County Antrim is Ulster’s most populous county; a coastal county bounded to the north and east by the sea, to the west by the River Bann and Lough Neagh from which the Bann flows and on the south by the River Lagan, which flows into the North Channel in the Belfast Lough. Thus Antrim is surrounded by water.
This is Ulster’s gateway to Great Britain as the main ferry terminals are at Larne and Belfast.
Belfast, the main city of Antrim, is also the major city (and capital) of Northern Ireland.
The town of Antrim itself, near the shore of Lough Neagh, is a modest market town.
Antrim is diverse in its geography, with a number of distinctive areas. In the north-east of the county, running down into the sea, are the Antrim Hills and cutting through them the beautiful Glens of Antrim. On the north coast is that great forest of vertical hexagonal basalt columns, the Giant’s Causeway: the Causeway Coast and the Nine Glens of Antrim give the county its fame.
Inland behind the hills is the valley of the Main, with the towns of Ballymena and Ballymoney. The southern edge of the county is dominated by Belfast at the head of Belfast Lough and satellite towns running back to Lisburn.
County Facts
County Town: Antrim
Main Towns: Ballymena, Ballymoney, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Larne, Lisburn, Portrush
Main Rivers: Bann, Lagan.
Highlights: Glens of Antrim; Giant’s Causeway; Carrickfergus Castle; Dunluce Castle.
Highest Point: Trostan, 1817 feet.
Area: 1,175 sq miles
Flower: Harebell
