This is a list of settlements in Northern Ireland by population. The fifty largest settlements are listed, based on data published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), from the 2021 Census. [1] Settlements with city status are shown in bold. Districts are local government districts as established in April 2015.
# | Settlement | District | County | Population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belfast Urban Area [lower-alpha 1] | Antrim and Newtownabbey Belfast Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Antrim County Down | 452,637 | |
1 | Belfast [lower-alpha 2] | Belfast | County Antrim County Down | 293,298 |
2 | Derry | Derry City and Strabane | County Londonderry | 85,279 |
3 | Craigavon Urban Area [lower-alpha 3] | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 72,301 |
4 | Metropolitan Newtownabbey [lower-alpha 2] | Antrim and Newtownabbey | County Antrim | 67,599 |
5 | Bangor | Ards and North Down | County Down | 64,596 |
6 | Metropolitan Castlereagh [lower-alpha 2] | Belfast Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Down | 58,763 |
7 | Lisburn | Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Antrim County Down | 51,447 |
Metropolitan Lisburn [lower-alpha 2] | Belfast Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Antrim | 32,643 | |
8 | Ballymena | Mid and East Antrim | County Antrim | 31,205 |
Lurgan [lower-alpha 4] [2] | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 30,886 | |
Portadown [lower-alpha 4] [2] | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 29,772 | |
9 | Newtownards | Ards and North Down | County Down | 29,677 |
10 | Newry | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Armagh County Down | 28,530 |
11 | Carrickfergus | Mid and East Antrim | County Antrim | 28,141 |
12 | Antrim | Antrim and Newtownabbey | County Antrim | 25,606 |
13 | Coleraine | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Londonderry | 24,483 |
14 | Omagh | Fermanagh and Omagh | County Tyrone | 20,458 |
15 | Larne | Mid and East Antrim | County Antrim | 18,853 |
16 | Banbridge | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Down | 17,400 |
17 | Armagh | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 16,310 |
18 | Dungannon | Mid Ulster | County Tyrone | 16,282 |
19 | Enniskillen | Fermanagh and Omagh | County Fermanagh | 14,086 |
Craigavon [lower-alpha 4] [2] | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 13,948 | |
20 | Strabane | Derry City and Strabane | County Tyrone | 13,507 |
21 | Cookstown | Mid Ulster | County Tyrone | 12,546 |
22 | Limavady | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Londonderry | 11,729 |
23 | Downpatrick | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 11,545 |
24 | Ballymoney | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Antrim | 11,048 |
25 | Ballyclare | Antrim and Newtownabbey | County Antrim | 10,850 |
26 | Holywood | Ards and North Down | County Down | 10,757 |
27 | Magherafelt | Mid Ulster | County Londonderry | 9,648 |
28 | Comber | Ards and North Down | County Down | 9,529 |
29 | Warrenpoint (including Burren) | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 9,091 |
30 | Newcastle | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 8,298 |
31 | Portstewart | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Londonderry | 7,854 |
32 | Donaghadee | Ards and North Down | County Down | 7,325 |
32 | Carryduff | Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Down | 7,173 |
34 | Kilkeel | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 6,633 |
35 | Dromore | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Down | 6,395 |
36 | Coalisland | Mid Ulster | County Tyrone | 6,349 |
37 | Ballynahinch | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 6,164 |
38 | Portrush | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Antrim | 6,150 |
39 | Greenisland | Mid and East Antrim | County Antrim | 5,965 |
40 | Ballycastle | Causeway Coast and Glens | County Antrim | 5,628 |
41 | Crumlin | Antrim and Newtownabbey | County Antrim | 5,366 |
42 | Randalstown | Antrim and Newtownabbey | County Antrim | 5,151 |
43 | Moira | Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Down | 4,891 |
44 | Maghera | Mid Ulster | County Londonderry | 4,235 |
45 | Royal Hillsborough (including Culcavy) | Lisburn and Castlereagh | County Down | 4,170 |
46 | Waringstown | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Down | 3,866 |
47 | Culmore | Derry City and Strabane | County Londonderry | 3,652 |
48 | Saintfield | Newry, Mourne and Down | County Down | 3,588 |
49 | Eglinton | Derry City and Strabane | County Londonderry | 3,571 |
50 | Tandragee | Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon | County Armagh | 3,545 |
Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 10th-largest primary urban area in the United Kingdom and the second-largest city in the island of Ireland. Belfast City had a population of 293,298 in 2021. The population of its metropolitan area was 671,559 in 2011, and the Belfast Local Government District had a population 345,418 in 2021.
County Antrim is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 3,086 square kilometres (1,192 sq mi) and has a population of 651,321, as of the 2021 census. County Antrim has a population density of 211 people per square kilometre or 546 people per square mile. It is also one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland.
County Armagh is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 1,327 km2 (512 sq mi) and has a population of 194,394 as of the 2021 census. County Armagh is known as the "Orchard County" because of its many apple orchards. The county is part of the historic province of Ulster.
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh. Lurgan is about 18 miles (29 km) south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. It had a population of about 28,634 at the 2021 UK census and is within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. For some purposes, Lurgan is treated as part of the "Craigavon Urban Area" along with neighbouring Craigavon and Portadown.
Craigavon is a town in northern County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Its construction began in 1965 and it was named after the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland: James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon. It was intended to be the heart of a new linear city incorporating Lurgan and Portadown, but this plan was mostly abandoned and later described as having been flawed. Among local people today, "Craigavon" refers to the area between the two towns. It is built beside a pair of artificial lakes and is made up of a large residential area (Brownlow), a second smaller one (Mandeville), plus a central area (Highfield) that includes a substantial shopping centre, a courthouse and the district council headquarters. The area around the lakes is a public park and wildlife haven made up of woodland with walking trails. There is also a watersports centre, golf course and ski slope in the area. In most of Craigavon, motor vehicles are completely separated from pedestrians, and roundabouts are used extensively. It hosted the headquarters of the former Craigavon Borough Council.
Bushmills is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Bushmills had a population of 1,247 in the 2021 Census. It is located 60 miles (97 km) from Belfast, 11 miles (18 km) from Ballycastle and 9 miles (14 km) from Coleraine. The village owes its name to the River Bush and to a large watermill that was built there in the early 17th century. It is home to the Old Bushmills Distillery, which produces Irish whiskey, and is near the Giant's Causeway.
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. This is the core of a metropolitan statistical area in the United States, if it contains a population of more than 50,000.
Newtownabbey is a large settlement north of Belfast city centre in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course. It surrounds Carnmoney Hill, and was formed from the merging of several small villages including Whiteabbey, Glengormley and Carnmoney. At the 2011 census, Metropolitan Newtownabbey Settlement had a population of 65,646, making it the third largest settlement in Northern Ireland. It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Banbridge was a local government district in Northern Ireland. The district was one of 26 council areas formed on 1 October 1973, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972. The headquarters of the council were in the town of Banbridge. In April 2015, most of the Banbridge district was included in the merged Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. Some smaller areas in the east of the district became merged with the Newry, Mourne and Down District
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for part of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The council serves an estimated population of 345,006 (2019), the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while being the smallest by area. Belfast City Council is the primary council of the Belfast Metropolitan Area, a grouping of six former district councils with commuter towns and overspill from Belfast, containing a total population of 579,276.
Helen's Bay is a village on the northern coast of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Ballygrot, between Holywood, Crawfordsburn and Bangor. It is served by a railway station and had a population of 1,390 in the 2011 Census. It is part of the Ards and North Down Borough Council area.
The economy of Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four constituents of the United Kingdom and the smaller of the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland. At the time of the Partition of Ireland in 1922, and for a period afterwards, Northern Ireland had a predominantly industrial economy, most notably in shipbuilding, rope manufacture and textiles, but most heavy industry has since been replaced by services. Northern Ireland's economy has strong links to the economies of the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
Richhill is a large village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies between Armagh and Portadown. It had a population of 2,738 people in the 2021 Census.
The Belfast metropolitan area, also known as Greater Belfast, is a grouping of council areas which include commuter towns and overspill from Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a population of 672,522 in 2011, combining the Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, North Down, Castlereagh and Carrickfergus districts. This equates to 37.1% of Northern Ireland's population.
Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half. The town began as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing. The town was home to the headquarters of the former Banbridge District Council. Following a reform of local government in Northern Ireland in 2015, Banbridge became part of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. It had a population of 17,400 in the 2021 Census.
Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four components of the United Kingdom in terms of both area and population, containing 2.9% of the total population and 5.7% of the total area of the United Kingdom. It is the smaller of the two political entities on the island of Ireland by area and population, the other being the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland contains 27.1% of the total population and 16.75% of the total area of the island of Ireland.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is a local authority that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaced Armagh City and District Council, Banbridge District Council and Craigavon Borough Council. The first elections to the authority were on 22 May 2014 and it acted as a shadow authority, before the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district was created on 1 April 2015.