Wrexham (Welsh: Wrecsam) is a large (former industrial) town, conurbation and principal area of Wales lying in north-eastern part of the country. It is situated between the first mountains of Wales and the lower Dee valley, close to the English border with Cheshire. It is the main commercial, retail, educational and cultural centre in North Wales, and often termed 'The capital of North Wales'. In the 2001 census Wrexham had a population of 42,576, whereas the Wrexham urban area had a population of 63,084 It forms the centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, which covers 50,500 hectares and has a population of over 130,000. These figures make Wrexham by far the largest urban area in Wales away from the south coast.