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Wales.

Another constituent country of the UK is Wales. The Welsh call their country Cymru, and themselves they call Cymry, a word which has the same root as “comrader” (friend, or comrade). The population of Wales is over 3 million people. About 75 per cent of the people of Wales live in towns and urban districts.

The living standards of people in Wales are lower than in England, the unemployment rate is higher. South Wales has a rich tradition of struggle for more jobs and better working conditions in mines.

Wales is a highland country of old, hard rocks. North Wales is a country of mountains and deep valleys, South Wales is a land of high hills and wide valleys. The pride of Wales in scenery is Snowdonia, the region of high mountains. Snowdon is the highest mountain in England and Wales.

Except for coat, mineral resources are limited, and include gold, silver, lead, and copper. South Wales is more developed: coal-mining, steel production, electronics, electrical engineering and chemicals can be found here.

The capital of Wales is Cardiff, the largest city of Wales. Cardiff is situated near the mouth of the Taff River. It is an important industrial city and a port. It is also an administrative and educational centre.

The second largest city in Wales is Swansea where mainly steel production can be found. Since World War II there has been intensive development in the metals industries especially in the south and south-east.

The Welsh people, especially in rural areas, are fond of folk music, singing, poetry and drama. Welsh literature is one of the oldest in Europe. There are many choirs in Wales, the standard of singing is high and the love of good music is widespread. Now there is a growing movement of revival of Welsh culture from this sprang the revival of Eisteddfod. Eisteddfod in the form of the gathering of bards had occasionally been in the 15^th, 16^th and 17th centuries. Now Eisteddfod is a festival of Welsh culture. It includes competitions in prose, poetry and singing.

The Welsh - [wel∫] – валлийцы (жители Уэльса)

Cymru - [΄kimru] – валл. Уэльс

Cymry - [΄kimri] – валл. У эльсцы, валлийцы

Snowdonia - [snou΄donjə] – Сноудония (национальный парк в живописном горном районе на севере Уэльса)

Snowdon - [΄snoudn] – гора Сноудон

Taff [tæf] River – р. Тафф

Swansea - [΄swonzi:] – Суонси (второй по величине и значению город на юго-востоке Уэльса, порт и промышленный центр)

Welsh – валлийский (например язык)

Eisteddfod - [ais΄teðvəd] – айстедвод, состязание бардов (фестиваль валлийских певцов, музыкантов и поэтов; проводится ежегодно в Уэльсе)