If you are planning on visiting the United Kingdom for work or you are working with people from the UK then this Guide to Wales will be very useful. When learning English it can be important to understand the different countries in the UK and how the people can be different.
Wales is 1 of the 4 countries that make up the United Kingdom. Like Scotland and England it shares the main island while Northern Ireland is across a small stretch of sea called the Irish Sea.
Wales is a small but very proud country. There is around 3 million people living in Wales which is around 5% of the total UK population. The capital city is called Cardiff which is a vibrant and busy place to visit and work. Wales is, as with other parts of the UK, famous for it’s amazing beaches and beautiful mountainous scenery. The coastline of Wales has around 1300 km of beach, some of these are the most beautiful in the UK. It is also famous for the amount of rain it gets and this is often a point of humour among people form the UK.
The Welsh flag shows a large red dragon and this is a very important symbol for the country along with a yellow flower called a Daffodil.
While both Northern Ireland and Scotland do have a traditional language Wales has more people that speak theirs. The language is used on road signs and many other things although it is almost always written next to English. In certain areas of Wales, Welsh is still spoken but most people will also speak English. Around 20% of the population can speak Welsh.
Lamb is a very traditional food in Wales. This is because sheep farming is very common rather like New Zealand. There is also a cheese and toasted bread meal called Welsh Rarebit which was created in Wales. It is delicious and eaten across the UK.
Football is very popular in Wales but Rugby is the sport most people watch and play. The Welsh are very passionate about it and the streets can be empty when there is a large international game being played, especially if they are playing England.
In some parts of Wales the feelings towards the English are not very positive or happy. As with Northern Ireland and Scotland England is seen as the larger country that invaded them historically. It is useful to remember not to call anyone from Wales English.
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