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Easy Text: An Introduction to Northern Ireland

This is the smallest country in the United Kingdom. Do you know why it is part of the UK and not of the Republic of Ireland?
Bangor, Northern Ireland
Image: Howard / CC BY-NC 4.0

Northern Ireland

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Audio: London Language Experience / CC BY-SA 4.0
Belfast City Hall
Belfast City Hall. Image: beowulf / CC BY-SA 4.0

Northern Ireland is small and has about 1.8 million inhabitants. Belfast is the capital city. Northern Ireland was settled by Protestants from England and Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries. The conflict between the Protestants and the original Catholic inhabitants led to the division of Ireland in 1922 into the Republic of Ireland, an independent country, and Northern Ireland which is part of the UK. According to the 2001 census, 53.1 % of the population in Northern Ireland comes from a Protestant background and 43.8 % from a Catholic background. There is still some conflict between Protestant and Catholic groups today.

Benone Beach. Photo.
Benone Beach. Image: bigeoino, Flickr / CC BY-NC 4.0

The landscape is green and fertile and very beautiful. Agriculture and tourism are important industries. The Giant's Causeway, a rock formation, is N. Ireland's biggest tourist attraction. There are many opportunities in the country for different sporting activities; such as, golf, walking and fishing. Irish music and culture are important here as well as in the Republic of Ireland.

Creative task:

Sit in pairs and see who can make up the best story about the picture from Benone Beach.