582,368 (20.8%) could speak Welsh in 2001 compared to 508,098 (18.7%) in 1991.

Cardiff had the biggest increase in the number of Welsh speakers with 14,415 more able to speak Welsh in 2001 than in 1991. Torfaen had the biggest percentage increase, up from 2.5% in 1991 to 11.1% in 2001 – an increase of 8.7 percentage points.

For the third time in succession, census results showed an increase in the number of young people speaking Welsh. 26% of people under 35 could speak Welsh – an increase of 9 percentage point on 1991 figures.

There was a decrease of 5,025 in the number who could speak Welsh in Carmarthenshire, and a decrease of 7.1 percentage points who could speak Welsh in Ceredigion – down from 59.1% in 1991 to 52.0% in 2001. There was, however, an increase of 1891 in the actual number that could speak Welsh in Ceredigion.

There was also a decrease in the number of electoral divisions with over 80% of the population able to speak Welsh. There were 32 such wards in 1991 compared to 18 electoral divisons in 2001.