Northern Ireland



Northern Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It was variously described as a country, province, or region of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland shared a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. In 2011 CE, its population was 1,810,863, about 30% of the island's total population and about 3% of the UK's population. After 1998 CE, Northern Ireland was largely self-governing.

Northern Ireland was created in 1921 by an act of the British parliament.

Northern Ireland had historically been the most industrialized region of the island.

Cultural links between Northern Ireland, the rest of Ireland, and the rest of the UK were complex, with Northern Ireland sharing both the culture of Ireland and the culture of the United Kingdom. In most sports, the island of Ireland fielded a single team, a notable exception being association football. Northern Ireland competed separately at the Commonwealth Games, and athletes from Northern Ireland could compete for either Great Britain or Ireland at the Olympic Games.