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Flag of Northern Ireland.	Coat of Arms of Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is the smallest and least populous Constituent Country of the United Kingdom. It occupies roughly one sixth of the island of Ireland and is the only part of the United Kingdom to share a land border (that of the Republic of Ireland) with a foreign nation state.

Northern Ireland was created in 1921 out of the continuation of the Act of Union 1800, when the island of Ireland became part of the United Kingdom. Twenty-six counties of Ireland were separated from the United Kingdom in 1921, following the Irish War of Independence and subsequent Treaty. The remaining six counties were named Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Government operated for 50 years, until it was suspended in 1972 due to civil disturbances known as The Troubles. Several attempts have since been made to restore some form of devolved government to the region, culminating in the recent Belfast Agreement. It is sometimes described as a province, referring to it being a province of the United Kingdom, though it is also part of a larger Irish province called Ulster.

Northern Ireland borders the Republic of Ireland to its south and west

Belfast is Northern Ireland's capital city. While the flag of Northern Ireland (shown right) no longer has official status, it is still widely used to represent Northern Ireland, particularly in sporting events. It is based on the older flag of Ulster (with the addition of a crown, a star and a white background.) Flags and emblems are politically contentious, and several flags are widely flown. Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland had the largest textile industry in the world before the last industrial and technological revolutions, combined with outsourcing of labour made production cheaper elsewhere. Belfast is also known for having two of the largest gantry cranes in the world, towering above the largest dry dock in the world, in its ship building factory Harland & Wolff, which is also famous for producing the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

More about Northern Ireland...

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+{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" align="left" style="margin-right: 1em"
-[[Image:Map of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.png|130px|thumb|Northern Ireland borders the [[Republic of Ireland]] to its south and west]]
+|[[Image:Ulster banner.svg|120px|border|center|Flag of Northern Ireland.]]
-'''Northern Ireland''' is the smallest and least populous [[Constituent Country]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. It occupies roughly one sixth of the island of [[Ireland]] and is the only part of the United Kingdom to share a land border (that of the [[Republic of Ireland]]) with another [[nation state]].
+|[[Image:Northern Ireland coat of arms.png|75px|center|Coat of Arms of Northern Ireland.]]
+|-
+| colspan="2" align="center" | [[Image:Map of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.png|130px|Location of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.]]
+|}
+{| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" style="float; margin:.7em" align="right"
+|}
+'''Northern Ireland''' is the smallest and least populous [[Constituent Country]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. It occupies roughly one sixth of the island of [[Ireland]] and is the only part of the United Kingdom to share a land border (that of the [[Republic of Ireland]]) with a foreign [[nation state]].
-Northern Ireland was created in [[1921]] out of the continuation of the [[Act of Union 1800]], when the island of Ireland became part of the United Kingdom. Twenty-six counties of Ireland were separated from the United Kingdom in 1921, following the [[Irish War of Independence]] and subsequent [[Anglo-Irish Treaty|Treaty]]. The remaining six counties were named Northern Ireland. The [[Parliament of Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland Government]] operated for 50 years, until it was suspended in [[1972]] due to civil disturbances known as [[The Troubles]]; it was abolished the following year under the [[Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973]]. Several attempts have since been made to restore some form of [[devolved government]] to the region, culminating in the recent [[Belfast Agreement]]. It is sometimes described as a [[province]], referring to it being a province of the United Kingdom, though it is also part of a larger Irish province called [[Ulster]].
+Northern Ireland was created in [[1921]] out of the continuation of the [[Act of Union 1800]], when the island of Ireland became part of the United Kingdom. Twenty-six counties of Ireland were separated from the United Kingdom in 1921, following the [[Irish War of Independence]] and subsequent [[Anglo-Irish Treaty|Treaty]]. The remaining six counties were named Northern Ireland. The [[Parliament of Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland Government]] operated for 50 years, until it was suspended in [[1972]] due to civil disturbances known as [[The Troubles]]. Several attempts have since been made to restore some form of [[devolved government]] to the region, culminating in the recent [[Belfast Agreement]]. It is sometimes described as a [[province]], referring to it being a province of the United Kingdom, though it is also part of a larger Irish province called [[Ulster]].
-[[Belfast]] is Northern Ireland's [[capital city]]. While the Former [[flag of Northern Ireland]] no longer has official status, it is still used particularly by some sporting organisations to represent Northern Ireland. It is based on the older [[Flag of Ulster|flag of Ulster]] (with the addition of a crown, a star and a white background.)  Flags and emblems are politically contentious, and several flags are  widely flown. [[Saint Patrick]] is the [[Patron Saint]] of Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland.
+[[Image:NIsat.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Northern Ireland borders the [[Republic of Ireland]] to its south and west]]
+[[Belfast]] is Northern Ireland's [[capital city]]. While the [[flag of Northern Ireland]] (shown right) no longer has official status, it is still widely used to represent Northern Ireland, particularly in sporting events. It is based on the older [[Flag of Ulster|flag of Ulster]] (with the addition of a crown, a star and a white background.)  Flags and emblems are politically contentious, and several flags are  widely flown. [[Saint Patrick]] is the [[Patron Saint]] of Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland.
-Northern Ireland had one of the largest textile industries in the world, before the latest industrial and technological revolutions, combined with outsourcing of labour, made production cheaper elsewhere. Belfast is also known for having two of the largest [[Samson_and_Goliath_(Cranes)|gantry cranes]] in the world, towering above the largest [[dry dock]] in the world, in its ship building factory [[Harland & Wolff]], which is also famous for producing the ill-fated [[RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic'']].
+Northern Ireland had the largest textile industry in the world before the last industrial and technological revolutions, combined with outsourcing of labour made production cheaper elsewhere. Belfast is also known for having two of the largest [[Samson_and_Goliath_(Cranes)|gantry cranes]] in the world, towering above the largest [[dry dock]] in the world, in its ship building factory [[Harland & Wolff]], which is also famous for producing the ill-fated [[RMS Titanic|RMS ''Titanic'']].
 <div style="text-align:right;margin-right:10px;margin-bottom:4px;">'''[[Northern Ireland|More about Northern Ireland...]]'''</div>