Swansea
Unitary authority in south Wales, created in 1996 from part of the
former county of West Glamorgan; population (1996) 232,000; area
377 sq km/156 sq mi. The administrative centre is Swansea, which
is the main settlement of the area. The Gower Peninsula is an
area of outstanding natural beauty. Industries include tinplate
manufacture and chemicals, and there are oil refineries.
The western boundary of the authority is determined by the River
Loughor and its estuary. The main river is the Tawe. The Gower
Peninsula remains mainly rural and its coastal scenery makes it
a tourist area, but the suburbs of Swansea have spread west into
Gower. The whole complex of urban-industrial development in the
area is sometimes referred to as Swansea Bay City. The area has
natural resources in limestone, silica, brick-earth, shales, and
sand. Its metallurgical importance was founded on copper ore,
and copper works multiplied from the early 18th century. The scientific
process of refining the ore was initiated in the region.
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