The Welsh capital is often hailed as an example of successful development and adaptation to changing demographic and economic conditions. Cardiff’s history spans more than two thousand years, when the city was nothing more than a small fort built by the Romans. How has Cardiff changed since and what are the current demographic and economic trends that prevail in the Welsh capital?
Demographics
Historians believe that Cardiff’s first inhabitants arrived during the Neolithic era from the southern Mediterranean region, most likely from Spain and Portugal. During several centuries, population growth was slow, although historical records show that by the late 13th century, Cardiff was already the most populous town in Wales, with an approximate population of 2,000 people. However, Cardiff’s true demographic explosion did not take place until the 18th century, when the city docks were built and railway lines reached the city. In the three decades between 1840 and 1870, the local population grew by 80 per cent, mostly due to the arrival of English and Irish migrants. At the turn of the 20th century, Cardiff had a permanent population of 172,000.
The city’s population reached its peak during the early 1970s, although it quickly fell into decline, not being able to recover until the mid-2000s, when several urban regeneration projects turned Cardiff into one of the most desirable locations to live in. The latest demographic data (taken from the 2011 census) show that Cardiff’s current population amounts to 346,000 people.
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