Northern Ireland Country & Tourist Information

Location
Northern Ireland.

Area
13,576 sq km (5,242 sq miles).

Population
1.7 million (official estimate 2005).

Population Density
125.2 per sq km.

Capital
Belfast.
Population: 269,000 (official estimate 2004).

Language
English. Irish is spoken by a minority.

Head of Government
First Minister Peter Robinson since June 2008.

Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II.

For information on time, religion, electricity, passport and visa, health and duty-free, see the main United Kingdom section.

Recent History
Following a quarter of a century of well-publicized ‘troubles’ focusing on differences between the Nationalist and Unionist communities, relative peace descended on Northern Ireland during the early 1990s. Deep divisions and mistrust between the two factions still exist, but the atmosphere is now one of at least attempted reconciliation rather than open conflict.

After the cessation of overt hostilities, two major political parties emerged: the Catholic Sinn Fein, under the leadership of Gerry Adams, and the Protestant Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), then led by Ian Paisley. 

Paisley and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness took their pledge of office in May 2007 as devolution returned to Northern Ireland, following a historic meeting in March between Paisley and Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams, where they agreed to share power. However in March 2008, First Minister Ian Paisley announced he would be stepping down in May. He was succeeded by Peter Robinson in June.

Press
• The main Northern Irish daily newspapers are the Belfast Telegraph and the Irish News.
• There are numerous local newspapers produced in larger towns around the province.
• UK national and Republic of Ireland newspapers are also readily available, some produced in localized editions.

Radio
• BBC Radio Ulster.
• BBC Radio Foyle broadcasts for northwest Northern Ireland.
• Downtown Radio is a commercial Belfast broadcast.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

Public holidays observed in Northern Ireland are the same as those observed in the rest of the UK (see the main United Kingdom section) with the addition of:

2009
17 Mar St Patrick's Day.
13 Jul Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day).

2010
17 Mar St Patrick's Day.
12 Jul Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day).

Contact Information:

Northern Ireland Tourist Board
59 North Street, Belfast BT1 1NB, UK
Tel: (028) 9023 1221.
Website: www.discovernorthernireland.com

Tourism Ireland
Nations House, 103 Wigmore Street, London W1U 1QS, UK
Tel: 0800 039 7000.
Website: www.tourismireland.com

Tourism Ireland in the USA
345 Park Avenue, 51st Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10154, USA
Tel: 1 800 223 6470.
Website: www.tourismireland.com


Next Page »

Related Northern Ireland Content