Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in south-east Wales. Its main towns are Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Brynmawr, and Abertillery.

It was established in 1974 as a district of Gwent. It included the 5 urban districts of Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale, Nantyglo and Blaina, and Tredegar, as well as Llanelly parish from Crickhowell Rural District. Historically Brynmawr and Llanelly were in Brecknockshire, and the rest was in Monmouthshire. In 1996 it became one of the 22 new principal areas of Wales, excluding Llanelly which was moved to Monmouthshire.

Blaenau is a Welsh word, the plural of "blaen" which refers to the source of a river. This is because the sources of the Sirhowy River, Ebbw Fawr and Ebbw Fach are all in or near Blaenau Gwent. Those three rivers form the three valleys that run north-south through the area.