Wales is a book.
Lloyd Jones ( born 1951 ) is a contemporary novelist from Wales . His second book , Mr Cassini ( 2006 ) , was partially inspired by his walking across Wales in seven different directions ; it won the Wales Book of the Year award 2007 . Wales ( [ ˈweɪlz ] Cymru [ ˈkəm.rɨ ] ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain . Two-thirds of the population live in south Wales , mainly in and around Cardiff ( the capital ) , Swansea and Newport , and in the nearby valleys . At many international sporting events , such as the FIFA World Cup , Rugby World Cup and the Commonwealth Games , Wales has its own national teams , though at the Olympic Games , Welsh athletes compete as part of a Great Britain team .