Monmouthshire
Created | Updated Aug 27, 2006
Area 341,688 acres. Population 474,000. The north and northwest is mountainous where the Black Mountains extend into the County. The highest point is Chwarel-y-Fan (2,226 ft). The former coal mining valleys of the northwest of the County remain heavily populated, although there is no longer a working pit in the County. Towards the seaboard the land is flatter and lowland farming predominates. The County has a diverse industrial base including agriculture, electronics, engineering, tourism and service industries. Although in common with the rest of Britain, manufacturing, especially that of Steel, is declining with closures or partial closures of Steelworks in Ebbw Vale and Newport.
Motto
Utrique Fidelis (Faithful to both)
Major towns
Major rivers
- Wye (forms most of the Gloucestershire border)
- Rhymney (forms the Glamorganshire border)
- Usk
Adjacent counties
- East: Gloucestershire
- West: Glamorganshire
- Northwest: Brecknockshire
- Northeast: Herefordshire
History
The county of Monmouth was created by the Laws in Wales Act of 1535 from the Marcher Lordships of Gwynllwg, Abergavenny, Monmouth, Usk, Caerleon and Chepstow.
