This week we continue our look at some of the most popular virtual local phone numbers in the UK by looking at the capital city of Wales: Cardiff. As well as being the capital city of Wales, Cardiff is also the largest city in Wales and the most populous city in Wales. Cardiff is the 10th largest city in the UK and has a population of around 350,000 people. It is the location of the Welsh Assembly, the government body that was created through devolution when the Blair government was elected in the late 1990s. Cardiff attracts a significant number of tourists each year, with around 18 million visitors in 2010. It was ranked 6th in the world for National Geographic's alternative tourist destinations in 2011.
Cardiff is actually the anglicised name for the city, which in Welsh is Caerdydd. This means "the fort on the Taff". Cardiff is the county town of Glamorgan, and was given this status in 1536.
Surprisingly, despite being the capital city of Wales, Cardiff was a small town until the 19th century, and did not gain city status until 1905. In fact, in 1801 it was only the 25th largest town in Wales, but grew so much that by 1881 it was the largest town in Wales. Its dramatic growth came about from its role as a major port for shipping coal during the industrial revolution.
Cardiff is home to many major sporting venues, including the Millennium Stadium. One of the most famous attractions in Cardiff is Cardiff Castle, at the heart of the city centre. The local phone number for Cardiff is 029.
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