Powys is an extensive, largely upland and extremely rural county covering 2000 square miles, that is about a quarter of the area of Wales. With only 1 person in every 10 acres (4 hectares) it is one of the most sparsely populated local authority areas in England and Wales.
The county has tremendous landscape assets, from the dramatic mountains of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the rolling hills of Radnor Forest to the Berwyn Mountains in the north, and some of Britain's most spectacular river valleys - the Severn, Wye and Usk - sweeping through its glorious scenery.
The economy is based on agriculture and tourism, with high self-employment and small businesses predominating, and an important contribution to employment opportunities from the public sector.
