Natural resources of Wales

The natural resources of Wales have contributed substantially to the economic wealth of the United Kingdom from pre-Roman times to the present.

Although Wales has been strongly associated with the coal industry, it has also been the world's leading supplier of slate and of copper at different times.

The combination of climate and physical geography and geology have given rise to many different types of landscape and biomes rich in species variety.

[3] Other wind farms are found on inland, mostly upland sites, but there are none in the Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons national parks.

Another potential source of gas is the underground controlled combustion of coal seams to produce syngas, a mixture of hydrogen, methane and carbon monoxide.

[15] Partly because of its relatively sparse population in Mid and North Wales, its unusually equable climate and its complex geology, Wales sustains a great variety of notable landscape forms, unusual biomes and areas enjoying special protection because of their natural environmental value.

Because of its location facing into a very energetic ocean, Wales has numerous sandy beaches, a coastline rich in sea-cliffs and a relatively high tidal range in many areas.

[17] A significant tourism industry has developed to advantage of these coastal resources including substantial caravan parks along the north-east coast at Rhyl, Prestatyn and Kimnel Bay in parts of Pembrokeshire and along the south coast at Porthcawl and Barry A number of westerly and south-westerly facing beaches have well-developed sand-dune system behind them including Kenfig dunes, Merthyr Mawr, Morfa Harlech and Newborough Warren all of which are highly valued for their wild-life diversity including the presence of some rare plant and animal species such as the Fen orchid.