City Europe
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales, in the United Kingdom. It has a castle, a national stadium and a bay where old docks have been rebuilt.
Cardiff is the capital of Wales, part of the United Kingdom. It grew fast in the 1800s as a port shipping coal: from fewer than 2,000 people in 1801 to 200,000 in 1901. The Office for National Statistics estimated 381,516 people in Cardiff in mid-2025.
Cardiff is a classic boomtown of the late 19th century, Universalis says: its growth followed coal mining in the Glamorgan and Monmouth coalfield, and coal exports peaked in 1913. Since the 1990s its old docks have been rebuilt; the local authority had 381,516 people in mid-2025 (ONS estimate).
Photo: Gphelps, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. Wales is part of the United Kingdom, in Europe.
About 380,000 people live in Cardiff.
Cardiff is the capital of Wales, part of the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics estimated 381,516 people in Cardiff on 30 June 2025; the 2021 census had counted 362,310.
Universalis says Cardiff is by far Wales's main center for shops, schools and hospitals, and that half of the people of Wales live within 60 kilometers of it.
City Population (Office for National Statistics) gives the Cardiff local authority 310,100 people in mid-2001, 345,442 in mid-2011 and 381,516 in mid-2025; the census of 21 March 2021 counted 362,310, and the Cardiff built-up area had 368,065 in 2024.
Universalis (Claude Moindrot): Cardiff had fewer than 2,000 people in 1801, 18,000 in 1851 and 200,000 in 1901.
- Capital of
- Wales (Wikidata)
- People in Cardiff (ONS estimate, 30 June 2025)
- 381,516
- People in Cardiff (census, 21 March 2021)
- 362,310
- People in Cardiff in 1801 (Universalis)
- fewer than 2,000
Cardiff at dusk
The sun has just gone down, and the sky glows orange and blue. The city lights are coming on.
On the right, a tall clock tower is lit up.
This wide photo shows Cardiff city center at dusk in 2006, taken from an apartment building. The sky glows orange low down and deep blue above. Streetlights shine along Queen Street, the main shopping street, which runs through the middle, and a glass roof glows at the bottom.
The photographer names the Millennium Stadium, Capital Tower and City Hall among the buildings in view; a tall dark tower stands in the middle and a lit clock tower on the right.
Commons: 'An image taken from The Aspect apartment building in 2006 overlooking many of Cardiff's prominent buildings including the Millennium Stadium, Capital Tower and City Hall', 2006, own work by Gphelps (CC BY 3.0); categories 'Night in Cardiff', 'Cardiff city centre'.
Wikidata: City Hall of Cardiff, a Grade I listed civic building, 1906.
- Photo
- Cardiff city center at dusk from 'The Aspect' building, 2006
- Buildings named in the photo's description
- Millennium Stadium, Capital Tower and City Hall
- City Hall
- a Grade I listed civic building (Wikidata)
The coal port boom
Long ago, Cardiff was a small town. Then people dug lots of coal from the ground nearby, and ships carried it away from Cardiff's docks.
The town grew and grew into a big city.
Cardiff grew very fast in the second half of the 1800s, Universalis says. Coal was being mined in the Glamorgan and Monmouth coalfield, and Cardiff became the kingdom's leading port for exporting coal to fuel ships. Docks were dug for the coal trade, which peaked in 1913 with nearly 25 million tonnes.
In 1904 a great noble landowner gave land to the city, and a grand new city center was built on it.
Universalis: a 'mushroom town' of the late 19th century, growing with coal mining in the Glamorgan–Monmouth basin; it became the kingdom's leading port for bunker coal; wet docks were dug in the coastal plain on the left bank of the Taff, mainly for coal, which peaked in 1913 at nearly 25 million tonnes and has since disappeared; a steelworks near the port, using imported ore, closed in 1978.
The city center, built on land given to the city in 1904, 'looks worthy of a small capital', Universalis says.
- People in 1801, 1851 and 1901 (Universalis)
- fewer than 2,000; 18,000; 200,000
- Peak of coal exports
- 1913, nearly 25 million tonnes
- Land for the city center given to the city
- 1904
The port and Cardiff Bay
Ships still come to Cardiff's port. Near the water, old docks have been turned into new places to visit.
Cardiff's port no longer ships coal, Universalis says. It now handles containers, steel, timber, foods and liquids such as oil. Since the 1990s about 1,100 hectares of old, unused docks have been rebuilt.
The Wales Millennium Centre, an arts center by the bay, opened on 28 November 2004, about 2.3 kilometers south-southeast of Cardiff Castle.
Universalis: the port switched to containers, steel, timber, fresh and dry goods and liquids (oil); the disused docks have been regenerated (1,100 ha) since the 1990s, with Techniquest, an interactive science museum, and the Millennium Centre, a venue for exhibitions and shows opened in 2004.
Wikidata: Wales Millennium Centre (opened 28 November 2004) 2.27 km SSE of Cardiff Castle; Techniquest 2.35 km SSE.
- Old docks rebuilt
- about 1,100 hectares, since the 1990s
- Port today
- containers, steel, timber, foods and liquids such as oil
- Wales Millennium Centre
- opened 28 November 2004 (Wikidata)
Mild and wet
Cardiff has cool winters and mild summers. It rains quite often, in every month of the year.
The World Meteorological Organization's averages for Cardiff (1981–2010) add up to about 1,152 millimeters of rain a year, on about 149 days. October is the wettest month, with 134 millimeters, and June the driest, with 67.
July highs average about 22 °C. In February, lows average about 2 °C.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Cardiff (1981–2010): rainfall 1,152.1 mm on 148.8 days a year (days with at least 1 mm), from 133.5 mm in October to 66.6 mm in June; October to January 503.8 mm. Average highs 8.3 °C (January) to 21.7 °C (July); lows 2.1 °C (February) to 13.1 °C (July).
- October rainfall (WMO, 1981–2010)
- 133.5 mm
- Rainfall in a year (sum of the monthly averages)
- 1,152.1 mm
- July, average high
- 21.7 °C
A castle, a stadium and a science center
Cardiff has a castle near the middle of the city. It has the national stadium of Wales and a science museum where you can try things out, too.
Cardiff Castle and the Millennium Stadium, Wales's national stadium, which opened on 26 June 1999, stand about 500 meters apart, Wikidata's map points show. By the bay, Techniquest is an interactive science museum.
Universalis says factories in Cardiff have made light metal goods, food products, engineering and electronic goods and car parts.
Wikidata: Cardiff Castle; Millennium Stadium ('national stadium of Wales', opened 26 June 1999) 0.48 km SSW of the castle; City Hall (1906) 0.35 km NNE; Techniquest ('science and discovery centre in Cardiff Bay') 2.35 km SSE.
Universalis: light metalworking and varied industries, especially food processing based on imported raw materials, plus engineering, electronics and car components.
- Cardiff Castle
- a castle in Cardiff, about 150 m from the city's map point (Wikidata)
- Millennium Stadium
- opened 26 June 1999; Wales's national stadium (Wikidata)
- Techniquest
- an interactive science museum by the bay
Cardiff on the map
Find the United Kingdom on the globe. Wales is part of it. Cardiff is in the south of Wales, near the sea.
Cardiff lies at about 51.5° north, on the coastal plain of south Wales, by the river Taff. Measured from Cardiff Castle, City Hall is about 350 meters north-northeast, the Millennium Stadium about 500 meters south-southwest and the Wales Millennium Centre about 2.3 kilometers south-southeast.
Half the people of Wales live within 60 kilometers of Cardiff.
Cardiff lies at about 51.48° N and 3.18° W. From Cardiff Castle (Wikidata points): Cardiff's own point 0.15 km ESE, City Hall 0.35 km NNE, Millennium Stadium 0.48 km SSW, Wales Millennium Centre 2.27 km SSE, Techniquest 2.35 km SSE.
Universalis: the docks were dug in the coastal plain on the left bank of the Taff.
- Latitude
- about 51.5° north
- Longitude
- about 3.2° west
- Setting
- on the coastal plain, by the river Taff
Amazing facts
-
In 1801 fewer than 2,000 people lived in Cardiff. 100 years later there were 200,000!
Universalis says Cardiff grew from fewer than 2,000 people in 1801 to 18,000 in 1851 and 200,000 in 1901, thanks to coal.
Universalis: under 2,000 (1801), 18,000 (1851), 200,000 (1901): a 'mushroom town' tied to the Glamorgan–Monmouth coalfield.
-
Cardiff's docks once sent huge amounts of coal to other places.
In 1913, nearly 25 million tonnes of coal were shipped from Cardiff, Universalis says. Today no coal is exported at all.
Universalis: coal traffic peaked in 1913 at nearly 25 million tonnes, then slowly declined and has disappeared today.
-
Cardiff has a science museum where you can try experiments yourself.
Techniquest, by Cardiff Bay, is an interactive science museum built as part of the rebuilding of the old docks, Universalis says.
Universalis: the regeneration of the disused docks (1,100 ha) brought Techniquest, an interactive science museum, and the Millennium Centre (2004).
-
October is the rainiest month in Cardiff.
In the WMO table, October in Cardiff averages 134 millimeters of rain, about twice as much as June.
WMO, 1981–2010: October 133.5 mm, June 66.6 mm; 1,152.1 mm a year.
Words to know
- capital
- the city where a country's government works
- coalfield
- an area where there is a lot of coal underground
- dock
- an area of water beside a quay where ships are loaded and unloaded
- boomtown
- a town that grows very quickly
- regeneration
- rebuilding an old area so it can be used in new ways
- dusk
- the time just after sunset, when it is getting dark
Discovery challenge
-
Cardiff is the capital of which part of the United Kingdom?
Cardiff is the capital of which nation of the United Kingdom?
Wikidata calls Cardiff the capital city of which part of the United Kingdom?
- Scotland
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
Show the answer
Wales
Wales!
Wales.
Wales.
-
What did ships carry away from Cardiff long ago?
Which fuel made Cardiff's port boom in the 1800s?
Exports of which fuel peaked at nearly 25 million tonnes at Cardiff in 1913?
- Coal
- Wood
- Ice
Show the answer
Coal
Coal!
Coal.
Coal.
-
About how many people lived in Cardiff in 1801?
About how many people lived in Cardiff in 1801?
Universalis says Cardiff had fewer than how many people in 1801?
- 2,000
- 200,000
- 2 million
Show the answer
2,000
Fewer than 2,000! It was a small town then.
Fewer than 2,000.
Fewer than 2,000.
-
Which month is the rainiest in Cardiff?
In the WMO table, which month is Cardiff's wettest?
Which month averages 133.5 mm, the most in the WMO's 1981–2010 Cardiff table?
- June
- October
- April
Show the answer
October
October!
October.
October.
-
What kind of museum is Techniquest?
Techniquest, by Cardiff Bay, is what kind of museum?
Universalis describes Techniquest, built in the docks regeneration, as what kind of museum?
- An interactive science museum
- A coin museum
- A shoe museum
Show the answer
An interactive science museum
A science museum where you can try things!
An interactive science museum.
An interactive science museum.
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Cardiff on the south coast of Wales.
- Explain how coal mining made a port town grow.
- Describe how old docks can be rebuilt for new uses.
- Read a rainfall table where rain falls in every month.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Cardiff grew from under 2,000 people to 200,000 in 100 years. What would change in a town that grew so fast?
- When coal exports ended, Cardiff rebuilt its docks. What new uses would you choose for an old port?
- Cardiff gets rain in every month. How do people in rainy cities plan outdoor events?
Try at home or in class
- Growth bars: draw bars for Cardiff's population in 1801, 1851, 1901 and 2025.
- Rain chart: plot Cardiff's monthly rainfall and find the wettest and driest months.
- Science corner: try a simple hands-on experiment, like the ones in an interactive science museum.
Key vocabulary: capital, coalfield, dock, boomtown, regeneration, dusk
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- United Kingdom: Counties and Districts , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Office for National Statistics
- Wales: Unitary Districts and Built-up Areas , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Office for National Statistics
- Cardiff, pays de Galles , Encyclopaedia Universalis
- Cardiff: climatological information , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service (United Kingdom)
- File:Cardiff evening.jpg (Gphelps, 2006) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.