North Wales (Welsh: Gogledd Cymru) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. North Wales comprises the region historically known as Gwynedd between the River Dyfi in the south and the River Dee in the east. North Wales is comprised of three historic regions. Upper Gwynedd, or Gwynedd above the Conwy (Welsh:Gwynedd Uwch Conwy), is defined as the area north of the River Dyfi and west of the Conwy. Lower Gwynedd (Welsh: Gwynedd Is Conwy), or Gwynedd below the Conwy and also known as the Perfeddwlad, is defined as the region east of the Conwy and west of the River Dee. Ynys Môn (Anglesey), comprises the third historic province of the region.

The scenic Llŷn Peninsula and the Snowdonia mountain range, together with the catchments of the Rivers Conwy, Clwyd and Dee with the River Dyfi, are found in this region of Wales and often said to form the southern boundary along part of its course.

The latest population figures for North Wales is 678,500(2007), and by 2020 the population of North Wales is projected to be 722,800.

History - North Wales is steeped in history. In 1210, English King John invaded Gwynedd a county of North Wales, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, one of the greatest of the medieval Welsh kings was forced to retreat to the mountainous areas to the West. When John found himself embroiled in struggles with his Barons and the Pope, Llywelyn was able to reassert his authority in North Wales. In 1216, Llywelyn went on to preside over a National Assembly for Wales, a position confirmed at the Peace of Worcester in 1218, by Henry III.

World Heritage Sites - North Wales is home to five of the six UNESCO World Heritage sites in Wales, including: Caernarfon Castle, Beaumaris Castle, Conwy Castle, Harlech Castle and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Geography - The area is mostly rural with many mountains and valleys. This, in combination with its coast (on the Irish Sea), has ensured that tourism is the principal industry. The eastern part of North Wales contains the most populous areas, with more than 300,000 people living in the areas around Wrexham and Deeside. Wrexham is North Wales' largest town, with a population of 68,000 in 2005. The majority of other settlements are along the coast, including some popular resort towns, such as Rhyl, Llandudno and Pwllheli. The A55 expressway links these towns with the north of England and the port of Holyhead for ferries to Ireland; few routes connect North Wales with South Wales. There are two cathedral cities – Bangor and St. Asaph – and a number of mediaeval castles (e.g., Criccieth, Dolbadarn, Harlech, Caernarfon Castle, Beaumaris, Conwy).

Geology - North Wales has a very diverse and complex geology with precambrian schists along the Menai Strait and the great Cambrian dome behind Harlech and underlying much of western Snowdonia. In the Ordovician period much volcanism deposited a range of minerals and rocks over the north western parts of Gwynedd whilst to the east of the River Conwy lies a large area of upland rolling hills underlain by the Silurian mud-stones and grits comprising the Denbigh and Migneint moors. To the east, around Llangollen to the north on Halkyn mountain and the Great Orme and in eastern Anglesey are deep beds of limestone from which metals have been mines since pre-Roman times. Added to all this are the complexities posed by Parys Mountain and the outcrops of unusual minerals such as Jasper and Mona Marble which make the area of special interest to geologists.

Language - North Wales has a distinct regional identity. Its dialect of the Welsh language differs from that of other regions such as South Wales in some ways; for example llefrith is used in most of the North instead of llaeth for "milk"; a simple sentence such as go upstairs now might be Dos i fyny'r grisiau rwan in North Wales, where it might be Cer lan y stâr nawr in South Wales. Colloquially, a person from North Wales (especially one who speaks with this dialect or accent) is known as a North Walian, or a Gog (from the Welsh gogledd, meaning "north").

The top 10 most visited attractions in the region are

Portmeirion

Caernarfon Castle

Conwy Castle

Bodnant Garden

Llechwedd Slate Caverns

Swallow Falls

Great Orme Tramway

Penrhyn Castle

Erddig

Harlech Castle