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Porthmadog ( ), known locally as "Port", is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies 5 mi (8 km) east of Criccieth, 11 mi (17.7 km) south west of Blaenau Ffestiniog, 25 mi (40.2 km) north of Dolgellau and 20 mi (32.2 km) south of Caernarfon. It has a population of 4,187. The town developed in the 19th century as a port exporting slate to England. Since the decline of the slate industry it has become an important shopping centre for the surrounding area and a popular tourist destination. It has easy access to the Snowdonia National Park and is the terminus of the Ffestiniog Railway. In 1987 the National Eisteddfod was held in Porthmadog. The community includes the nearby villages of Borth-y-Gest, Morfa Bychan and Tremadog. |