Powys

Powys (pronounced /ˈpaʊ.ɪs/ by most English-language speakers, but [ˈpowɪs] in Welsh) is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales. Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire, and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,196 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area. It is bounded to the north by Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Wrexham; to the west by Ceredigion and Carma... more

Powys (pronounced /ˈpaʊ.ɪs/ by most English-language speakers, but [ˈpowɪs] in Welsh) is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales. Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire, and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,196 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area. It is bounded to the north by Gwynedd, Denbighshire and Wrexham; to the west by Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire; to the east by Shropshire and Herefordshire; and to the south by Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Neath Port Talbot. Most of Powys is mountainous, with north-south transportation by car being difficult. The majority of the Powys population is made up of small villages and towns. The largest is Newtown, with a population of 12,783 (2001). Just under a third of the residents have Welsh linguistic skills and Welsh speakers are concentrated mainly in the rural areas both in and around... less