Conwy (County Borough)

Conwy County Borough
Administrative headquarters	Conwy
surface	1,130 km²
Residents	115,228 (2011)
Welsh speakers	39.7%
ISO 3166-2	GB-CWY
ONS code	00NE
Website	County borough website

Conwy is a principal area with county borough status in north Wales in Great Britain . The administrative seat is the city of Conwy .

geography

The district covers an area from the coast of the Irish Sea to far into the highlands. More than 38% of the area in the southern part of the county is part of the Snowdonia National Park.

Settlements

Around 80% of the population lives in the settlements on the coast. The largest are Abergele , Colwyn Bay , Conwy , Kinmel Bay , the tourist town of Llandudno , Llandudno Junction , Llanfairfechan , Penmaenmawr , Penrhyn Bay and Towyn . The most populous places inland are Betws-y-Coed , Cerrigydrudion and Llanrwst .

population

In 2009 the population was officially estimated at 111,400 people. Of these, 98.2% are of European origin. The lower real estate prices compared to the nearby Liverpool region have attracted many elderly English people in recent decades. This is why only 54% of the population were born in Wales. The sharp rise in prices for houses due to English immigration (2004 to 2006: + 18%) leads many locals to resentment towards the English on the one hand, but also to more prosperity because the newcomers can spend more than the locals on the other.

language

According to the last census in 2001, 39.7% of the population knew the Welsh language. However, the proportions fluctuated greatly. In the Kinmel Bay and Towyn area, the proportion was just 11%, while in the southwest in the Uwchaled area it reached 74%. In all non-coastal parishes in the county borough, the proportion of Welsh speakers is at least 40%. The proportion of Welsh speakers is highest among those of school age (5–15 years) at 49.5%.

politics

The strong British immigration has led to a political dichotomy. While many older, wealthy English people vote for the Tories ( Conservative Party members ), many Welsh people vote for Plaid Cymru (the Welsh nationalists). The formerly influential Labor Party , on the other hand, is steadily losing importance.

In the regional council, the Conwy County Borough Council with 58 members, there is a strong political fragmentation. In the May 2004 elections, Independents received 17, Conservatives 15, Labor 12, Plaid Cymru 11 and Liberal Democrats 4 seats.

Gareth Jones (Plaid Cymru) represents the county borough in the Welsh National Assembly .

Web links

• Information on Conwy County Borough in English ( PDF file, 345 kB)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Official population figures 2011 ( MS Excel ; 291 kB)

Coordinates: 53 ° 8 ′  N , 3 ° 46 ′  W