Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town

County town

A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...

 of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff

Cardiff

Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

. Pontypridd is often abbreviated "Ponty" by local residents.
Pontypridd comprises the electoral wards of Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd

Cilfynydd is a village in South Wales a mile from the South Wales Valleys town of Pontypridd, and 13 miles north of the capital city Cardiff.- History :...

, Glyncoch

Glyncoch

Glyncoch is a village to the north of Pontypridd in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The name Glyncoch is Welsh for 'Red glen' ....

, Graig

Graig Pontypridd

Graig , is a historic district of the town of Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, and was historically referred to as 'Rhiw' . The area is closely associated with coal mining and consists largely of terraced housing...

, Graigwen, Hawthorn

Hawthorn, Glamorgan

Hawthorn is a village within the community of the town of Pontypridd in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf and is located 10 miles north west of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Historically this fell within the parish of Eglwysilan within Mid Glamorgan...

, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan (Rhydfelen), Trallwng (Trallwn) and Treforest (Trefforest).

The town sits at the junction of the Rhondda

Rhondda

Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...

 and Taff / Cynon

Cynon Valley

The Cynon Valley , is a famous former coal mining valley within the South Wales Valleys of Wales. The Cynon Valley lies between the other mining Valley of Rhondda and the iron industrial Valley of the Merthyr Valley. Its main towns are Aberdare located North of the Valley and Mountain Ash located...

 valleys, where the River Rhondda

River Rhondda

The River Rhondda is a river in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales which has two major tributaries; the Rhondda Fawr and the Rhondda Fach .- Description :...

 flows into the Taff immediately south of the town at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park.