Subdivisions of Wales

For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 unitary authorities. There are 9 counties, 3 cities, and 10 county boroughs, although all have equal status. Collectively these are known as the principal areas of Wales. They came into being on April 1, 1996.

See: List of Welsh principal areas by population

Subdivisions of Wales
areas are Counties unless stated

Merthyr Tydfil (County Borough)
Caerphilly (County Borough)
Blaenau Gwent (County Borough)
Torfaen (County Borough)
Monmouthshire
Newport (City)
Cardiff (City)
Vale of Glamorgan (County Borough)
Bridgend (County Borough)
Rhondda Cynon Taf (County Borough)
Neath Port Talbot (County Borough)
Swansea (City)
Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion
Powys
Wrexham (County Borough)
Flintshire
Denbighshire
Conwy (County Borough)
Gwynedd
Anglesey (Ynys MÃÂÃÂ´n)
Pembrokeshire

Image:WalesNumbered.png

History

Before 1974, the 13 traditional counties of Wales were used for local government:

There were also a number of independent county boroughs, created in 1888:

In 1974, eight new two-tier counties were created, each comprising a number of districts:

Clwyd
- Alyn and Deeside
- Colwyn
- Delyn
- Glyndwr
- Rhuddlan
- Wrexham
Dyfed
- Carmarthen
- Ceredigion
- Dinefwr
- Llanelli
- Preseli
- South Pembroke
Gwent
- Blaenau Gwent
- Islwyn
- Monmouth
- Newport
- Torfaen
Gwynedd
- Aberconwy
- Arfon
- Dwyfor
- Meirionnydd
- Anglesey (Ynys MÃÂÃÂ´n)
Mid Glamorgan
- Cynon Valley
- Ogwr
- Merthyr Valley
- Rhondda
- Rhymney Valley
- Taff-Ely
Powys
- Brecon
- Montgomery
- Radnor
South Glamorgan
- Cardiff
- Vale of Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
- Lliw Valley
- Neath
- Port Talbot
- Swansea

These counties are now known as the preserved counties of Wales, and are still used for some residual purposes. The redistribution of these districts into the current unitary authorities is as follows:

Unitary authorities Previous districts
Anglesey Anglesey
Blaenau Gwent most of Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend most of Ogwr
Caerphilly Islwyn, Rhymney Valley
Carmarthenshire Carmarthen, Llanelli, Dinefwr
Cardiff Cardiff, part of Taff-Ely
Ceredigion Ceredigion
Conwy Aberconwy, most of Colwyn
Denbighshire Rhuddlan, parts of Glyndwyr and Colwyn
Flintshire Alyn and Deeside, Delyn
Gwynedd Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd
Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Valley
Monmouthshire Monmouth, part of Blaenau Gwent
Neath Port Talbot Neath, Port Talbot, parts of Lliw Valley
Newport Newport
Pembrokeshire Preseli, South Pembrokeshire
Powys Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Brecknock, part of Glyndwyr
Rhondda Cynon Taf Rhondda, Cynon Valley, most of Taff-Ely
Swansea Swansea, parts of Lliw Valley
Torfaen Torfaen
Vale of Glamorgan most of Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham most of Wrexham, parts of Glyndwyr

Unitary authorities	Previous districts
Anglesey	Anglesey
Blaenau Gwent	most of Blaenau Gwent
Bridgend	most of Ogwr
Caerphilly	Islwyn, Rhymney Valley
Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen, Llanelli, Dinefwr
Cardiff	Cardiff, part of Taff-Ely
Ceredigion	Ceredigion
Conwy	Aberconwy, most of Colwyn
Denbighshire	Rhuddlan, parts of Glyndwyr and Colwyn
Flintshire	Alyn and Deeside, Delyn
Gwynedd	Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd
Merthyr Tydfil	Merthyr Valley
Monmouthshire	Monmouth, part of Blaenau Gwent
Neath Port Talbot	Neath, Port Talbot, parts of Lliw Valley
Newport	Newport
Pembrokeshire	Preseli, South Pembrokeshire
Powys	Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Brecknock, part of Glyndwyr
Rhondda Cynon Taf	Rhondda, Cynon Valley, most of Taff-Ely
Swansea	Swansea, parts of Lliw Valley
Torfaen	Torfaen
Vale of Glamorgan	most of Vale of Glamorgan
Wrexham	most of Wrexham, parts of Glyndwyr

References

CIA World Factbook 2002

United Kingdom \| Wales \| Principal areas of Wales
Anglesey \| Blaenau Gwent \| Bridgend \| Caerphilly \| Cardiff \| Carmarthenshire \| Ceredigion \| Conwy \| Denbighshire \| Flintshire \| Gwynedd \| Merthyr Tydfil \| Newport \| Monmouthshire \| Neath Port Talbot \| Pembrokeshire \| Powys \| Rhondda Cynon Taff \| Swansea \| Torfaen \| Vale of Glamorgan \| Wrexham