III.

Population and Administration

The population of the county is 173,635 (2001). According to the 2001 census, over 63 per cent of the population speaks Welsh. The county was slow to relinquish traditional costumes: the tall hat, frilled mob-cap, and shawl, now usually worn for the benefit of tourists, were still worn by Carmarthen women at the turn of the 20th century. Carmarthen was, according to legend, the birthplace of Merlin, the Celtic magician and counsellor to King Arthur.

The main towns are Llanelli (population, 1991, 44,953), which is the administrative centre of the unitary authority, Carmarthen (1991, 13,524), and Ammanford (1991, 12,106). There is a Crown Court in Carmarthen. The police authority is the Dyfed-Powys Police, which has its headquarters in Carmarthen.