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Cardiff Facts

Combining history with modernity, Cardiff has become one of the UK's top tourist destinations, so now is the time to visit and discover the capital of Wales:

— The Romans settled in Cardiff in 55AD and built a military fort on the site of Cardiff Castle

— Cardiff became a city in 1905 and was crowned the capital of Wales in 1955

— Today, Cardiff has a population of 310,000 and attracts more than 11 million visitors a year

— Cardiff is one of the flattest cities in Britain and has more hours of sunlight than Milan

— The £1.8 billion Bay development of Cardiff - Europe's largest waterfront regeneration project, and the £102m development of the new Wales Millennium Centre, have helped launch Cardiff into the top five most favoured travel and business destinations in the UK.

— The city's reputation as a vibrant centre of learning means Cardiff is on track to have the largest student population of any European city by the end of the decade.

—Cardiff claimed the Men's Health magazine award of 'Best UK city 2004', with the conclusion that the Welsh capital is a "young, friendly town jam-packed with a cosmopolitan crowd, all of whom have a spring in their step that seems to indicate they're going somewhere fun."

— After bidding for the title of European Capital of Culture 2008, Cardiff has been designated as a 'Centre of Culture'. A status enhanced by the opening of the Wales Millennium Centre and the hosting of events such as the international Artes Mundi Prize at the National Museum Cardiff.

— Cardiff has been transformed into a sporting capital since the completion of the Millennium Stadium, hosting events such as the Six Nations, the FA Cup and the Wales Rally GB. Worldwide attention on Cardiff is set to increase further however, with the development of a £700 million sports village, featuring a snow dome and Olympic size pool, and events such as the Ryder Cup in 2010.

— Cardiff's status as a top 10 UK retail destination will be bolstered by a new £315 million shopping development in the city centre, which will be home to a major new department store as well as dozens of new stores and a Mediterranean style plaza.

— Cardiff has been designated as the world's first Fair Trade Capital - encouraging ethical trading and fair prices for producers in third world countries.

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