Northern Ireland (U.K.)

The main languages spoken in Northern Ireland are:
English - spoken by nearly the entire population.
Irish (Gaelic) - officially recognized in 2022; about 12% of people report some knowledge of it.
Ulster Scots - a variety of Scots spoken mainly in counties Antrim, Down, and Londonderry, also officially recognized.
Polish, Lithuanian, and other immigrant languages are also spoken.
English, Irish, and Ulster Scots are recognized languages of Northern Ireland.

Geography

Location: Western Europe, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 14,130 sq km

Land boundaries:
border countries: Ireland

Climate: temperate maritime; mild, damp, and changeable

Terrain: hills and low mountains surrounding Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the British Isles

People

Population: about 1.9 million (2023 est.)

Languages: English; Irish and Ulster Scots (recognized minority languages)

Government

Country name:
conventional short form: Northern Ireland

Data code: GB-NIR

Government type: constituent part of the United Kingdom with a devolved Assembly and power-sharing Executive

National capital: Belfast

Background: Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned; decades of conflict known as the Troubles ended largely with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which established the current power-sharing government