Carmarthenshire

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Carmarthenshire principal area

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 (2005 est.) - Density	Ranked 4th 178,100 Ranked 18th 74 / km²
Ethnicity	99.4% White
Welsh language - Any skills	Ranked 3rd 63.6%
Politics
Carmarthenshire County Council http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/
Control	Independent / Labour
MPs	Nick Ainger Nia Griffith Adam Price
AMs	Christine Gwyther Catherine Thomas Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Constituency) Mid and West Wales:- Helen Mary Jones (Regional)
MEPs	Wales

Ancient county of Carmarthenshire

Geography
Area: (1891)	587,816 acres (2379 km²)
Rank:	Ranked 1st
Administration
County town:	Carmarthen
Chapman code:	CMN

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

Contents 1 Geography 2 Government 3 Places of interest 3.1 Historical places 3.2 Geography 3.3 Museums 3.4 Heritage railways 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Geography

The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion/Cardiganshire, to the east by Powys/Brecknockshire and West Glamorgan, to the south by the Bristol Channel and to the west by Pembrokeshire. Carmarthenshire has a population of approximately 170,000, 63% 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 Carmarthen Fan, 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.

[edit] Places of interest

[edit] Historical places Carreg Cennen Kidwelly Castle Laugharne Castle Llansteffan Castle Talley Abbey [edit] Geography Afon Cywyn Afon Taf Afon Teifi Afon Tywi Aberglasney House and Gardens Brechfa Forest Cefn Sidan Millennium Coastal Park, Llanelli National Botanic Garden of Wales Pembrey Country Park Pendine Sands Usk Reservoir WWT National Wetlands Centre, Llanelli

[edit] Museums Dolaucothi Gold Mines Dylan Thomas Boathouse Kidwelly Industrial Museum Pendine Museum of Speed (Pendine) [edit] Heritage railways Gwili Railway Teifi Valley Railway

[edit] See also

• List of places in Carmarthenshire for an alphabetical list of towns and villages.

[edit] External links

• Carmarthenshire county council
• Carmarthenshire Official site from South West Wales Tourist Board