56 Incredible Facts about Wales (+ why you should visit)

Looking for fun facts about Wales the country?

Wales – situated on the western edge of Great Britain next to England, is a picturesque, rugby-mad country inhabited by some of the friendliest people on the planet.

Famous for its rugged coastline, scenic National Parks and unique, ancient Celtic language, the land of the red dragon punches well above its weight when it comes to things to see and do here.

Whether its thrilling outdoor activities like hiking Snowdonia to stunning waterfalls like Swallow Falls in Betws-y-Coed, and not to mention all those picture-postcard castles that tell the story of Wales’ rich history.

Planning your trip? Use my favorite resources!

🏨 Accommodation: I recommend Booking.com
✈️ Flights: for the cheapest flights, I use Skyscanner
🚗 Rental Car: I recommend Discover Cars
🛡️ Travel Insurance: for the best deals I rely on SafetyWing

Wales Map

Did you know for instance, that Jack Daniels came from Wales? Or that there’s a thriving community of Welsh-speaking folk in the middle of Argentina? Me neither!

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been to Wales since I was a small boy, and being a travel writer specializing in the UK for over 15 years, I’m delighted to share some fascinating tidbits to showcase the uniqueness of Wales, the often-overlooked western gem of Great Britain.

Interesting Facts about Wales [2024 Edition]

A collection of the most interesting facts about Wales, UK, including culture, food, sport, facts about the Welsh language, and history of Wales facts.

15 Interesting Facts about Wales in General

Here are 15 of the most widely-known general knowledge facts about Wales.

#1: One of only three flags worldwide to feature a dragon

Along with Bhutan and Malta, Wales is one of just three countries in the world that has a dragon on their national flag.

#2: Prince William is the current Prince of Wales

The title can only be given to the eldest son of a British sovereign (king or queen), in other words, the direct heir to the throne of the United Kingdom. Former Prince of Wales, King Charles III, was given this title in 1958 when he was just ten years old. His son Prince William succeeded him in 2022 following Charles’ ascension to the throne. He is the 22nd Prince of Wales since King Edward I bestowed the title upon his own son.

#3: The world’s first road suspension bridge

The Menai Bridge in Anglesey was the first suspension bridge in the world constructed to carry heavy traffic.

Designed by Thomas Telford, the bridge was opened on 30 January 1826. At the time, it was also the longest bridge in the world, measuring 386m (1,265 ft).

#4: Origins of the Welsh flag

The red, white and green dragon flag was officially recognised in 1959. The red dragon originates from an Arthurian legend, which told of the wizard Merlin’s vision of a red dragon. It purportedly represented the battle between the native Britons in red, and the Saxon invaders in white. The green and white represent the colours of the House of Tudor.

#5: Royal wedding rings are made of Welsh gold

The British Royal Family have been using Welsh gold for their wedding rings for centuries. The tradition was continued in the 2011 royal wedding of the Duke (the future Prince of Wales) and the Duchess of Cambridge.

#6: World’s smallest cathedral city

The city of St. David’s in Pembrokeshire is the smallest cathedral city in the world, with a population of just 2,000 residents. It’s also the only city in the UK that sits entirely within a national park.

#7: Author Roald Dahl was born in Wales

The world-famous children’s author Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff in 1916.

His beloved books, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The BFG, have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl lived in a Tudor house opposite Llandaff Cathedral School, and read his stories to the children there.

#8: Birthplace of an internet pioneer

Donald Davies, a computer pioneer, played an enormous role in paving the way for the creation of the internet, with his creation of packet-switched networking. (Moreover, fellow Briton Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web).

#9: The Royal Mint at Llantrisant makes five billion coins a year, for 60 countries.

#10: Wales is rich with natural resources

Despite many years of extraction, Wales continues to have an immense source of natural materials, and is responsible for many countries’ supplies of coal, slate, copper, steel, and more. At one time, South Wales made up 40% of all coal exported by the UK.

#11: The world’s first radio message was sent in Wales

In 1897 the world’s first radio message was sent by Guglielmo Marconi, it took a 3 mile journey from Larvenock Point, south of Penarth, Wales, to Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel.

#12: World’s oldest record shop

Spiller’s Records, situated in Cardiff, claims to be the oldest record shop in the world. According to its website, it originally specialized in phonographs, wax phonograph cylinders, and shellac phonograph discs.

#13: 50% of the world’s commercial aircraft wings are made in Wales

Another interesting fact: 50% of the world’s passengers fly on aircraft with wings made in Wales. The country is home to many global brands, such as GE and Airbus.

#14: World-leader in compounds

Due to south Wales’ world-leading compound industry, you’re likely to find a Welsh-made compound semiconductor in your smartphone.

#15: Mount Everest is named after a Welshman

The world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest, is named after Welshman Sir George Everest.

Everest_North_Face_toward_Base_Camp_Tibet

He was the surveyor who initially mapped Mount Everest and named the mountain after himself. The first-ever recorded conquest of Mt. Everest was by sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand-born Edmund Hilary, who actually spent some of his later years living in Powys, mid-Wales.

10 Amazing Facts about Wales History

Now we move on to some fascinating historical facts about Wales and its struggles with England.

#16: Wales’ ancient borders

The first boundary between England and Wales was established in 784 AD with the formation of Offa’s Dyke, a 169-mile long, impressive earthwork border that was built on King Offa of Mercia’s instruction to define the boundary between his kingdom in the east and the Welsh lands in the west.

#17: Formerly a country of 4 capitals

Wales used to have four capitals, representing the four corners of Wales. They were Caernarfon (northwest), Denbigh (northeast) Brecon (southeast), and Carmarthen (southwest). Today, the capital is Cardiff, since 1958.

#18: Wales has been under English rule for 800 years

After many battles in their struggle for independence, Wales was annexed by the English in the 13th Century, and politically untied with England under the Tudor monarchs.

👉 Related post: 71 Interesting Facts about England

#19: Wales is a Celtic country

This means it has roots in the Celt languages and cultures that predates Roman times. Other Celtic countries and regions include: Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, Isle of Man, and Brittany.

#20: The equals sign (=) originated from Wales

Welsh mathematician Robert Recorde (1512-1558) invented the equals sign (=). He also introduced the plus (+) and minus (-) signs, as well as algebra, to Britain.

#21: Birthplace of a famous pirate

Pembrokeshire, Wales, was home to one Bartholomew Roberts – considered the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy. He’s also allegedly the first pirate to name his flag the “Jolly Roger”, in June 1721.

#22: The first electricity in Wales

The first town in Wales to have electricity was Cardiff in 1885.

✪ Bonus Historical Fact:

Did you know that the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, England, used to be part of Wales? This was many hundreds of years ago at a time when Wales and England were warring and the country boundary shifted several miles eastwards in Wales’ favour!
👉 You can read up on things to do in the West Midlands here.

#23: The first flight was in Wales

A Welsh inventor by the name of Bill Frost apparently took to the air 8 years before the Wright brothers did. Frost flew in his ‘Flying Machine’ in Saundersfoot in 1895, before crashing into a tree.

#24: The world’s first £1 million cheque was written in Wales

The first ever 1 million pound cheque in the world was written in 1904 in the Cardiff Coal Exchange.

#25: Recognised as a legal constitution in the UK in 1997

In 1997, the Welsh voted for the creation of the National Assembly for Wales. For the first time in 40 years, Wales was legally recognised as a distinct constitutional entity within the UK. Then in 2006, following the passing of the Government of Wales Act, the Senedd was created – the home of the National Assembly.

14 Welsh Culture Facts

#26: Welsh culture has been shaped and influenced by England for centuries, so there are common shared aspects between them. That said, there are plenty of unique elements of Welsh identity, traditions and culture that are being preserved in recent years, and promoted globally in efforts to display the country’s differences from other cultures in the United Kingdom.

#27: The Welsh love-spoon is an iconic symbol across the world, and was originally carved by men to their respective lover’s family as a sign he was capable and skilled with his hands.

#28: The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh traditional stories that’s more than 1000 years old. It features giants, dragons, enchanted trees, and brave heroes and heroines.

#29: Every year in Wales there’s a festival of poetry, literature and music, known as Eisteddfod. The first one was held by Lord Rhys at Cardigan castle in 1176.

#30: Many successful and famous people come from Wales. From sports stars to Hollywood actors, notable names include Sir Tom Jones, Dame Shirley Bassey, Christian Bale, Roald Dahl, Gareth Bale, Catherine Zeta Jones, Ryan Giggs, and more.

#31: Rugby is the national sport of Wales. The first international game took place in 1881 between Wales and England. Between 1907 and 1910, the Welsh were undefeated. Ever since, the two countries have been fierce rivals. Wales ranked #1 in the world in 2019.

#32: Wales were the first nation to win the Rugby Grand Slam when they beat Ireland in Belfast in 1908. The team had to wear trial jerseys without the Prince of Wales feathers because someone packed the wrong kit!

Welsh Language Facts

#33: How old is Welsh? Thought to be up to 4,000 years old, the Welsh language (Cymraeg) is the oldest language in Britain, and is one of the oldest living languages in Europe. The origins of Welsh are from the Celtic language spoken by the ancient Britons.

#34: The letters K, Q, V and Z do not feature in the Welsh language.

#35: Just 21% of the population of Wales can speak Welsh. However, this is much higher than a couple of decades ago when people feared the language would die out.

#36: Outside of Wales, Welsh is spoken by around 750,000 people worldwide – in England, the US, Canada, and Argentina.

📍 Bonus Fact: There’s an entire Welsh-speaking community of Welsh descendants living in Patagonia, Argentina, since the 1870s!

#37: As part of efforts to preserve the language, there’s an exclusive Welsh-language TV station called S4C that broadcasts in Wales, and there are around 450 Welsh-medium primary schools, in which 25% of Year 2 pupils are taught in Welsh as their main language.

#38: Most Welsh-speakers live in the north and the southwest of the country.

#39: Blackadder III said of Wales, “You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names.”

Facts about Wales Football

With a lifelong passion for football, I’m naturally going to highlight the most interesting facts about Wales’ contributions to the beautiful game and their fierce sporting rivalry with the English:

#40: Wales have entered every World Cup since 1950, but were only able to pass the group stages twice – the first in 1958, and the second in 2022.

#41: In the World Cup tournament, Wales have only played against England once – the first-ever Home Nations tie during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Wales lost the match 3-0.

#42: Wrexham AFC is the oldest club in Wales. Formed in 1864, the club is also the 3rd oldest professional football club in the world, and its ground, The Racecourse, is the world’s oldest international football stadium still in use.

#43: Wrexham FC was bought by Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The small Welsh mining town of Wrexham plays in 5th-tier professional football, one of the lowest-ranked teams nationally, when it was bought by the American acting duo in the hope of elevating the club to footballing success that will in turn, benefit the small mining community of Wrexham. The club’s journey is currently being documented in the hit American TV show Welcome to Wrexham, airing on FX and Disney+.

8 Weird and odd facts about Wales

As an avid explorer always looking for the quirky side of destinations, I had great fun uncovering these oddities that make Wales such a one-of-a-kind travel experience.

#44: There are 4 times the amount of sheep than there are people in wales.

#45: There was 1 pub for every 5 people

In 1842, the town of Blackwood had about one pub for every five people.

#46: Al Capone had a Welsh accountant

The notorious American gangster Al Capone’s accountant Llewelyn Humphreys, aka Murray the Hump, hailed from a Powys family and was at one point America’s most wanted man! He took control of the mob following Capone’s incarceration.

#47: Microsoft does a ‘Welsh Windows’

My favorite facts about Welsh language is that Microsoft actually provides a version of Windows called ‘Welsh Windows’, recognizing Welsh as the most popular of the Celtic languages and its linguistic diversity.

#48: Saint Paddy was Welsh

St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was actually Welsh! A resident of Banwen in the Dulais Valley, he was apparently taken to Ireland by Irish slavers.

#49: Town names in Wales are notoriously difficult to pronounce

The Welsh village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the second longest place name in the world. The town name means “St. Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave”.

#50: There’s a well that can cure people

Llanwrtyd Wells in Powys is the most sulphurous well in Wales. Historian Theophilus Evans once wrote of how the waters from the well had cured his scurvy.

#51: The Welsh flag is not on the Union Jack

Wales is the only country in the United Kingdom not to be represented on the Union Jack. The reasoning behind this is that the current Welsh flag was adopted in 1959, and at the time the Union was formed in 1707, Wales was a principality of England.

6 Facts that make Wales a worthy tourist destination

As someone who has traveled extensively through stunning Welsh landscapes and landmarks, I highly recommend it as a nature lover’s paradise blessed with diverse scenic treasures.

#48: Tourism plays a crucial role for Wales and many visitors flock to the country each year. There are 5 areas of outstanding natural beauty in Wales: Clwydian Range, Llyn Peninsula, Wye Valley, Gower Peninsula and the Isle of Anglesey.

#52: More castles than any other country

One of the more exciting castles in Wales facts is there are more castles per square mile here than any other European country, with Caerphilly being the largest in Wales and the second largest in Europe (behind Windsor Castle). The country’s history has left a landscape scattered with Iron Age hill forts, Roman ruins and Medieval castles of Welsh princes and English kings.

👉 Related post: 24 Memorable Things to Do in Cardiff, Wales

#53: The UK’s deepest cave can be found in Wales

The Ogof Ffynnon Dddu lies near Abercraf. At 308m (1,010 ft) deep, it’s the deepest cave in Great Britain. It also has over 30 miles of tunnels and passages, making it the third longest underground network in the UK.

#54: Wales has the most visited waterfall in the United Kingdom

The majestic Swallow Falls at Betws-y-coed is the most visited waterfall in the United Kingdom. With its sheer size, cascades of thunderous water and picturesque position, it’s easy to see why.

#55: The green and pleasant land

Perhaps the best of the geography facts about Wales is that the country has three stunning National Parks which cover 20% of the country’s land mass and five areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This includes Snowdonia National Park and the Brecon Beacons, the two most famous national parks in Wales.

👉 Read more: 15 Top Beaches Near Cardiff

#56: The world’s fastest zip wire ride

ZipWorld Velocity 2 in Bethesda, North Wales, has the fastest zip wire in the world, and the longest zip wire in Europe. This would make a perfect addition to your Wales itinerary!

It’s been a joy curating this collection of entertaining Wales facts to showcase the many unique aspects of Europe’s Celtic gem. I hope you find this post an interesting read, and that it inspires you to visit Wales some day!

Wales FAQs:

Here are some widely-asked questions about Wales:

What are 5 interesting facts about Wales?

Wales has over 600 castles, more per square mile than any other country. The Welsh language is one of the oldest in Europe. Wales has 3 national parks and 5 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Cardiff is the capital and largest city in Wales. Wales has over 1,200 miles of coastline.

What are 3 interesting facts about Wales?

The flag of Wales has a red dragon on it. Wales is home to Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. Over 25% of the population speak Welsh, one of the Celtic languages.

How old is Wales in years?

Wales emerged as a country in its own right around the 5th century AD, making it over 1,500 years old. However, humans have inhabited the area for much longer, with artifacts found dating back to 200,000 years ago.

What are some facts about Welsh for kids?

The Welsh language is very old but still spoken by many people in Wales. Welsh uses interesting combinations of letters like ll, ff, and dd. Wales has a lot of cool castles that kids would enjoy exploring. The flag of Wales has a red dragon on it which is an important symbol.

What are 10 facts about Wales?

1. Cardiff is the capital and largest city. 2. Over 600 castles located throughout the country. 3. Home to Snowdonia National Park. 4. The longest place name in Europe is in Wales. 5. 25% of the population speak Welsh. 6. The national flower is the daffodil. 7. Native sheep breeds include the Welsh Mountain sheep. 8. Wales has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 9. The patron saint is Saint David. 10. The Welsh cuisine features dishes like cawl, Welsh rarebit, and bara brith.

What are 10 interesting facts about the UK?

The UK is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The capital city is London. The UK has a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. Some iconic British landmarks are Big Ben, Stonehenge, and the White Cliffs of Dover. The national animal of the UK is the lion. Football and rugby are popular sports. British English has influenced dialects worldwide. Tea is a beloved drink across the UK. The Beatles became one of the most famous bands ever from the UK. Red telephone boxes and black cabs are icons of British culture.

What is Wales old name?

Wales was known as Cambria, derived from the Roman name for the area, prior to it becoming known as Wales.

Wales’ highest peak: Mount Snowdon. Copyright: Neil Mark Thomas

Thank you for reading 56 Fun Facts About Wales

Do you know any other facts about Wales that are interesting, weird or incredible? What’s your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

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