South Wales is the region of
Wales bordered by
England and the
Bristol Channel to the east and south, and
mid Wales and
west Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the southwest of the
United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.2 million people. The region contains almost three-quarters of the population of Wales, including the
capital city of
Cardiff (population approximately 350,000), as well as
Swansea and
Newport, with populations approximately 240,000 and 150,000 respectively. The
Brecon Beacons national park covers about a third of South Wales, containing
Pen y Fan, the highest mountain south of
Snowdonia.