User:EchoStorm2k/Rhondda Cynon Taf

Rhondda Cynon Taf or RCT is a place in South Wales. It has five valleys: Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff (Welsh: Taf) and Ely. It also has lots of towns and villages. 234,410 people live there, and 19.1% speak Welsh.[1]

Rhondda Cynon Taf is next to Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly to the east, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan to the south, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot to the west and Powys to the north.

There are many towns in Rhondda Cynon Taf such as Aberdare, Llantrisant, Talbot Green and Pontypridd. There are also other places such as Maerdy, Ferndale, Hirwaun, Llanharan, Mountain Ash, Porth, Tonypandy, Tonyrefail and Treorchy.

The busiest town is Aberdare. 31,200 people live there. The next busiest town is Pontypridd. 30,860 people live there.

History change

Rhondda Cynon Taf was formed on 1 April 1996, when Mid Glamorgan, Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely joined together. The "Cynon" and "Taf" in Rhondda Cynon Taf come from the Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely. The "Rhondda" comes from the River Rhondda.

Industry change

Rhondda Cynon Taf developed by mining for coal at Cardiff Docks and Barry Docks. This means there was coal all over the place. In the 1800s, Rhondda Cynon Taf had over 60 mines.

Lots of mines closed, but the big ones stayed open.

Over time, coal mining and the steel industries made less money, so the Welsh Development Agency was made in 1976 to stop this. The Welsh Development Agency was very active in Rhondda Cynon Taf and helped make a lot of money for these industries. Not long ago, they made the Dragon International Film Studios, known as "Valleywood".

Environment change

Because of coal mining, lots of rivers are poisoned, so there are not many fish. But some fish like Salmon are in the River Taff and the River Rhondda.

Also, the chemical industry made a lot of toxic waste. This was done for 6 years by the Monsanto Company.[2] It will cost £100,000,000 to clean up as up to 80,000 tonnes of polychlorinated biphenyl (a toxic chemical) was left in a village called Groes-faen.[3]

In 2012, the government spent £1,250,000 making it more safe.

Government change

Rhondda Cynon Taf's government is Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, who have 4 people working in the UK Parliament

Twinning change

Twinning is when two different towns (called "twin towns") in different countries help each other out. There are 3 towns in Rhondda Cynon Taf that have twin towns.

Pontypridd -

Aberdare -

Llantrisant -

Freedom of the Borough change

Freedom of the Borough is an award for helping the community. Two named people and three military units have received it in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Individuals change

Military Units change

References change

  1. "Population Density, 2011". Office for National Statistics.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "Brofiscin Quarry: What's happened so far?". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. "Burying The Truth, the orginal Ecologist investigation into Monsanto and Brofiscin Quarry". theecologist.org. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  4. WalesOnline (2008-01-31). "Tenor granted freedom of borough". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  5. Best, Jessica (2013-04-10). "Award-winning columnist Elaine Morgan given the freedom of Rhondda Cynon Taf". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  6. "Armed Forces Day 2020". www.rctcbc.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  7. McCarthy, James (2016-10-08). "Royal Welsh soldiers marched through Pontypridd watched by thousands". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  8. "Welsh Guards hold Rhondda Cynon Taf freedom parade in Pontypridd". BBC News. 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  9. "Armed Forces Day 2020". www.rctcbc.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-11-16.

Other websites change

Category:Principal areas of Wales Category:Glamorgan Category:County boroughs of Wales