Physical Description

The new City and County covers an area of 378 square kilometres (146 square miles), about 2% of the area of Wales.

Extending from Rhossili Down at the western edge of the Gower Peninsula to Kilvey Hill, Crymlyn Bog and the slopes of the Drummau Mountain on the eastern border with Neath Port Talbot; and from Mumbles Head and the sweep of Swansea Bay in the south to the 1200 ft. ridge of Mynydd y Gwair overlooking the Amman Valley in the north, the new City and County covers an area of 378 square kilometres (146 square miles), about 2% of the area of Wales.

Some two-thirds of the County's boundary is with the sea - the Burry Inlet, Bristol Channel and Swansea Bay. The River Loughor forms the north west boundary with Carmarthenshire while the boundary to the north and east is largely defined by hill and valley features.

The main area of upland lies in the north of the County making up most of the community of Mawr. The highest point at 374 metres (1215 feet) occurs at Penlle'r Castell on the County's northern border. Areas of high land up to 185 metres (600 feet) range across the south of the County and form the hills of Kilvey, Townhill and Llwynmawr, separating the centre of Swansea from its northern suburbs. A ridge of high land, Cefn Bryn, forms the spine of Gower with Rhossili and Hardings Downs and Llanmadoc Hill forming major features over 600 feet high.

The chief river is the Tawe which enters the County at Clydach and flows through Morriston and the Lower Swansea Valley, before emerging to the east of the City Centre and entering Swansea Bay over the Barrage which separates the Docks and the Maritime Quarter. Only the River Loughor and its tributaries of the Lliw and Llan, which drain the north west of the County, are rivers of any other significance.

The City and County can be broadly divided into 4 physical areas. In the north, the Lliw Uplands present an open moorland feature; the Gower Peninsula in the west, a rural landscape with contrasting coasts and a collection of small villages; the urban and suburban centre stretching from Swansea to Gorseinon and Pontarddulais; and the coastal strip around Swansea Bay, no more than 2 miles in width.

The urban area of the City and County is chiefly focused on Swansea and radiates to the west and north of the city centre - around Swansea Bay to Mumbles; over Townhill to Cwmbwrla, Treboeth, Fforestfach and Penlan; through Uplands, Sketty, Killay and Dunvant; along the Swansea Valley communities of Hafod, Landore, Plasmarl, Morriston to Clydach; and on the east side of the River from St. Thomas to Bonymaen, Llansamlet and Birchgrove.

The second urban focus centres on the Gowerton, Gorseinon and Loughor triangle, along with the nearby communities of Pontarddulais and Penllergaer.