Northern Ireland occupies the northeastern part of the island of Ireland and covers about 14,130 square kilometres. It is one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom, made up of six traditional counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone. Belfast serves as the capital and main port, with other urban centres including Derry~Londonderry and Lisburn.
The region includes coastal edges on the North Channel and the Irish Sea, inland lowlands and upland ranges. Along the Antrim coast the interlocking basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway form a notable geological formation. The Mourne Mountains rise in County Down, with Slieve Donard reaching about 850 metres, and Lough Neagh lies at the centre, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles. Main rivers such as the Bann cross the landscape, linking lowland farmland, lakes and shoreline.
