Administrative divisions of Wales

The administrative division of Wales can be divided into three phases. Between 1889 and 1974 the classic administrative division existed in counties and county boroughs . From 1974 to 1996 there was a division into newly created counties, which were subdivided into districts . Since 1996, the administration in Wales has been structured on a single level and there are 22 principal areas .

Administrative division of Wales until 1974

Administrative divisions from Wales to 1974: 13 counties

By 1974 Wales was divided into thirteen administrative counties:

1. Monmouthshire ( Sir Fynwy )
2. Glamorgan ( Sir Forgannwg )
3. Carmarthenshire ( Sir Gaerfyrddin )
4. Pembrokeshire ( Sir Benfro )
5. Cardiganshire ( Sir Aberteifi or Ceredigion )
6. Brecknockshire ( Sir Frycheiniog )
7. Radnorshire ( Sir Faesyfed )
8. Montgomeryshire ( Sir Faldwyn )
9. Denbighshire ( Sir Ddinbych )
10. Flintshire ( Sir y Fflint )
11. Merionethshire ( Sir Feirionnydd )
12. Caernarfonshire ( Sir Gaernarfon )
13. Anglesey ( Sir Fôn )

There were also the administratively independent county boroughs of Cardiff , Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil (all in Glamorgan) and Newport in Monmouthshire.

• Map of the administrative units before 1974

Administrative division of Wales 1974-1996

Between 1974 and 1996 there were eight counties in Wales , which were divided into districts ("two-tier administration"). These eight counties were created in the 1974 local government reorganization instead of the thirteen old counties established in 1888 and the four county boroughs ( Cardiff , Swansea , Merthyr Tydfil and Newport ). The counties were all given Welsh names. Only the Glamorgan counties were given English names.

Administrative divisions of Wales 1974–1996: 8 counties

1. Gwent
2. South Glamorgan (De Morgannwg)
3. Mid Glamorgan (Canol Morgannwg)
4. West Glamorgan (Gorllewin Morgannwg)
5. Dyfed
6. Powys
7. Gwynedd
8. Clwyd

The eight counties were divided into districts:

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

Today's administrative division of Wales

The current administrative structure in Wales was introduced on April 1, 1996 and divides Wales into 22 Principal Areas, these are administrative districts that are responsible for all local administrative tasks. There is no middle level of government above them, so that in Wales it is called "one level government". These administrative units are comparable to the unitary authorities in England. The 22 Principal Areas all have the same administrative status, but have different names due to their history and size, nine have the title County , ten the title County Borough , one the title City and two the title City and County .

Wales has had a parliament with limited powers since 1998, the Welsh Parliament .

Where the English name differs from the Welsh name, the Welsh name is also given in the following list:

Administrative divisions of Wales: 22 Principal Areas

Principal Area	Welsh name	Area (km²)	Population (2018)	Density (2018)
Blaenau Gwent 3		109	69,713	640
Bridgend 3	Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr	246	144,876	589
Caerphilly 3	Caerffili	278	181.019	651
Cardiff 2	Caerdydd	140	364.248	2,602
Carmarthenshire	Sir Gaerfyrddin	2,370	187,588	79
Ceredigion		1,795	72.992	41
Conwy		1,130	117.181	104
Denbighshire	Sir Ddinbych	844	95,330	113
Flintshire	Sir y Fflint	438	155,593	355
Gwynedd		2,535	124.178	49
Isle of Anglesey	Ynys Môn	714	69,961	98
Merthyr Tydfil 3	Merthyr Tudful	111	60.183	542
Monmouthshire	Sir Fynwy	850	94.142	111
Neath Port Talbot 3	Castell-nedd Port Talbot	442	142.906	323
Newport 1	Casnewydd	190	153,302	807
Pembrokeshire	Sir Benfro	1,590	125,055	79
Powys		5,180	132,447	26th
Rhondda Cynon plate 3		424	240.131	566
Swansea 2	Abertawe	378	246.466	652
Torfaen 3		126	93.094	738
Vale of Glamorgan 3	Bro Morgannwg	335	132.165	395
Wrexham 3	Wrecsam	498	136.126	273

¹ City

² City and County

³ County Borough

For ceremonial purposes, Wales is also divided into eight Preserved Counties , largely corresponding to the eight counties that existed in Wales between 1974 and 1996. Each of the 22 principal areas is assigned to a Preserved County.

Individual evidence

1. ^ UK Census Data
2. ^ ^{A b} Mid 2018 Estimates of the population for the UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland