Map boundaries: ONS Local Government Districts (Northern Ireland), simplified for web display.
About Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom and is the only part of the UK located on the island of Ireland, occupying the northeastern sixth of the island. Famous for dramatic coastal basalt cliffs at the Giant's Causeway, the Mourne Mountains, historic shipbuilding in Belfast, and Lough Neagh—the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles—Northern Ireland is organized into 11 Local Government Districts encompassing the six historic counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone.
Capital & Largest CityBelfast
Population~1.92 million
Total Area5,456 sq mi (14,130 sq km)
Highest PointSlieve Donard (2,789 ft / 850 m)
Introduction
Located immediately north of Belfast along the shores of Belfast Lough and Lough Neagh, Antrim and Newtownabbey blends busy suburban towns with rich lakeside farmland and major transportation hubs, including Belfast International Airport.
Geography
The district stretches from the northern shore of Belfast Lough westward to the northeastern banks of Lough Neagh, anchored by the Six Mile Water river valley and rolling Antrim basalt hills.
Location: Eastern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.71° N, 6.21° W
Area: 221 sq mi (572 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Belfast, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Mid & East Antrim, Mid Ulster
Elevation Extremes: Belfast Lough (0 ft) to Collin Top (1,417 ft)
Population
Population: ~146,500 | Major Towns: Newtownabbey, Antrim, Ballyclare, Crumlin | Density: ~663 per sq mi
History
Antrim is home to one of Ireland's best-preserved 10th-century Irish Round Towers, standing 92 feet tall. In 1798, the town was the site of the Battle of Antrim during the Irish Rebellion, and Newtownabbey grew rapidly during the 20th century as a residential and industrial center north of Belfast.
Economy
The local economy is powered by aviation and logistics centered around Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove, advanced manufacturing, retail parks, and dairy farming.
Fun Facts
Gateway to the Skies: Belfast International Airport—the busiest airport in Northern Ireland—is actually located near the town of Antrim, not inside Belfast city limits!
Introduction
Situated on the easternmost tip of Northern Ireland, Ards and North Down wraps around Strangford Lough and lines the southern shore of Belfast Lough. Known for seaside promenades, sailing marinas, and mild coastal weather, it is a favorite weekend destination for families.
Geography
Dominated by the 18-mile-long Ards Peninsula, which separates the Irish Sea from Strangford Lough—the largest sea inlet in the British Isles—along with the Copeland Islands offshore.
Location: Far Eastern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.59° N, 5.67° W
Area: 177 sq mi (458 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Belfast, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Newry, Mourne & Down
Elevation Extremes: Irish Sea (0 ft) to Cairngaver (722 ft)
Population
Population: ~164,500 | Major Towns & Cities: Bangor (city), Newtownards, Holywood, Comber | Density: ~929 per sq mi
History
Bangor Abbey, founded by Saint Comgall in AD 558, became one of Europe's greatest centers of early Christian learning and missionary work. Nearby, Norman knights built Grey Abbey in 1193 on the eastern shore of Strangford Lough.
Economy
Tourism, coastal hospitality, marine recreation, and agriculture—especially famous Comber early potatoes—anchor the local economy, alongside commuters working in neighboring Belfast.
Fun Facts
Closest Point to Scotland: From Donaghadee on the North Down coast, Scotland's Rhins of Galloway is just 21 miles away across the North Channel—clearly visible on sunny days!
Introduction
Known as the "Orchard County" heartland, this district combines the historic ecclesiastical city of Armagh with the bustling River Bann towns of Banbridge, Lurgan, and Portadown.
Geography
Stretching from the southern shores of Lough Neagh across rolling drumlin hills to the border with the Republic of Ireland, drained by the River Bann and River Blackwater.
Location: South-Central Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.35° N, 6.65° W
Area: 515 sq mi (1,334 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Mid Ulster, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Newry, Mourne & Down, Republic of Ireland
Elevation Extremes: Lough Neagh shore (50 ft) to Slieve Gullion foothills (1,200 ft)
Population
Population: ~220,500 | Major Settlements: Armagh (city), Craigavon (Lurgan & Portadown), Banbridge | Density: ~428 per sq mi
History
Navan Fort (Emain Macha), just outside Armagh, was the ancient royal capital of Ulster over 2,000 years ago. In the 5th century, Saint Patrick established his principal stone church in Armagh, making it the spiritual capital of Ireland for both Catholic and Anglican churches.
Economy
Food processing, apple orchards, pharmaceuticals, engineering, and retail outlets along the A1 Belfast–Dublin corridor drive strong regional employment.
Fun Facts
Famous Apples: Armagh Bramley apples have special protected geographic status because the region's climate produces uniquely crisp, tangy cooking apples!
Introduction
Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. Nestled between dramatic basalt hills and the mouth of the River Lagan, Belfast is world-famous as the birthplace of the RMS Titanic and a vibrant center of culture, music, and universities.
Geography
Situated at the western end of Belfast Lough where the River Lagan flows into the sea, framed on the northwest by Cave Hill and Divis Mountain.
Location: Eastern Coast of Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.60° N, 5.93° W
Area: 53 sq mi (137 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Antrim & Newtownabbey, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Ards & North Down
Elevation Extremes: Belfast Lough (0 ft) to Divis Mountain (1,568 ft / 478 m)
Population
Population: ~348,000 (city district) / ~670,000 (Greater Belfast metro) | Density: ~6,566 per sq mi
History
During the 19th century, Belfast grew into an industrial powerhouse nicknamed "Linenopolis" for its massive linen mills, ropeworks, and the Harland & Wolff shipyard, which built the Titanic in 1911–1912. Belfast became the capital of Northern Ireland in 1921.
Economy
Today Belfast is a leading UK hub for cybersecurity, financial technology, aerospace engineering, film and television production, higher education (Queen's University Belfast), and cultural tourism.
Fun Facts
Giant Inspiration: Local legend says the silhouette of Cave Hill overlooking Belfast—which resembles a sleeping giant's nose and chin—inspired Jonathan Swift when writing Gulliver's Travels!
Introduction
Stretching across Northern Ireland's rugged North Atlantic coastline, Causeway Coast and Glens is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the United Kingdom, including the UNESCO World Heritage Giant's Causeway and the Glens of Antrim.
Geography
Bounded by Lough Foyle to the west, the North Atlantic Ocean to the north, and the Sperrin Mountains and Antrim Plateau inland, including Rathlin Island offshore.
Location: Northern Coast of Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 55.13° N, 6.67° W
Area: 764 sq mi (1,980 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Derry City & Strabane, Mid Ulster, Mid & East Antrim
Elevation Extremes: North Atlantic (0 ft) to Trostan (1,804 ft / 550 m)
Population
Population: ~141,800 | Major Towns: Coleraine, Ballymoney, Limavady, Ballycastle, Portrush | Density: ~186 per sq mi
History
Mount Sandel near Coleraine contains evidence of human settlement dating back roughly 9,000 years—the oldest known archaeological site in Ireland. Along the cliffs stand the medieval ruins of Dunluce Castle and Kinbane Castle.
Economy
International tourism, championship golf (Royal Portrush hosts The Open Championship), Ulster University's Coleraine campus, fishing, and farming sustain the region.
Fun Facts
40,000 Stone Columns: The Giant's Causeway consists of around 40,000 interlocking hexagonal basalt columns formed by ancient volcanic lava cooling 60 million years ago—though folklore credits the Irish giant Finn McCool!
Introduction
Anchoring the northwest corner of Northern Ireland, Derry City and Strabane is centered on Derry / Londonderry, Northern Ireland's second-largest city and the only completely intact walled city in Ireland.
Geography
Built along the broad tidal River Foyle as it empties into Lough Foyle, extending southward along the River Mourne and into the western Sperrin Mountains along the border with County Donegal.
Location: Northwestern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 55.00° N, 7.32° W
Area: 478 sq mi (1,237 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Causeway Coast & Glens, Mid Ulster, Fermanagh & Omagh, Republic of Ireland
Elevation Extremes: Lough Foyle (0 ft) to Sawel Mountain (2,224 ft / 678 m)
Population
Population: ~151,000 | Major Settlements: Derry / Londonderry (city), Strabane | Density: ~316 per sq mi
History
Saint Columba founded a monastery on the oak-grove hill of Derry in the 6th century. Between 1613 and 1619, massive stone city walls up to 26 feet high were constructed; they successfully withstood the famous 105-day Siege of Derry in 1689 and remain unbroken today.
Economy
Software and digital services, medical devices, higher education (Ulster University Magee campus), cross-border trade, and cultural festivals drive the northwest economy.
Fun Facts
The Peace Bridge: Opened in 2011, Derry's curving S-shaped pedestrian and cycle bridge connects the Waterside and Cityside across the River Foyle as a symbol of unity.
Introduction
Covering the entire southwestern region of Northern Ireland, Fermanagh and Omagh is famous as the "Lakeland County," featuring hundreds of islands across Upper and Lower Lough Erne, subterranean limestone caves, and rolling hills.
Geography
The largest district by land area in Northern Ireland, dominated by the River Erne waterway system, the Cuilcagh Mountain plateau, and lush wooded valleys.
Location: Southwestern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.45° N, 7.63° W
Area: 1,100 sq mi (2,847 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Derry City & Strabane, Mid Ulster, Republic of Ireland
Elevation Extremes: Lower Lough Erne (150 ft) to Cuilcagh Mountain (2,182 ft / 665 m)
Population
Population: ~117,200 | Major Towns: Enniskillen, Omagh, Lisnaskea, Irvinestown | Density: ~107 per sq mi
History
Enniskillen—Northern Ireland's only island town, sitting between Upper and Lower Lough Erne—grew around the 15th-century Maguire Clan castle. Nearby Devenish Island preserves an important 6th-century monastic settlement.
Economy
Nature and boating tourism, agriculture, quarrying, and precision manufacturing form the economic backbone of the southwest.
Fun Facts
Stairway to Heaven: Visitors to the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark can explore underground rivers by boat and climb the wooden boardwalk trail up Cuilcagh Mountain!
Introduction
Stretching along the Lagan Valley immediately south and southeast of Belfast, Lisburn and Castlereagh is known as the historic cradle of Ireland's linen industry and home to Hillsborough Castle, the official royal residence in Northern Ireland.
Geography
Centered on the fertile River Lagan corridor between Lough Neagh and Belfast, bordered by the Castlereagh Hills to the east.
Location: East-Central Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.51° N, 6.04° W
Area: 195 sq mi (505 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Belfast, Antrim & Newtownabbey, Ards & North Down, Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon, Newry, Mourne & Down
Elevation Extremes: Lagan Valley (50 ft) to Slieve Croob foothills (950 ft)
Population
Population: ~150,300 | Major Settlements: Lisburn (city), Carryduff, Dundonald, Royal Hillsborough | Density: ~771 per sq mi
History
In 1698, King William III appointed Huguenot weaver Louis Crommelin to establish a world-leading linen industry in Lisburn, celebrated today at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum. Lisburn was granted official city status in 2002.
Economy
Retail (including Sprucefield shopping hub), light engineering, logistics, agriculture, and public administration support a fast-growing population.
Fun Facts
Royal Residence: Hillsborough Castle in County Down isn't a medieval stone fortress—it's an 18th-century Georgian country house surrounded by 100 acres of gardens where visiting monarchs and world leaders stay!
Introduction
Running from the lush Braid Valley inland to the dramatic cliffs of the Antrim Coast Road and the busy ferry port of Larne, Mid and East Antrim blends rich farming traditions with coastal engineering.
Geography
Spans the River Main and Braid valleys eastward across the Antrim Plateau to the North Channel coast, including the Islandmagee peninsula and dramatic Gobbins cliff path.
Location: Eastern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.86° N, 6.28° W
Area: 404 sq mi (1,046 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Causeway Coast & Glens, Mid Ulster, Antrim & Newtownabbey
Elevation Extremes: North Channel (0 ft) to Agnew's Hill (1,558 ft / 475 m)
Population
Population: ~139,400 | Major Towns: Ballymena, Larne, Carrickfergus | Density: ~345 per sq mi
History
Carrickfergus Castle, built in 1177 by Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy on a rocky outcrop in Belfast Lough, is one of the best-preserved medieval Norman castles in all of Ireland.
Economy
Maritime ferry transport through the Port of Larne (connecting to Cairnryan in Scotland), bus and heavy vehicle manufacturing in Ballymena, food processing, and livestock farming.
Fun Facts
Slemish Mountain: Near Ballymena rises Slemish, the volcanic plug of an extinct volcano where, according to tradition, a young Saint Patrick worked as a shepherd!
Introduction
Positioned right in the geographic heart of Northern Ireland, Mid Ulster stretches from the Sperrin Mountains to the western shores of Lough Neagh and is renowned as the engineering and manufacturing powerhouse of the region.
Geography
Includes much of the western shore of Lough Neagh—the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland—alongside the Ballinderry and Blackwater river valleys and the eastern Sperrin Mountains.
Location: Central Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.64° N, 6.75° W
Area: 703 sq mi (1,821 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Causeway Coast & Glens, Mid & East Antrim, Antrim & Newtownabbey, Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon, Fermanagh & Omagh, Derry City & Strabane
Elevation Extremes: Lough Neagh (50 ft) to Mullaghaneany (2,070 ft / 631 m)
Population
Population: ~151,500 | Major Towns: Dungannon, Cookstown, Magherafelt, Coalisland | Density: ~216 per sq mi
History
Hill of The O'Neill in Dungannon served for centuries as the royal seat of the powerful O'Neill dynasty, rulers of medieval Ulster. Mid Ulster is also home to the Beaghmore Stone Circles, a mysterious Bronze Age astronomical site with seven stone circles.
Economy
Mid Ulster produces over 30% of the world's mobile crushing and screening machinery used in global construction and mining, alongside major food production and Lough Neagh eel fishing.
Fun Facts
Giant Lake: Lough Neagh covers 151 square miles—so big that its shoreline touches five of Northern Ireland's six historic counties!
Newry, Mourne and Down↑
Introduction
Spanning the southeastern corner of Northern Ireland from Strangford Lough to Carlingford Lough, this district is home to the majestic granite peaks of the Mourne Mountains, the historic cathedral town of Downpatrick, and the border city of Newry.
Geography
Features Northern Ireland's highest mountain range—the Mournes—sweeping down to sandy beaches at Newcastle, Dundrum Bay, and the glacial fjord of Carlingford Lough.
Location: Southeastern Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 54.18° N, 6.34° W
Area: 631 sq mi (1,634 sq km)
Bordering Districts: Ards & North Down, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon, Republic of Ireland
Elevation Extremes: Irish Sea (0 ft) to Slieve Donard (2,789 ft / 850 m)
Population
Population: ~183,000 | Major Settlements: Newry (city), Downpatrick, Newcastle, Warrenpoint, Kilkeel | Density: ~290 per sq mi
History
Downpatrick is the traditional burial place of Saint Patrick at Down Cathedral. In 1742, Newry opened the Newry Canal—the first summit-level canal built in the British Isles, linking Lough Neagh to the Irish Sea.
Economy
Cross-border commerce and shipping through Warrenpoint Port, sea fishing based in Kilkeel, mountain and coastal tourism, and agriculture drive the economy.
Fun Facts
The Land of Narnia: Belfast-born author C.S. Lewis hiked the Mourne Mountains regularly and wrote that seeing the peaks sweep down to the sea inspired his magical world of Narnia!
Explore All 11 Northern Ireland Districts