| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
The county is bounded to the north by Brecknockshire, east by Monmouthshire, south by the Bristol Channel, and west by Carmarthenshire and Carmarthen Bay. Its total area is 2,100 kmē, and total population around 1,220,000. Its highest point is at Craig-y-llyn (600 m).
Glamorgan is the most populous and industrialised County in Wales. The northern part of the county is a mountainous area, dissected by deep narrow valleys, with urbanisation typified by ribbon development . Although the coal industry, which shaped these valleys and their communities, has now all but disappeared, this area remains heavily populated with light industry and the service sector now providing the economic base.
The Vale of Glamorgan, a lowland area mainly comprising farmland and small villages stretches across most of the south of the county from Porthcawl to Cardiff. Further west, beyond Swansea, lies the Gower peninsula, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The major rivers of Glamorgan include the River TaffThe River Taff is a river in South Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons the Taff Fechan Little Taff and the Taff Mawr Big Taff , before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil. At Abercynon, it is joined by the Cynon river, and at, the Ely , the Ogmore, the Dulais , the Rhymney (which forms the border with Monmouthshire) and the Lougher (which forms the border with Carmarthenshire). The main towns include AberdareAberdare ( Welsh: Aberdar is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taff in South Wales and was historically in Glamorgan, Wales, situated (as the name implies) at the confluence of the Dar and Cynon rivers. The population at the ( 1991) census was 31,619., Barry, BridgendBridgend ( Welsh: Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr is a town in Glamorgan, South Wales, roughly midway between Cardiff and Swansea. The river crossed by the original bridge which gave the town its name is the Ogmore River. The town has two castles: Coity Castle and New, CardiffThis article is about the Welsh capital. For the place in United States, see Cardiff, California. Cardiff ( Welsh: Caerdydd from caer "fort," and dydd "Antonius Didius") is the capital and largest city of Wales. It is located in the traditional county of, CaerphillyCaerphilly ( Welsh: Caerffili is a town in Glamorgan, Wales, located at the bottom of the Rhymney valley, in the South Welsh Valleys. It is the site of Caerphilly castle built in the 13th and 14th centuries, and is the main town in the county borough of C, CowbridgeCowbridge ( Welsh: Y Bont-faen is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. It is one of very few medieval walled towns in Wales, and substantial portions of the walls, together with the south gate, are still standing. The town charter was awar, Maesteg, Merthyr Tydfil, Mountain Ash, Neath, Penarth, Pontypridd, Porthcawl, Port Talbot and Swansea.
The County has a wide and diverse economic base including public administration, agriculture, light industry, manufacturing, service sector and tourism.
Places of special interest include: Aberdulais Falls , Barry Island pleasure beach, Caerphilly Castle, Cardiff Castle, Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, Ewenny Priory, Llandaff Cathedral, Dare Valley Country Park , Dunraven Park , Southerndown, Museum of Welsh Life , St. Fagans, National Museum of Wales , Cardiff, Old Beaupre Castle , Ogmore Castle, Oxwich Castle , Margam Country Park , Penscynor Wildlife Park , Cilfrew, Swansea Maritime and Industrial Museum , Tinkinswood burial chamber and Weobley Castle .