Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Wales is divided into 22 principal areas (often called "council areas" or "unitary authorities") for local government purposes. Each is governed by a principal council responsible for all local services.
| # | Principal Area | Admin HQ | Population (2022 est.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blaenau Gwent | Ebbw Vale | 66,900 | Valleys; former coal/steel |
| 2 | Bridgend | Bridgend | 146,000 | M4 corridor; industrial/commercial |
| 3 | Caerphilly | Ystrad Mynach | 176,000 | Valleys; commuter to Cardiff |
| 4 | Cardiff | Cardiff | 372,000 | Capital; city & county |
| 5 | Carmarthenshire | Carmarthen | 188,000 | Rural/coastal; Welsh language stronghold |
| 6 | Ceredigion | Aberystwyth | 71,000 | Coastal/upland; Aberystwyth uni |
| 7 | Conwy | Colwyn Bay | 115,000 | North coast; tourism, Conwy Castle |
| 8 | Denbighshire | Ruthin | 96,000 | Vale of Clwyd; Denbigh, Rhyl |
| 9 | Flintshire | Mold | 157,000 | Deeside industry; border with England |
| 10 | Gwynedd | Caernarfon | 117,000 | Snowdonia (Eryri); Welsh language >65% |
| 11 | Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) | Llangefni | 70,000 | Island; Holyhead port; Welsh >50% |
| 12 | Merthyr Tydfil | Merthyr Tydfil | 59,000 | Smallest; Valleys heritage |
| 13 | Monmouthshire | Usk | 93,000 | Rural/affluent; border; Abergavenny |
| 14 | Neath Port Talbot | Port Talbot | 142,000 | Steel (Tata), Afan Valley, Aberavon beach |
| 15 | Newport | Newport | 160,000 | City; M4, Transporter Bridge, Celtic Manor |
| 16 | Pembrokeshire | Haverfordwest | 124,000 | Coastal National Park; oil/gas (Milford Haven) |
| 17 | Powys | Llandrindod Wells | 133,000 | Largest by area; rural, upland, farming |
| 18 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | Clydach Vale | 238,000 | Valleys; 2nd largest pop; former coal |
| 19 | Swansea | Swansea | 239,000 | City & county; coast, uni, SA1, DVLA |
| 20 | The Vale of Glamorgan | Barry | 136,000 | Coastal, commuter, agriculture, RAF St Athan |
| 21 | Torfaen | Pontypool | 92,000 | Valleys; Cwmbran new town |
| 22 | Wrexham | Wrexham | 136,000 | City status (2022); industry, uni, border |
8 preserved counties for lieutenancy/shrievalty: Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan. Not administrative.