Living in Wales

Talking about the life and the culture of Wales is impossible without mentioning two things, our two languages, Welsh and English. We love to talk in either language, and bilingualism is one of the most distinctive aspects of Wales. While English is spoken by everyone, our Welsh language is spoken today by just over 20% of the population, and is even more commonly spoken by younger people. It is one of Europe’s oldest living languages and its origins can be traced back nearly 2,500 years.

Having both the Welsh and English languages as a means of expression has made our culture all the richer. The traditions of story-telling and song are ingrained in our character, and the tradition of Eisteddfodau, competitive festivals of poetry, prose, music and dance, is wholly original to Wales.  Our National Eisteddfod, which is held in a different site alternating between North and South Wales each year, is the largest travelling cultural festival in Europe and has helped to foster and maintain our cultural traditions.

We also express our national identity through sport. We're probably best know for our international rugby team but we love playing loads of other things like golf, tennis, surfing and angling to name a few. Find out more in our sports section.

But don't be put off if you're not the outdoors or sporty type, we're just as happy with more sedate past-times, like going to the theatre or a concert or gig, going out for a good meal or just a simple trip to the pub with friends.

Still want more? Well there is. Have a look at our Wales 1000 things website. It's a giant online photo and video album created by you. It shows what you've been getting up to when you're out and about in Wales having fun

But what are the Welsh like as a people? We’ve been described as passionate, warm, hospitable, with a sense of humour – and a deep sense of history and community. Reticence isn’t a trait associated with us and our reserved neighbours over the border, the English, perhaps sometimes find us over-emotive. At our best, we are a friendly, egalitarian and enthusiastic nation, not afraid to challenge the status quo.