Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and
its largest city, with a population of over 300,000. The city saw rapid
growth from the early nineteenth century, associated with the
development of the south Wales coalfield and its importance as a port on
the Bristol Channel. Cardiff is bordered on the east by the fertile
plain of Glamorgan, with the Welsh valleys to the north. Cardiff's flat
topography led to the development of one of the world's largest coal
ports, the dock area being known as Tiger Bay. Despite the demise of the
coal industry, Cardiff continues to grow, with a large student
population of around 60,000. Today, the port of Cardiff, and what is now
known as Cardiff bay, has been transformed by the Cardiff Barrage, which
contains the lower courses of the
Rivers Taff and Ely to form a large freshwater lake.
The National Stadium is sited on the banks
of the river Taff near the city centre. The map below shows the city as it was
around the middle of last century. Click on a selected area of the map to see an
enlargement.
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