Merthyr Tydfil County Borough (; ) has been one of the 22 unitary authorities in Wales since 1 April 1996 (though the area was originally granted county borough status in 1908). Merthyr Tydfil County Borough today has a population of 59,000. It is located in the historic county of Glamorgan and takes its name from  Merthyr Tydfil town. The County Borough consists of the northern part of the Taff Valley and the smaller neighbouring Taff Bargoed Valley.