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Northern Ireland
Relevant information about Northern Ireland.It is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north east area if the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Ireland Republic Northern Ireland has 5 major cities and 26 districts, grouped in 6 counties.
With its improved international reputation, Northern Ireland has recently witnessed rising numbers of tourists. Attractions include cultural festivals, musical and artistic traditions, countryside and geographical sites of interest, public houses, welcoming hospitality and sports. Every year, over 2.1 million people choose visiting Northern Ireland.
The population is historically divided in two sides: the unionist, identified with Protestantism and with the British government, and nationalist, identified with the Catholicism and with a united and independent Ireland. In 2001 UK Census, Northern Ireland´s population reached 1,685,000, constituting a 30% of the island population and a 3% of the United Kingdom population. Its capital and largest city, Belfast, has a total population of 579,276. Most of Northern Ireland citizens were born in the country (up to a 91%) or in the United Kingdom (5%). With a life expectancy of 78 years and a population growth rate of 0.275%, the population is annually increasing (since 1978). 45% identified themselves as belonging to Protestant Churches (most of them Presbyterians), 40% declared they belong to the Catholic Church, 0.3% were identified with non-Christian religions and up to a 14% recognized they hadn´t faith. Since 1998 Belfast agreements between Irish and British representatives, Northern Irish have the birthright to identify themselves as British, Irish or both of them, as they may so choose. Several studies indicated that Protestants primarily choose the British citizenship and the Catholics in general choose the Irish. English is spoken as a first language almost by a 100% of the Northern Irish population, though under Good Friday Agreement, Irish and Ulster Scots have been recognized as part of the cultural wealth of the country. Sport is a very important part in Northern Irish people and they tend to be organized on an all-Ireland basis (including the Republic), excepting football. The Irish Rugby Football Union is the all island rugby governing body. The sport is played all along the island and its national team is worldly famous. They have won numerous Triple Crowns trophies and 2009 Grand Slam. The Football international team, despite the small population, has had a number of notable successes, including World Cup quarter finals appearances. Despite its small geographical size, Northern Ireland prolifically produces internationally renowned writers and poets from a wide variety of disciplines. John Hewiit, C.S. Lewis, john Brown and Flann O´Brien are some notorious local writers.
The official currency is the British Pound although the Euro (accepted in Republi of Ireland) is accepted in several places. Unemployment in Northern Ireland has decreased substantially in recent years, and is now 4.5%, which is amongst the lowest of the regions of the United Kingdom, down from a peak of 17.2% in 1986. During The Troubles (sort of civil war between Unionist, Nationalist and British), Northern Ireland received little foreign investment. Since Good Friday Agreement, investment has increased significantly. Agriculture in Northern Ireland is heavily mechanised, thanks to high labour costs and heavy capital investment, both from private investors and the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy. Heavy industry is concentrated in Belfast proximities. Food processing, textile and electronics manufacturing are the principal industries. Papermaking, furniture, aerospace and shipbuilding are also important. But the services of the country account for the majority of both employment and output. Tourism is to become the one of the main growth areas in the near future. As of December 2008 the public sector in Northern Ireland accounted for 30.8% of the total workforce. This is significantly higher than the overall UK figure of 19.5%, and also higher than Scotland, the next nearest region at 24%. Overall, the Northern Ireland figure has fallen. In 1992 the public sector accounted for 37% of the workforce. When measured relative to population, the gap between the Northern Ireland and UK figures reduces to three percentage points. Engineering is the largest manufacturing sub-sector in Northern Ireland, particularly in the fields of aerospace and heavy machinery. Bombardier Aerospace is the province's largest industrial employer, with 5,400 workers at five sites in the Greater Belfast area.
Belfast, Londonderry, Lisburn, Newry, Armagh, Omagh, Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Craigavon, Larne, Newtownabbey, Bangor, Ballymena, Coleraine, Downpatrick, the Giant's Causeway, and Northern Ireland's many castles, Silent Valley Reservoir, Lower Lough Erne, Donaghadee.
Sometimes medical tourist’s don´t need to go to a developing country to find cheaper what his needing. In some cases, they can go to a neighbor developed country that has a different social policy or public health funding. This is the case of Northern Ireland. A medical tourist boom developed out of Republic of Ireland and British extremely high prices in dental services.
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