The island of Ireland is situated in the Atlantic ocean, west of Britain, and to the extreme north-west of Europe. It lies between latitude 51.5 and 55.5 degrees North,and longitude 5.5 and 10.5 degrees West.
Northern Ireland is situated in the north-eastern corner of Ireland, and is made up of six counties: Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.
The population in Northern Ireland has been increasing steadily for the past number of years, and according to future projections, it will continue to do so for the next 20 years or so. It has also a relatively young population, with 54.6% being under the age of 35.
N.Ireland Population Figures (1993-95) - Mid-Year Estimates
| YEAR | MALE | FEMALE | TOTAL |
| 1993 | 796,700 | 835,100 | 1,631,800 |
| 1994 | 801,762 | 839,949 | 1,641,711 |
| 1995 | 805,222 | 843,738 | 1,648,960 |
Population Projections for Northern Ireland
| YEAR | 2001
(thousand) |
2006
(thousand) |
2011
(thousand) |
2016
(thousand) |
2021
(thousand) |
2026
(thousand) |
| TOTAL | 1,694 | 1,711 | 1,720 | 1,725 | 1,724 | 1,715 |