Natural Hazards

History

Wales was once an independent, though rarely unified, nation with a strong Celtic tradition, but in the decades following the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the nation fell increasingly under the jurisdiction of England. At first, it was ruled in part as a separate country, but rebellion by Prince Owain Glyndŵr (considered in modern times as the 'Father of Welsh nationalism') saw further incremental incorporation into England. Henry VII brought Wales into the English systems of laws and of parliamentary representation through the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542.

Prior to the industrial revolution, Wales was a sparsely populated country dependent on local agricultural and pastoral trade. However, due to the abundance of coal in the South Wales valleys, there was a phenomenal growth in population and a dynamic shift in the economy of South Wales during the 18th and 19th centuries. The areas of central Glamorgan, in particular, became national centers for coal mining and steel production, while the ports of Cardiff and Swansea established themselves as commercial centers, offering banking, shopping and insurance facilities. Moreover, places on the north coast, such as Rhyl and Llandudno, developed into fashionable resorts serving the expanding populations of the major industrial cities of Lancashire.

In recent years, coal mining has shrunk to only a very few sites and heavy industry has declined. However, Wales' stunning scenery and rich history has lent itself to the development of tourism, while Cardiff and Swansea have retained their rankings as centres of commerce and cutting-edge industry. Cardiff, which was designated as capital of Wales in 1955, has seen a huge amount of investment in institutions in recent decades.

unified - единый,цельный,объединенный

rebellion- восстание,мятеж,бунт,сопротивление

incremental – пошаговый,поэтапный.поступательный,постепенно нарастающий

pastoral – сельский,пастушеский

abundance – изобилие,избыток,множество

cutting-edge - передовой

Politics

Wales is governed by a combination of local, Wales, UK and Europe wide institutions. Many important matters are decided on a UK and European Union level. Wales is represented in the United Kingdom and European Parliaments.

One of the greatest British statesman of the 20th Century was the Welshman David Lloyd George, who is the only Prime Minister whose first language was not English (it was Welsh). In 1964 saw the creation of the non-elected Welsh Office headed by a Secretary of State for Wales, sitting in the UK Cabinet. This institution evolved into an elected National Assembly for Wales based in Cardiff Bay in 1999. It had minor law making powers and an executive (including a First Minister). In 2006 the Assembly moved into a new purpose built building the 'Senedd', which has won awards for its environmental design by Richard Rogers. In 2007 the Assembly obtained further law-making powers, and its structure was reformed so that there was a clearer separation of powers between the Assembly and the Welsh Government. Of particular interest to visitors, many decisions on tourism, transport and healthcare are taken by the Welsh, rather than the United Kingdom Government.

Talk

English is spoken throughout the country, but Wales also has its own language.You will hear it spoken less often in the east, but in the north or west, you will often overhear conversations between locals in Welsh, but residents will quickly switch back to English to converse with visitors.

The most direct contact you will have with the Welsh language may be with signs, which are written in Welsh and English, and with Welsh placenames. On roadsigns there is no colour coding to distinguish the languages, nor is there a standard protocol as to which language appears on top. Where the English and Welsh names for a town are the same, only that one name will appear.

There are several Welsh regional accents of English, and a few parochial colloquialisms that may take a moment to work out what is meant, but don't be worried to ask for someone to repeat something. 'Aye', is commonly used to indicate 'yes' and 'ta-ra' can be said instead of 'goodbye'.

Most Welsh people will react well when interest is shown in their language. Although Welsh is now taught in schools and nearly all younger people have at least some knowledge of the language, even if they are not fluent, this has developed over the past 50 years, and for some time before that the use of Welsh was not always encouraged in all areas.

Locals will rarely expect visitors to attempt to speak Welsh. However, using words like Bore Da (Good morning), P'nawn da (Good afternoon), "Os gwelwch yn dda" (Please) and Diolch (Thank-you) will be appreciated in many parts of the country.

overhear – подслушать,нечаянно услышать,

parochial – местный,узкий,местечковый.провинциальный

Crime

Wales is one of the safest parts of the United Kingdom and crime rates continue to fall. Nonetheless, visitors should be aware that criminal activity including violent crime is not uncommon, especially alcohol-related violence in towns and cities. Indeed, it may be wise to avoid the centres of large towns and cities on weekend nights and after large sporting events. Despite this, it is unlikely that tourists would be targeted in such a situation. Pickpocketing and mugging is rare.

Driving

It is perfectly safe to drive on Welsh roads provided that you exercise normal driving caution. However, care should be taken on rural and minor roads, some of which are extremely narrow, twisty and poorly marked. In addition, colliding with a sheep or (even worse) a cow can severely damage your car, not to mention the unfortunate animal. Many of these roads pass through some of the most beautiful parts of Wales, but just ensure that at least as much attention is paid to the road as to the scenery!

Natural Hazards

It should not be forgotten that the British Isles enjoy a famously changeable climate and few places more so than Wales. As such, it is extremely important to be prepared when venturing into the countryside and especially onto the mountains. Here, what starts as a sunny day can rapidly turn into a blizzard, storm-force gale or a disorienting, chilling fog. Every year, many have to be rescued from Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons and some lives are lost due to falls. Ensure you have suitable clothing, a map and a fully-charged mobile phone before setting off.

Respect

The Welsh are very friendly people but like any country there are things which must be respected by visitors. Referring to Welsh people as English is incorrect and will cause annoyance. The ties between England and Wales are strong, though some light-hearted anti-English banter is common. Furthermore, some people are supportive of the idea of national independence, which isn't always shared by others. If you want to avoid getting into a long and pointless debate, it is best to steer clear of this topic. In addition, the relationship between England and Wales is long, complex and sometimes controversial. The term ' Taffy' is a slur and may be considered offensive.

banter – добродушное подшучивание

steer clear – избегать,держаться подальше

Taffy – валлиец, уэльсец

slur – небрежное,оскорбительное обращение

Outdoors

Much of Wales' scenery is spectacular, and environmentally important. To protect the environment certain parts of Wales have been designated as "National Parks" or as "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty". An area with either of these designation will have high degree of protection from inappropriate development. Whilst these rules exist for environmental reasons, rather than to promote tourism, because "National Parks" and "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty" have this protection, a visitor to these areas can be confident that they will see some unspoiled scenery.

These areas offer some of Wales' most attractive scenery, and a visitor would be well advised to visit at least one of these areas. That is not to say that there aren't other attractive places in Wales, but the "National Parks" and "Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty" are the "jewels in the outdoor crown".

National Parks

National Park status offers the highest level of environmental and planning protection in Wales. National Parks tend to cover some very large areas. It should therefore come as no surprise, that some of Wales' most important scenery can be found within its National Parks.

Each "National Park" is in fact also a Government Organisation in its own right, called a "National Park Authority". These organisations primarily exist to ensure that laws protecting the environment and scenery are followed. Nevertheless a National Park Authority will organise and run various facilities in the area which are clearly "branded" as official facilities. These facilities will include, Public Toilets, Car Parks, Visitor Centre, and even Gift Shops selling branded merchandise. However the National Park Authority does not own most of the land in these areas, and so there is private and charitable provision of facilities such as car parking, and retail outlets too. It is also usual that the boundaries of a national park are marked on the ground, so you will often know when you have entered a National Park, for example there may be a Stone or a sign stating you are entering the area. The website of the relevant National Park Authorities will often have a section designed particularly for visitors and may well be very useful to someone planning a trip to the area, even containing information such as accommodation information.

Wales has three National Parks.

· Brecon Beacons National Park (Mid Wales) - spectacular mountain scenery and castles

· Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (South Wales) - stunning coastal scenery

· Snowdonia National Park (North Wales) - national park covering Wales' highest mountains

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Other important areas which do not have National Park status, have an alternative status- "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" (AONB). These areas tend to cover smaller areas than "National Parks", they will nevertheless be of interest to visitors.

For more details on Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONBs) see the National Association for AONBs

An "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" is simply areas with a similar level of protection to a National Park, but remain under the jurisdiction of the relevant Local Authority. Like the National Park Authorities, Local Authorities with "AONBs" in their area do generally take their duties seriously to enforce planning laws, but unlike them, don't tend to organise any AONB branded facilities in these areas. So there don't tend to be official branded facilities such as Visitors Centres, Car Parks, and gift shops. These facilities may exist but by conventional private, charitable and municipal provision. The actual boundaries of AONBs, whilst they are often shown on Ordnance Survey maps, tend to be of importance to local government officials and landowners, rather than tourists. It is therefore not usual to see markers or signs at the boundaries of these areas on the ground. Since an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" is not an actual Government body, any official websites are merely part of a Local Authority's main website. They will still have useful information, but do not expect the same level of specialisation as on a National Park website.

· The Isle of Anglesey AONB- is predominantly coastal, covering most of the island's 125 miles of coastline.

· Gower Peninsula (Swansea) - UK's first designated area of outstanding natural beauty - covering most of the Peninsula.

· Llŷn AONB. The peninsula sticking out westwards beyond Snowdonia, in the north-west of the country.

· Clwydian Range AONB. A range of hills running southwards from the coast at Prestatyn, Denbighshire in the north-east of the country, close to the border with England.

· The Wye Valley AONB is one of Britain's few lowland AONBs. It straddles the southern end of the England/Wales border between Hereford andChepstow

Landmarks

· Blaenavon Industrial Landscape - a UNESCO World Heritage site, Blaenavon.

· North Wales Castles - UNESCO World Heritage site, built in the decades after the invasion or conquest of Wales by England in the thirteenth century. They represented the most advanced military technology of the time. They have been compared with the Crusader Castles of the Middle East.

· Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - UNESCO World Heritage site, Wrexham.

· Brecon Beacons pretty highlands turned into a national park with weaving streams, waterfalls and canals

· Snowdonia - the largest mountain in Wales, and considered the most beautiful and poetic in Britain

National Museums and Galleries[edit]

· The National Museum Cardiff

· St Fagans National History Museum Cardiff - includes many historic buildings, relocated from their original site.

· The National Slate Museum Llanberis

· Big Pit [46] - the National Coal Museum, Blaenafon

· The National Woollen Museum Dre-fach Felindre, Carmarthenshire

· The National Roman Legionary Museum Caerleon.

· The National Waterfront Museum Swansea - examines Wales' maritime and industrial past.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29