Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, running from the Menai Strait to the Dyfi estuary. It covers 979 square miles (2,535 km2), had a population of 117,393 at the 2021 census, and is run by Cyngor Gwynedd from Caernarfon.
It is the second largest Welsh county by area and one of the most thinly populated. At 64.4%, Gwynedd has the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales, and the county council conducts its business in Welsh.
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Area | 979 sq mi (2,535 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 117,393 |
| Density | 46 people per km2 (120 per sq mi) |
| Welsh speakers | 64.4% (2021 census), highest in Wales |
| Largest settlement | Bangor (city) |
| Administrative centre | Caernarfon |
| Highest point | Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), 1,085 m (3,560 ft) |
| Historic counties | Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire |
| Council | Cyngor Gwynedd |
Towns and Villages in Gwynedd
The county has 287 named towns, villages and hamlets, listed alphabetically from Aber to Ynys. Bangor, Caernarfon, Bethesda, Pwllheli, Porthmadog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bala, Dolgellau, Barmouth, Tywyn, Criccieth and Harlech are the towns; the rest are villages, quarry settlements and farming hamlets.
- Aber
- Aber Cowarch
- Aber-Tafol
- Aberdaron
- Aberdesach
- Aberdyfi
- Abererch
- Abergeirw
- Abergwyngregyn
- Abergynolwyn
- Abersoch
- Afon Wen
- Anelog
- Arthog
- Bala
- Bangor
- Barmouth
- Beddgelert
- Bethania
- Bethel
- Bethesda
- Betws Garmon
- Blaenau-Ffestiniog
- Bodermid
- Boduan
- Bont Newydd
- Bontddu
- Bontnewydd
- Borth-y-Gest
- Botwnnog
- Braich-talog
- Brithdir Village
- Bron Ogwen
- Bronaber
- Bryn Bwbach
- Bryn Eglwys
- Bryn-coed-Ifor
- Bryn-crug
- Bryn-mawr
- Bryncir
- Bryncroes
- Brynglas
- Brynrefail
- Bwlch-derwin
- Bwlchtocyn
- Caeathro
- Caerdeon
- Caerhun
- Caernarfon
- Capel-y-graig
- Capeluchaf
- Carmel
- Carnguwch
- Cefn-ddwysarn
- Ceidio
- Cenin
- Ceunant
- Chwilog
- Cil-geraint
- Cilan
- Cilgwyn
- Clwt – y – bont
- Clynnog-fawr
- Coed Ystumgwern
- Coed-y-parc
- Corris
- Criccieth
- Croesor
- Crymlyn
- Cutiau
- Cwm Ystradllyn
- Cwm-Cewydd
- Cwm-y-glo
- Cwmtirmynach
- Cwrt
- Deiniolen
- Dinas
- Dinas Dinlle
- Dinas Mawddwy
- Dinorwic
- Dol-ffanog
- Dolbenmaen
- Dolgellau
- Dolgoch
- Dolydd
- Drws-y-coed
- Dyffryn
- Dyffryn Ardudwy
- Edern
- Efailnewydd
- Eisingrug
- Fachwen
- Fairbourne
- Felin-hên
- Ffestiniog
- Ffridd Uchaf
- Friog
- Frongoch
- Gallt – y – foel
- Ganllwyd
- Garndolbenmaen
- Garnfadryn
- Garreg
- Gellilydan
- Gerddi Bluog
- Glan-yr-afon
- Glasinfryn
- Golan
- Groesffordd
- Groeslon
- Gwastadnant
- Gyrngôch
- Harlech
- Hên-durnpike
- Islawr-Dref
- Llan Ffestiniog
- Llanaber
- Llanaelhaiarn
- Llanarmon
- Llanbedr
- Llanbedrog
- Llanberis
- Llandanwg
- Llanddeiniolen
- Llandderfel
- Llanddwywe
- Llandecwyn
- Llandegwning
- Llandudwen
- Llandwrog
- Llandygai
- Llanegryn
- Llanelltyd
- Llanenddwyn
- Llanengan
- Llanfachreth
- Llanfaelrhys
- Llanfaglan
- Llanfair
- Llanfihangel Bachellaeth
- Llanfihangel-y-Pennant
- Llanfor
- Llanfrothen
- Llangelynin
- Llangian
- Llangower
- Llangwnadl
- Llangybi
- Llanllechid
- Llanllyfni
- Llannor
- Llanrug
- Llanuwchllyn
- Llanwnda
- Llanycil
- Llanymawddwy
- Llanystumdwy
- Llidiardau
- Llithfaen
- Llwyn
- Llwyn-hudol
- Llwyndyrys
- Llwyngwril
- Machroes
- Maentwrog
- Mallwyd
- Meyllteyrn
- Minffordd
- Minllyn
- Moel-tryfan
- Morfa
- Morfa Bychan
- Morfa Nefyn
- Mynydd Llandegai
- Mynytho
- Nant Gwynant
- Nant Peris
- Nantlle
- Nantmor
- Nasareth
- Nebo
- Nefyn
- Pale
- Pandy
- Pant Eidal
- Pant Glâs
- Pantperthog
- Parc
- Pen y Bryn
- Pen-y-bryn
- Pen-y-graig
- Pen-y-groeslon
- Pencaenewydd
- Penisa’r Waun
- Penllech
- Penmaenpool
- Penmorfa
- Pennal
- Pennant
- Penrhos
- Penrhyndeudraeth
- Pentir
- Pentre Gwynfryn
- Pentrefelin
- Pentreuchaf
- Penycaerau
- Penygroes
- Pistyll
- Pont Pen – y – benglog
- Pont-Rhythallt
- Pont-rug
- Pontllyfni
- Porthdinllaen
- Porthmadog
- Portmeirion
- Prenteg
- Pwllgoleulas
- Pwllheli
- Rachub
- Rhiw
- Rhiwen
- Rhiwlas
- Rhos Isaf
- Rhos-ddû
- Rhos-fawr
- Rhos-y-gwaliau
- Rhosdylluan
- Rhosgadfan
- Rhoshirwaun
- Rhoslan
- Rhoslefain
- Rhostryfan
- Rhyd
- Rhyd-Ddu
- Rhyd-uchaf
- Rhyd-y-clafdy
- Rhyd-yr-onen
- Rhydlios
- Rhydymain
- Rhôs-porth-ychain
- Rhôs-y-llan
- Sarn
- Sarn Bach
- Sarnau
- Saron
- Seion
- Sling
- Soar
- South Beach
- Tabor
- Tai’n Lon
- Tal-y-bont
- Tal-y-waenydd
- Talardd
- Talsarnau
- Talyllyn
- Talysarn
- Tan-lan
- Tan-y-Bwlch
- Tan-y-coed
- Tanygrisiau
- Tanyraltt
- Tanysgafell
- Terfyn
- Ton-fanau
- Towyn
- Trawsfynydd
- Tre’r-Llan
- Trefaes
- Trefgraig
- Trefor
- Tregarth
- Tremadoc
- Tremadog
- Tudweiliog
- Tywyn
- Upper Corris
- Uwchmaengwyn
- Uwchmynydd
- Waen-wen
- Waun
- Waunfawr
- Wenallt
- Y Felinheli
- Y Ffôr
- Y Fron
- Ynys
Geography
Most of Gwynedd is mountain. Eryri, the Snowdonia National Park, covers the eastern two-thirds of the county and contains every Welsh summit above 3,000 feet, headed by Yr Wyddfa at 1,085 metres. The Carneddau, Glyderau, Moelwynion, Rhinogydd and Cadair Idris ranges all lie wholly or partly here.
The Llŷn Peninsula reaches 30 miles south-west into the Irish Sea, a National Landscape of low farmland, coves and old fishing villages ending at Aberdaron and Bardsey Sound. The coast then curves back through Porthmadog, Harlech, Barmouth and Tywyn to the Dyfi.
Anglesey lies north across the Menai Strait, Conwy and Denbighshire east, Powys south-east and Ceredigion south across the Dyfi estuary.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 117,393 residents at about 46 people per square kilometre, one of the lowest densities in Wales. Settlement follows the coast and the valley floors; large tracts of the interior have no permanent population at all.
Welsh is the majority language. At the 2021 census 64.4% of residents aged three and over could speak it, the highest share of any Welsh local authority, though the figure fell over the decade. In several Llŷn and Ffestiniog communities the proportion is above 80%.
Bangor, with 18,322 people, is the largest settlement and one of the smallest cathedral cities in Britain. Caernarfon follows at around 9,700, then Bethesda, Pwllheli, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog.
Second homes and holiday lets are a persistent political issue here, and Gwynedd was among the first councils in Wales to apply a council tax premium on them.
Economy and Local Life
Slate built the north of the county. Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda and Dinorwig at Llanberis were once the largest slate quarries in the world, and the underground workings at Blaenau Ffestiniog roofed much of Victorian Britain. The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
Today public services, tourism and education dominate. Bangor University is the largest single employer, alongside the county council and the Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital. The Dinorwig pumped-storage power station inside Elidir Fawr, known as Electric Mountain, supplies fast-response power to the national grid.
Sheep farming works the uplands, and the coast lives on visitors: Zip World at Bethesda and Blaenau Ffestiniog, the National White Water Centre on the Tryweryn near Bala, the beaches of Llŷn and the climbing centres of the Ogwen valley and Llanberis Pass.
History
Gwynedd was the strongest of the medieval Welsh kingdoms, ruled from Aberffraw and later from Dolwyddelan and Criccieth. Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales, held it until Edward I’s conquest in 1282 to 1283.
Edward then built Caernarfon and Harlech castles, both part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. Caernarfon Castle has been used for the investiture of Princes of Wales in 1911 and 1969.
The Penrhyn Lockout of 1900 to 1903, the longest industrial dispute in British history, split Bethesda and drove many quarrymen to the south Wales coalfield. In 1965 the Tryweryn valley near Bala was flooded to supply Liverpool, drowning the village of Capel Celyn against near-unanimous Welsh opposition, and the slogan Cofiwch Dryweryn became a fixture of Welsh politics.
The present county dates from 1996 and covers the historic counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, minus the areas transferred to Conwy. The preserved county of Gwynedd, used for lieutenancy, also takes in Anglesey and part of Conwy.
Getting There
The A55 expressway skirts the north coast to Bangor. The A487 runs the length of the county from Bangor through Caernarfon, Porthmadog and Dolgellau to Machynlleth, the A470 crosses from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Dolgellau, and the A5 comes in over the Ogwen valley from Betws-y-Coed.
Bangor is on the North Wales Coast Line with direct trains to Chester, Crewe and London Euston. The Cambrian Coast Line runs from Machynlleth through Tywyn, Barmouth, Harlech and Porthmadog to Pwllheli, and the Conwy Valley Line reaches Blaenau Ffestiniog. Heritage lines include the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the Talyllyn. Anglesey Airport at Valley has limited scheduled flights; Liverpool and Manchester are the nearest major airports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Gwynedd?
117,393 at the 2021 census, across 979 square miles.
What is the largest town in Gwynedd?
Bangor, a city of 18,322 people. Caernarfon, the administrative centre, is next.
How many villages are there in Gwynedd?
This directory lists 287 named towns, villages and hamlets.
How many people in Gwynedd speak Welsh?
64.4% of residents aged three and over at the 2021 census, the highest proportion in Wales.
Is Snowdon in Gwynedd?
Yes. Yr Wyddfa, at 1,085 metres the highest mountain in Wales, stands in Gwynedd within the Eryri National Park.