Table of contents
1. Northern Ireland
2. Land and Climate
3. Economy
4. Government and History
5. Belfast
1. Northern Ireland
The northeastern part of the island of Ireland is occupied by Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It covers only one sixth of the total area of the island but has about one third of the population. The rest of the island is occupied by the Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland is sometimes called Ulster because it includes six of the nine countries that made up the early Celtic kingdom, or province, of Ulster. The cultural links of most of the people of Northern Ireland with Scotland and England are quite strong, although some have closer familial ties with the Republic of Ireland. About two thirds of the people of Northern Ireland are descended from Scottish and English settlers who came to Ulster mainly in the 17th century, and most of them are Protestants. The remainder of the population are Irish in origin and are mainly Roman Catholics.
2. Land and Climate
The land is shaped like a saucer, with lowlands in the center rimmed by highlands. Glaciaton left the lowlands with a variety of drift deposits and gave the landscape ist gentle, rolling hills, ist marshy hollows and peat bogs, and ist river valleys. The Antrim Plateau rises in the northeast, the Sperrin Mountains in the northwest, and the Mourne Mountains in the southeast . The highest point is Slieve Donard, rising to 2,796 feet (852 meters) in the Mourne Mountains in County Down.
3. Economy
Unlike the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland is highly industrialized. Locally grown flax and an abundant supply of fresh water stimulated the development of the famous Irish linen industry in Ulster in the 18th century. Much of the flax is now importend, and the linen industry has been surpassed by the cotton and synthetic fiber industries.Northern Ireland has almost no native fuel supplies, and coal, natural gas, and oil are imported from Great Britain, Quarries supply basalt, san and gravel, grit and conglomerate, limestone, granite, rock salt, chalk, and clay.
4. Government and History:
Northern Ireland, as a part of the United Kingdom, is represented by 12 members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons in Westminster. The Northern Ireland government is at Stormont , near Belfast. It is directed and conrolled by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, a national government cabinet post as outlined in the Nonthern Ireland Act of 1974. The national government‘s concern has been principally with law and order, political and constitutional affairs, and security policy. The 26 local government districts are subdivided into 526 wards. General elections at the local government level take place every four years.
5. Belfast
The capital and largest city of Northern Ireland and the busiest port in all Ireland is Belfast. It is located on Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea.
From the city‘s airport at Aldergrove, 13 miles (21 kilometers) to the northwest, there are sevices to the principal Scottish and English cities. Belfast also has steamship links with Heysham, Liverpool, and Manchester, in England, and Glasgow and Ardrossan, in Scotland.
The city is the shopping, retail, educational, commercial, entertainment, and service center for Northern Ireland.Chief exports are ships, aircraft, argicultural produce and livestock, and linen textiles. Other industries include tobacco and food processing.
Educational institutions include Queen´s
Frequently asked questions
What is Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is the northeastern part of the island of Ireland and a part of the United Kingdom. It occupies about one-sixth of the island's area and has about one-third of the population.
Why is Northern Ireland sometimes called Ulster?
Northern Ireland is sometimes called Ulster because it includes six of the nine counties that made up the early Celtic kingdom, or province, of Ulster.
What is the general land shape of Northern Ireland?
The land is shaped like a saucer, with lowlands in the center rimmed by highlands.
What are some major land features in Northern Ireland?
The Antrim Plateau is in the northeast, the Sperrin Mountains in the northwest, and the Mourne Mountains in the southeast. Slieve Donard is the highest point.
How industrialized is Northern Ireland compared to the Republic of Ireland?
Northern Ireland is highly industrialized, unlike the Republic of Ireland.
What stimulated the development of the Irish linen industry in Ulster?
Locally grown flax and an abundant supply of fresh water stimulated the development of the Irish linen industry.
Does Northern Ireland have native fuel supplies?
No, Northern Ireland has almost no native fuel supplies and imports coal, natural gas, and oil from Great Britain.
How is Northern Ireland represented in the United Kingdom government?
Northern Ireland is represented by 12 members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons in Westminster.
Where is the Northern Ireland government located?
The Northern Ireland government is located at Stormont, near Belfast.
How often do local government elections take place in Northern Ireland?
General elections at the local government level take place every four years.
What is Belfast?
Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland and the busiest port in all of Ireland. It is located on Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea.
What are the chief exports from Belfast?
Chief exports from Belfast are ships, aircraft, agricultural produce and livestock, and linen textiles.
What are some educational institutions in Belfast?
Educational institutions in Belfast include Queen's University of Belfast and the Belfast College of Technology.
What does the text focus on?
The text provides a language preview with title, table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and key words related to Northern Ireland.
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- Karin Müller (Author), 2000, Northern Ireland, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/98837
