Vegetation is similar to that of much of the rest of the British Isles. The original forests of the mountain areas have largely been removed, and much of Wales consists of moorland. In some areas new forests have been planted, consisting of spruce, fir, and pine. About 13 percent of the country is forested. Most animals and birds found in Wales also occur in other areas of Great Britain.
Unique species are the polecat and pine marten.
The inhabitants of Wales number about 2.9 million. During the centuries the population had a strong influx of people from other parts of the British Isles. The Welsh have nevertheless maintained the old Celtic language, which is descended from that of the ancient Britons. Welsh, or Cymraeg, is spoken by 19 percent of the population, compared with some 50 percent in 1900. The decline is largely from the adoption of English as the everyday language of most Welsh people.