United Kingdom, Swansea

Swansea is Wales' second largest city and Famous for its striking landscape, Swansea is alternately rugged and bare or rolling and wooded. The city sits at the mouth of the Gower Peninsula, the first area of the United Kingdom to be named an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."

The name Swansea is believed to come from "Sweyn's Ey" ("ey" meaning "island") during the period when the Vikings plundered the south Wales coast.

History

The town of Swansea was founded in the early 12th century when the Normans conquered the area. The Norman lord built a wooden castle on the site of Worcester Place. (It was rebuilt in stone in the early 13th century). A town soon grew up by the castle.

By the 13th century Swansea was a flourishing town although it would seem tiny to us with a population of about 1,000. However towns were very small in those days, especially Welsh towns.

Swansea castle had been damaged by Owain Glendower in the 15th century. It was finally demolished by the parliamentarians in 1647 to prevent it ever being used by the Royalists.

In 1771 Swansea gained its first bank and in 1785 its first theatre.

The area was settled by Europeans in the early 1820's and included a convict station at Rocky Hills of some 400 prisoners. A small contingent of the 40th Regiment of Foot under the command of Captain George Hibbert was also garrisoned at Waterloo Point.

Swansea and the sea are inseparable, granted city status in 1969 with the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.

Geography

Swansea is located on the northwest shore of Great Oyster Bay and is ideally placed midway - approximately 135 kms (85 miles) - from both Hobart and Launceston. The city is situated within walking distance from the 5 mile sweep of Swansea Bay in South West Wales.

At latitude 42.13 south and longitude 148.08 east Swansea enjoys ideal holiday weather patterns for all seasonal activities including lazing on the beach in summer or luxuriating at night in front of a log fire in winter.

Demographics

It has a 2001 estimate population of 223,301 and a population density of 591 per km²

However, the wider urban area including most of Swansea Bay has a total population of 270,506 (making it the 22nd largest urban area in England and Wales).

Economy

Swansea is a British regional city lying on the south-west margin of formerly industrial South Wales. Swansea’s industrial heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries was followed by severe deindustrialization and economic decline during the second half of the 20th century leaving a variety of social, economic and environmental problems.

Swansea has benefited from significant investment and employment growth in recent years.

The economy of Swansea Bay needs to continue to evolve from heavy reliance on manufacturing employment to a greater role for high-value service sector employment.

Culture

Swansea is a thriving regional capital, a university city and a centre for shopping, Cultural, recreation and leisure.

The city has a range of pubs, restaurants and clubs. At the far end of Swansea Bay, the former fishing village of Mumbles is particularly popular with students in search of a lively nightlife.

The Brangwyn Hall is a popular centre of social and cultural life in Swansea, located within the Guildhall. Brangwyn Hall is one of the principal cultural locations in Swansea, and is regularly used for functions, award ceremonies and concerts.

Sports

Swansea has top-of-the-range sporting facilities such as the Wales National Pool, the only 50m swimming-pool in Wales, and the fantastic Liberty Stadium, a 20,000 seat venue home of Swansea City Football Club and the Neath - Swansea Ospreys Rugby Team.

Transportation

Swansea has a variety of significant transportation.

Swansea by road, rail and sea is well served and the growing Cardiff International Airport is just one hour away. The M4 motorway, the main east-west arterial route from London, passes through the northern outskirts of Swansea. Swansea railway station is on the main west coast line from London Paddington, less than 3 hours away. There are frequent ferry crossings from Swansea to Cork, in the Republic of Ireland.