Gwent (county)

Gwent is one of the eight preserved counties of Wales.

Gwent
Gwent shown within Wales
Gwent shown within Wales
Geography
Status Non-metropolitan county (1974–1996), Preserved county (1996–)
2003 area 1,553 km²
Ranked 5th
HQ Cwmbran
History
Created 1974
Abolished 1996
Succeeded by Blaenau Gwent
Caerphilly
Monmouthshire
Newport
Torfaen
2007 population 560,500
Ranked 1st
Politics
Governance Gwent County Council

It was created on 1 April 1974. It was named after the Kingdom of Gwent, an ancient kingdom. In 1996, it was abolished and became five seperate counties and boroughs. These are Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, City of Newport and Torfaen.

The county bordered the Bristol Channel to the south, the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the east, Powys to the north-west, Mid Glamorgan to the west and South Glamorgan to the south-west.

The county's county town was Cwmbran, which was the location of its Government HQ. Other settlements in the county included Newport, Abergavenny and Caerphilly.