Northern Ireland (referatas)
Introduction
Northern Ireland enjoys an exceptional quality of life from a rich natural environment and modern facilities for leisure and recreation. Superb leisure amenities Northern Ireland has an attractive landscape and a generous range of amenities that include lakes, sandy beaches and country parks teeming with wildlife. It’s a region with hospitable, friendly, warm, outdoor people. Vibrant and with a passion for life, you will find many of them having fun splashing in the sea or on a family-trek up a mountain most weekends.
You’ll also find many luxury hotels, exciting bars and award-winning restaurants that line Northern Ireland’s many towns and cities.
The pace of life is generally slower than elsewhere in Europe. With lush parks, glorious beaches, excellent golf courses and high quality entertainment venues all within easy reach.
Opportunities for leisure activities are plentiful and varied. Northern Ireland’s coasts and inland lakes allow excellent water-sports and offer some of the finest coarse and game fishing in Europe. The abundance and quality of its golf courses are legendary.
All the best attractions are within a short scenic drive of one another.
Northern Ireland is an extraordinarily beautiful place, offering a unique mix of history, a dynamic cosmopolitan feel and a Northern Irish charm.
Regeneration in Northern Ireland
New energy is pumping through Northern Ireland as government, in conjunction with public bodies, voluntary agencies and community groups, injects fresh ideas and funds into tackling social, economic and physical regeneration and redressing disadvantage in cities, towns and villages. As well as addressing the physical infrastructure at the heart of this work is the goal to make real improvements in people’s lives and economic opportunities.
Modern Living
Modern living is signalled by a flourishing array of smart shops, luxury hotels, great restaurants, exciting nightclubs and affluent lifestyles which bear little resemblance to the troubled images portrayed by international media during the last quarter of the 20th century.
New life is also being injected into the historic walled city of Londonderry with the refurbishment of former factories, riverside developments and the provision of new hotels.
International support
With the help of the International Fund for Ireland, an initiative by the United Kingdom and Irish Governments with support from the US to promote regeneration, dozens of smaller projects have been carried out to revive towns and villages throughout Northern Ireland.
CENSUS
In April 2001, every resident in Northern Ireland and Great Britain took part in the national Census. Every 10 years, one day is set aside for the Census – a count of all people and households. It is the most comprehensive source of information about the population of Northern Ireland.
The information the Census provides, allows central and local government, health authorities and many other organisations to target their resources more effectively and to plan housing, education, health and transport services for years to come.
The Census Report was published in December 2002. It revealed the population of Northern Ireland on Census Day 2001, to be 1.685 million, with the breakdown of gender as 48.7% male and 51.3% female. The Northern Ireland population constitutes 2.87% of the total UK population.
The religious makeup of the population is of great interest to many individuals and organisations in Northern Ireland. The Census Report showed that 43.7% of the population are from a Catholic background and 53.1% are from a Protestant background. Those with a background of another religion or philosophy totalled 0.4%, while those with no religious background made up 2.7% of the population.
For the first time the Northern Ireland Census contained a question on ethnicity. In total, 99.2% of the population classified themselves as white. Of the other ethnic groups, 0.2% was Chinese, 0.2% was of mixed ethnic group and 0.1% classified themselves as Irish Traveller.
The Census also showed that the majority of householders own their own home; 29.4% of households own their own home outright, while 39.4% own their property with a mortgage or loan. 73.7% of the population have access to a car or van.
YOU KNOW?
Each year, Movanagher Fish Farm restocks Northern Ireland’s Public Angling Estate with between 150,000 and 200,000 brown and rainbow trout. This helps to produce some of the best fishing in the British Isles.
Environment
Rugged mountains, shallow lakes, spongy bogs, sweeping glens and spectacular coasts are all familiar landforms that characterise the nature of Northern Ireland.
Centuries of occupation by different peoples have left their distinctive marks. From relics of ancient faiths to the complex designs of later settlements, Northern Ireland has inherited a rich tapestry of natural, historic and cultural diversity.
A complex climatic history of glaciations and weathering has resulted in a rich landscape of mountains and glens, rolling drumlin hills and island-studded lakes. A long and varied coastline ranging from precipitous rocks to great sandy beaches provides a dramatic outline to the Northern Ireland landscape.
This unusual diversity of rocks and landforms act as a host to a great many habitats and species, all supporting and nurturing important populations of animals, plants and marine life. With the passage of time many of the special features in Northern Ireland have become endangered and natural wildlife areas continue to be threatened.
So much effort is being made to conserve nature and the countryside and to protect wild species and their habitats. To do this demands a broad vision, careful planning and widespread co-operation.
Key Features
Northern Ireland has a temperate and changeable climate, with mild winters and cool summers. Conditions are influenced by the prevailing westerly winds from the North Atlantic.
Rainfall
Autumn and winter seasons are the wettest seasons, while April to June are the driest and sunniest.
Temperatures
30.8 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit) is the hottest temperature on record.
Snow
Minus 17.5 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit) is the lowest temperature on record. Snow can occur from November to April, and although significant snowfalls are rare, they can occur as late as mid-April.
Northern Ireland’s Cities
5 cities – Belfast, Londonderry, Armagh, Lisburn and Newry.