Gwynedd

Local Authority District

Wales, the UK

§ This page gives an overview of the Gwynedd local authority district, bringing together key facts, maps, and data to help you quickly understand the area. One of 361 district profiles on Baseview.

Overview ⁞ Gwynedd is a large county in northwest Wales, encompassing much of Snowdonia National Park and a long coastline. It includes the university city of Bangor and towns like Porthmadog and Pwllheli. The area is strongly Welsh-speaking, with tourism, agriculture, and education central to its economy.

The administrative boundary of Gwynedd can be viewed on OpenStreetMap: District Boundary of Gwynedd.

Map of Gwynedd — Administrative Boundary of Gwynedd (Local Authority District)

Key Facts about Gwynedd

What region is Gwynedd in? Gwynedd is in Wales, a statistical region and also a country in United Kingdom.

Is Gwynedd a city? Yes, Gwynedd is a city. Gwynedd holds official city status as one of the 76 designated cities in the UK.

Who governs Gwynedd? The local government for this district is: Gwynedd Council (Wales County Council).

▶ Official website of Gwynedd Council 🔗 gwynedd.llyw.cymru

Which police force covers Gwynedd? Policing in Gwynedd is provided by North Wales Police 🔗 northwales.police.uk, which serves 6 local authority districts: Conwy ⁞ Denbighshire ⁞ Flintshire ⁞ Gwynedd ⁞ Isle of Anglesey ⁞ Wrexham.

Gwynedd in International Geographies

In the International Territorial Levels (ITLs) hierarchy, Gwynedd is an ITLs Level 3 area:

(ITL 1) Wales
(ITL 2) ⇒ North Wales
(ITL 3) ⇒⇒ Gwynedd

The International Territorial Levels are used by OECD member countries for statistical purposes to classify administrative areas. We have this listable page for easy browsing of ITL names and codes: International Territorial Levels.

This district page, Gwynedd, is a sub-page of this region page: Wales. It zooms in to local authorities and parliamentary constituencies, and provides a list of wards in this district. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK local authority districts: List of Local Authority Districts.

Constituencies in Gwynedd

A constituency is a specific geographical area that elects one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons. The United Kingdom is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies, 32 of them are in Wales. We have this list page for easy browsing of all UK parliamentary constituencies: List of Constituencies.

Wards in Gwynedd

Gwynedd is divided into 65 wards, listed below in alphabetical order.

Aberdyfi
Abererch
Abermaw
Abersoch gyda Llanengan
Arllechwedd
Arthog a Llangelynnin
Bethel a'r Felinheli
Bowydd a'r Rhiw
Brithdir and Llanfachreth/Ganllwyd/Llanelltyd
Bro Dysynni
Cadnant
Canol Bangor
Canol Bethesda
Canol Tref Caernarfon
Clynnog
Corris a Mawddwy
Criccieth
Cwm-y-glo
De Dolgellau
De Pwllheli
Deiniolen
Dewi
Diffwys a Maenofferen
Dolbenmaen
Dwyrain Bangor
Dwyrain Porthmadog
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Efailnewydd a Buan
Gerlan
Glaslyn
Glyder
Gogledd Dolgellau
Gogledd Pwllheli
Gorllewin Porthmadog
Gorllewin Tywyn
Harlech a Llanbedr
Hendre
Llanbedrog gyda Mynytho
Llanberis
Llandderfel
Llanllyfni
Llanrug
Llanuwchllyn
Llanwnda
Llanystumdwy
Menai
Morfa Nefyn a Thudweiliog
Morfa Tywyn
Nefyn
Peblig
Pen draw Llŷn
Pen-y-groes
Penisa'r-waun
Penrhyndeudraeth
Rachub
Teigl
Trawsfynydd
Tre-garth a Mynydd Llandygai
Tryfan
Waunfawr
Y Bala
Y Bontnewydd
Y Faenol
Y Groeslon
Yr Eifl

In the UK, a ward is a subdivision of a local authority area, used mainly for electoral and statistical purposes. Defined by the ONS, wards represent the primary unit for local elections, each returning one or more councillors to the local council. Wards are also used as a key geography for presenting population and census data.

Communities in Gwynedd

Gwynedd has 64 communities, listed below in alphabetical order.

Aber
Aberdaron
Aberdovey
Arthog
Bala
Bangor
Barmouth
Beddgelert
Bethesda
Betws Garmon
Bontnewydd
Botwnnog
Brithdir and Llanfachreth
Bryn-crug
Buan
Caernarfon
Clynnog
Corris
Criccieth
Dolbenmaen
Dolgellau
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Ffestiniog
Ganllwyd
Harlech
Llanaelhaearn
Llanbedr
Llanbedrog
Llanberis
Llanddeiniolen
Llandderfel
Llandwrog
Llandygai
Llanegryn
Llanelltyd
Llanengan
Llanfair
Llanfihangel-y-Pennant
Llanfrothen
Llangelynnin
Llangywer
Llanllechid
Llanllyfni
Llannor
Llanrug
Llanuwchllyn
Llanwnda
Llanycil
Llanystumdwy
Maentwrog
Mawddwy
Nefyn
Pennal
Penrhyndeudraeth
Pentir
Pistyll
Porthmadog
Pwllheli
Talsarnau
Trawsfynydd
Tudweiliog
Tywyn
Waunfawr
Y Felinheli

In Wales, communities are the Welsh equivalent of civil parishes—the lowest tier of local government. Every part of Wales lies within a community, though only some have an elected community or town council. Where they exist, these councils handle very local matters and speak for residents to the county or county borough council. Like English civil parishes, communities are purely civil/administrative and are distinct from church parishes.

Built-up Areas in Gwynedd

Gwynedd covers 54 built-up areas, listed below in alphabetical order.

Aberdovey
Abersoch
Bangor
Barmouth
Bethel
Bethesda
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Bontnewydd
Bryncrug
Caeathro
Caernarfon
Carmel
Clwt-y-bont
Criccieth
Dinas Dinlle
Dolgellau
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Fairbourne
Friog
Gellilydan
Groeslon
Hafan y Mor
Harlech
Llan Ffestiniog
Llanbedr
Llanbedrog
Llanberis
Llandwrog
Llandygai
Llanllyfni
Llanrug
Llwyngwril
Morfa Bychan
Morfa Nefyn
Nefyn
Pantperthog
Penisa'r Waun
Penrhyndeudraeth
Penygroes
Porthmadog
Pwllheli
Rachub
Rhostryfan
Tal-y-bont (Gwynedd)
Tal-y-waenydd
Talysarn
Trawsfynydd
Trefor
Tregarth
Tremadog
Tywyn
Waunfawr
Y Bala
Y Felinheli

In the UK, a Built-up Area (BUA) is a continuous urban area of at least 20 hectares (0.2 km²), defined by the ONS as land where buildings are generally no more than 200 metres apart, such as towns, cities, or large villages. (Note: A BUA name marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that the area is situated partly in the district of Gwynedd.)

Gwynedd compared with other districts in the UK

This section shows how Gwynedd compares with other local authority districts in the UK, using a variety of measures and rankings.

Gwynedd has 65 electoral wards.

Gwynedd compared with other districts — ▮ Smaller: 354 ▮ Similar: 3 ▮ Larger: 4 (compared with 361 districts)

Gwynedd has a population of 120,813 (2024 mid-year estimate by ONS)

Population of Gwynedd compared with other districts — Population of Gwynedd, compared with other districts in England and Wales

More local statistics and data for Gwynedd can be found on the ONS statistics for Gwynedd.