-Mor Comprehensive School, Burry Port (English)

[edit] Places of interest

[edit] Historical places

[edit] Geography

[edit] Museums

[edit] Heritage railways

[edit] Sports venues

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Vision of Britain - 1831 Census

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 51°51′22″N, 4°18′38″W