Welsh principal areas
Since 1 April 1996, Wales has been divided for local administration purposes into 22 single-tier principal areas (prif ardaloedd) governed by popularly elected councils. They are – largely for historical reasons – variously entitled "county", "county borough", or "city and county", but all have precisely the same status. It should be noted that in this context the term "county" does not necessarily refer to a geographical area identical to that covered by a historic county of the same or similar name; also, that the present "county boroughs" are unrelated to any local authorities of the same or similar name that existed before 1974.
For the purposes of roads administration, each of these areas is the highway authority charged with managing, maintaining, and improving all public roads within its boundaries except for trunk roads, which are the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
List of principal areas
| Name | Description | Administrative HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Blaenau Gwent | county borough | Ebbw Vale |
| Bridgend | county borough | Bridgend |
| Caerphilly | county borough | Hengoed |
| Cardiff | city and county | Cardiff |
| Carmarthenshire | county | Carmarthen |
| Ceredigion | county | Aberaeron |
| Conwy | county borough | Conwy |
| Denbighshire | county | Ruthin |
| Flintshire | county | Mold |
| Gwynedd | county | Caernarfon |
| Isle of Anglesey | county | Llangefni |
| Merthyr Tydfil | county borough | Merthyr Tydfil |
| Monmouthshire | county | Usk |
| Neath Port Talbot | county borough | Port Talbot |
| Newport | city and county | Newport |
| Pembrokeshire | county | Haverfordwest |
| Powys | county | Llandrindod Wells |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | county borough | Clydach Vale |
| Swansea | city and county | Swansea |
| Torfaen | county borough | Pontypool |
| Vale of Glamorgan | county borough | Barry |
| Wrexham | county borough | Wrexham |