Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire, Welsh Sir Gaerfyrddin, county, 926 sq mi (2,398 sq km), S Wales. In 1974, Carmarthenshire became part of the nonmetropolitan county of Dyfed, but in 1996 Dyfed was dissolved and Carmarthenshire was restored as a unitary authority. The National Botanical Garden of Wales is located in Llanarthne.

Carmarthenshire principal area

colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background: white;"	-	Geography
Area - Total - % Water	Ranked 3rd 2,395 km² ? %
County Town	Carmarthen
Largest Town	Llanelli
GB	GB-CMN
ONS code	00NU
Demographics
Population: - Total () - Density	Ranked Ranked / km²
Ethnicity	99.4% White
Welsh language - Any skills	Ranked 3rd 63.6%
Politics
Carmarthenshire County Council http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/
Control
MPs	Nick Ainger Nia Griffith Adam Price
AMs	Angela Burns (Con) (Carmarthen W. & S. Pembrokshire) Helen Mary Jones (Plaid) (Llanelli) Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Plaid) (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr)
MEPs	Wales

Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin) is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. The county town and administrative centre of Carmarthenshire is Carmarthen and the most populous settlement is the area in and around the town of Llanelli.

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.

Government

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.

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 Cathlic Comprehensive School, Llanelli (English)
• 58% Amman Valley Comprehensive School, Ammanford (Bilingual)
• 57% Queen Elizabeth Maridunum School, 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)

Places of interest

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

Museums Carmarthenshire County Museum Dolaucothi Gold Mines Dylan Thomas Boathouse Kidwelly Industrial Museum Pendine Museum of Speed (Pendine) Heritage railways Gwili Railway Teifi Valley Railway Sports venues Ffos Las Machynys Stradey Park Parc y Scarlets (opening November 2008)

See also

• List of places in Carmarthenshire for an alphabetical list of towns and villages.
• People from Carmarthenshire for a list of notable people from the county.

References

External links

• Carmarthenshire county council
• Carmarthenshire Official site from South West Wales Tourist Board
• Genuki: Research sources for Carmarthenshire