Discover the Top 11 Most Entertaining and Quirky Fun Facts About Wales!

1. Flag with a Dragon

Dragons, assemble! Wales has Chris Hemsworth to thank for its flag's thunder-stealing power: Showcasing a fierce red dragon, this fire-breathing emblem has dominated Welsh history since Cadwaladr's reign back in 655 AD. Fueled by Roman conquests and Merlin's tales, the flag was officially christened in 1959 after a spectacular cameo during the 15th-century Battle of Bosworth.
Source => bbc.com

2. Extra-Long Street Names

In a land where the streets have no name, they instead have an entire Scrabble set: Gasselternijveenschemond, a hamlet in the Netherlands, slings together 26 glorious characters to ensure no one gets lost on their way to visit. The grand reveal: Far from a mere tongue twister, Gasselternijveenschemond translates to "Delta of Gasselt's new bog" and proudly resides in the province of Drenthe, offering its few hundred inhabitants the finest in boggy landscapes and ultra-lengthy address labels.
Source => europeana.eu

Discover the French connection among the British royals! Did you know that the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William, and others are fluent in French, Gaelic, and even Swahili? Say "Oui, s'il vous plaît!" to more fascinating facts 🇫🇷👑

=> Fun Facts about England

3. Castle Haven

If Wales were a person at a medieval party, they'd be placed on castle watch, ensuring nobody gatecrashes the festivities: boasting over 600 castles sprinkled across the land, Wales has one of the highest densities of castles per square mile in the world, although the title of "most castles per square mile" remains contested.
Source => homework.study.com

4. Seaweed Delicacy

Hold on to your sea britches and get ready to munch on some tasty pond scum: Wales' traditional delicacy Laverbread is actually made from seaweed – specifically Porphyra umbilicalis – boiled for hours, pureed into a gelatinous paste, and sometimes rolled in oatmeal. This nutritious slop finds its way into Welsh breakfasts, served alongside bacon and cockles, and has been a staple since the 17th century!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Fake Bardic Alphabet

Talk about an ancient typo: the Bardic Alphabet, supposedly the secret language of old Welsh poets, was actually a late 18th-century fake! The serious reveal: Welsh antiquarian Iolo Morganwg cooked up the alphabet, called Coelbren y Beirdd, crafting 20 basic letters and 20 additional ones for long vowels and mutations which, despite its forgery status, gained popularity among 19th century poets and druids.
Source => omniglot.com

6. Cultural Festival Eisteddfod

When the Welsh aren't busy counting sheep or greeting each other with the longest words known to mankind, they unite in a cultural extravaganza like no other: The National Eisteddfod, an annual festival dedicated to Welsh language, culture, and arts, has been held annually since 1880—with the exception of the war years in 1914 and 1940 and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
Source => library.wales

7. South Coast Hotspots

If you're looking to get in touch with your inner poet or miner, the south coast of Wales is the place for you: with cities like Cardiff and Swansea among the most populated areas, and the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf boasting a high population density, you'll always find a friendly face to share a pint and a yarn with.
Source => statista.com

8. Outnumbered by Sheep

If you ever feel outnumbered, just remember that the humans in Wales are always out"sheeped": In Wales, the sheep-to-human ratio is a staggering 3 to 1, but even this woolly wild-card pales in comparison to New Zealand's 5.1 sheep per person. Recent stats show that Wales' sheep population is around 10 million, though this has been declining due to changes in the agricultural landscape.
Source => entegra.com.au

9. Tiniest House in Britain

If you thought your apartment was the size of a sardine can, you've clearly never met the Welsh fisherman who needed to sleep diagonally: The Smallest House in Great Britain is in Conwy, Wales, measuring a mere 3.05 by 1.8 meters and once inhabited by a 6-foot-3-inch tall fisherman named Robert Jones until it was deemed unfit for human habitation in 1900.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Welsh Language Revival

Like a typical pheonix reborn from the ashes, but with a lilting accent: the Welsh language has risen from decline and is now spoken by almost half a million people, or just under 19% of the population of Wales, thanks to the tireless efforts of activists and politicians dedicated to preserving and promoting this fabulous linguistic gem.
Source => cnn.com

11. Wales' Coastal Marathon

If you're a fan of romantic walks along the beach or marathons disguised as leisurely strolls, Wales has got you covered in coastal adventures: The world's first footpath to stretch an entire country's coastline is the Wales Coast Path, beginning near the town of Flint, tickling the shoreline for 870 miles (1400km), and ending at the south-eastern border town of Chepstow.
Source => wales.com