Mid Wales ( or simply Y Canolbarth, meaning "the midlands"), or Central Wales, is a region of Wales, encompassing its midlands, in-between North Wales and South Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the Senedd covered the unitary authority areas of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionnydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC. The Wales Spatial Plan defines a region known as "Central Wales" which covers Ceredigion and Powys.
Mid Wales is dominated by the Cambrian Mountains, including the Green Desert of Wales. The region is sparsely populated, with an economy dependent on farming and small businesses.
Major settlements
Aberaeron Aberdyfi Aberporth Aberystwyth Bala Barmouth Borth Brecon Builth Wells Caersws Cardigan Crickhowell Dolgellau Fairbourne Harlech Hay-on-Wye Knighton Lampeter Llandrindod Wells Llandysul Llanidloes Llanwrtyd Machynlleth Montgomery New Quay Newcastle Emlyn Newtown Rhayader Tregaron Tywyn Welshpool Ystradgynlais
Railway lines Main lines Heart of Wales line Cambrian Line Welsh Marches line
Heritage lines Talyllyn Railway Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Vale of Rheidol Railway Cambrian Heritage Railways Brecon Mountain Railway Fairbourne Railway Corris Railway
Politics The parliamentary constituencies used for the UK Parliament in Mid Wales are Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, Ceredigion Preseli, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr and parts of Dwyfor Meirionnydd
The region is represented in the Senedd within an electoral region known as Mid and West Wales. This includes Senedd constituencies such as Brecon and Radnorshire, Ceredigion, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Montgomeryshire.
In April 2021, a Mid Wales Corporate Joint Committee was formed to allow the two local councils in the region to collaborate in areas relating to economic well-being, strategic planning and the development of regional transport policies.
Mid Wales Growth Deal
On 13 January 2022, the Mid Wales Growth Deal's Final Deal Agreement was signed between the Growing Mid Wales Board; containing representatives from Ceredigion County Council and Powys County Council, and the UK and Welsh Governments. The deal involves the commitment of £110 million of funding from the two governments, with additional funding provided by other public and private sectors over the span of 10 years. The deal aims to increase investment in the region to £400 million by 2032, support an increase in gross value added of between £570 million and £700 million in the region's economy, and create between 1,100 and 1,400 jobs in Mid Wales.
See also Breconshire Geography of Wales Geology of Wales Mid Wales Football League Montgomery, Powys Montgomeryshire North Wales Radnorshire South Wales West Wales
References
External links
Growing Mid Wales Growing Mid Wales Board meetings Mid Wales Corporate Joint Committee The BBC's Mid Wales page Overview of Mid Wales by the Welsh Development Agency Mid Wales Region on Wales.com