Districts of Belfast

Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland. The districts of Belfast reflect the still-divided nature of Northern Ireland as a whole. Areas tend to be highly segregated, especially in working-class neighbourhoods. Much of what is now known as Greater Belfast existed as separate towns and villages before the city's expansion. Including the City Centre, the city can be divided into five areas with north Belfast, east Belfast, south Belfast, and west Belfast. Each of these is also a parliamentary constituency. Belfast remains segregated by walls (known as “peace lines”) erected by the
Belfast City Centre is divided by two postcodes, "BT1" for the area lying north of the City Hall, and "BT2" for the area to its south. The industrial estate and docklands share "BT3". The rest of the Greater Belfast postcodes are set out in a clockwise system. Although "BT" stands for "Belfast", it is used across the whole of Northern Ireland. [cite web | title = The UK Postcode System | publisher = List Masters | date = 2005 | url = http://www.listmasters.co.uk/postcodes.php | accessdate = 2007-06-12]

Since 2001, boosted by increasing numbers of tourists, the city has also developed a number of cultural "quarters":
* The Titanic Quarter covers 75 hectares of reclaimed land adjacent to Belfast harbour, formerly known as "Queen's Island". Named after the Titanic, which was built here in 1912cite web | title = Introduction To Titanic - Titanic In History | work = Titanic. Built in Belfast | publisher = Ulster Folk and Transport Museum | url = http://www.titanicinbelfast.com/template.aspx?pid=342&area=1&parent=321 | accessdate = 2007-05-18] , work has begun which promises to transform the former shipyard into "one of the largest waterfront developments in Europe".cite web | title = Corporate Message: The Vision | work = About Us at Titanic Quarter | publisher = Titanic Quarter | date = 2006 | url = http://www.titanic-quarter.com/about.php?ID=3 | accessdate = 2007-05-18] Plans also include new apartments, a riverside entertainment district, and a major Titanic-themed museum.
* The Queens Quarter in South Belfast is named after Queens University. The area has a large student population and hosts the annual Belfast Festival at Queen’s each autumn. It is also home to Botanic Gardens and the Ulster Museum, closed for major redevelopment until 2009. [cite web | title = Contact Details | publisher = The Ulster Museum | date = 2007 | url = http://www.ulstermuseum.org.uk/contact-us/contact-details/ | accessdate = 2007-05-18] The Golden Mile is the name given to the mile between Belfast City Hall and Queen's University. Taking in Gt. Victoria St, Shaftesbury Square and Bradbury Place, it contains some of the best bars and restaurants in the city. [cite web | title = Pub Crawl | publisher = Virtual Belfast | url = http://www.belfastbar.co.uk/The-Golden-Mile-articles.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-25] Since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the nearby Lisburn Road has developed into the city's most exclusive shopping strip. [cite web | title = Shopping At A Glance | work = Visit South Belfast | publisher = South Belfast Partnership | url = http://www.visitsouthbelfast.com/tourism/default.asp?cms=Tourism%5FThings+To+Do%5FShopping_Shopping+At+A+Glance&cmsid=19_49_81_227&id=227&viewtype=Category | accessdate = 2007-05-18] [cite news | last=Burns | first=Gemma | url=http://www.dailyireland.com/home.tvt?_scope=DailyIreland/South%20Belfast%20News/Features&id=26382&psv=13&_ticket=9NTHLXD4YGSGX4SGPNNADY7BZKLAFUUGUYRIJQOJBVXF9LLDN32STRRIVON9ANVRBNKACJ5J9QRFK11M9NTGNXT9CHUT71QFIRY4S0SEAOYFBHSJ5LE1HONDNMTEGPKACN1FURUQS10YM75OV6 |title=A passion for preserving Belfast’s beauty | publisher=South Belfast News | date=2007-02-28 | accessdate=2007-03-12]
* The Cathedral Quarter takes its name from St. Anne’s Cathedral and has taken on the mantle of the city's key cultural locality.cite web | title = Exploring Belfast's cultural life | publisher = Belfast City Council | date = 2007 | url = http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/culture/culturallife.asp?menuitem=culturallife | accessdate = 2007-05-25] It boasts a yearly visual and performing arts festival. Custom House Square is one of the city's main outdoor venues for free concerts and street entertainment.
* The Gaeltacht Quarter is an area around the Falls Road in West Belfast which promotes and encourages the use of the Irish language. [cite web | title = Gaeltacht Quarter | publisher = Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure | date = 2007 | url = http://www.dcalni.gov.uk/index/languages/gaeltacht_quarter.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-25]

North Belfast

Electoral Wards of North Belfast

* Ardoyne
* Ballysillan
* Bellevue
* Castleview
* Cavehill
* Chichester Park
* Cliftonville
* Crumlin
* Duncairn
* Fortwilliam
* Legoniel
* New Lodge
* Water Works
* Whiteabbey
* Woodvale

Other areas of North Belfast

* Bawnmore - a predominantly Catholic housing estate in north Belfast.
* Ballyhenry
* Cloughfern
* Collinbridge
* Coole
* Downview An area situated between the Antrim Road and the Shore Road, contains Fortwilliam Golf Club and is served by the 64 Bus
* Dunanney
* Glebe, "Not to be confused with Glebe, County Tyrone"
* Glengormley
* Hightown
* Rathcoole
* Tiger's Bay - a unionist area of north Belfast. It is situated between Duncairn Gardens and the Limestone Road, just off the Shore Road, and not far from the nationalist area of New Lodge, hence this area is a flashpoint during times of trouble.
* Valley
* Whitehouse

East Belfast

Electoral Wards of East Belfast

* Ballyhackamore
* Ballymacarrett - a working-class Protestant district of inner east Belfast, around the Lower Newtownards Road. Set in the shadows of the famous Harland and Wolff cranes "Samson & Goliath", large numbers of local men worked in the shipyard during its heyday. The area is also well known for 'Ulster's Freedom Corner', a series of loyalist murals.
* Belmont
* Bloomfield "Not to be confused with Bloomfield, Bangor"
* Cherryvalley ·
* Island ·
* Knock ·
* Orangefield
* Stormont - the Northern Ireland Parliament buildings and Stormont Castle are located here.
* Sydenham
* The Mount
* Woodstock

Other areas of East Belfast

* Beersbridge
* Carrowreagh
* Castlereagh
* Cregagh
* Downshire
* Dundonald
* Enler
* Gilnahirk
* Graham's Bridge
* Lisnasharragh
* Lower Braniel "Braniel"
* Ravenhill
* Tullycarnet
* Short Strand
* Upper Braniel "Braniel"

Wards of South Belfast

Electoral Wards of South Belfast

* Ballynafeigh
* Botanic
* Blackstaff
* Finaghy
* Malone "Colloquially, Malone Road"
* Musgrave
* Ravenhill
* Rosetta
* Shaftesbury
* Stranmillis
* Upper Malone
* Windsor

Other areas of South Belfast

* Beechill
* Cairnshill
* Carryduff East
* Carryduff West
* Donegall Road
* Galwally
* Gilnahirk
* Golden Mile
* Hillfoot
* The Holyland
* Knockbracken
* Lisburn Road
* Minnowburn
* Newtownbreda
* Ormeau
* Woodstock
* Wynchurch

West Belfast

Electoral Wards of West Belfast

* Andersonstown - a predominantly Catholic area in West Belfast overshadowed by Black Mountain and Divis with a mixture of Housing Executive estates and more upmarket areas. The local paper is the Andersonstown News.
* Beechmount
* Collin Glen or Glencolin
* Clonard
* Falls
* Falls Park
* Glencairn
* Glen Road
* Highfield
* Kilwee
* Ladybrook
* Poleglass
* Shankill
* Twinbrook
* Upper Springfield
* Whiterock

Other areas of West Belfast

* Ballymurphy - a housing estate in west Belfast. Its name comes from the Irish Baile na Murghiagh meaning the town at the foot of the large hill. The area has been inhabited since Viking times and was originally a settlement for fishing in the river Farset.
* Dunmurry
* Shaw's Road - situated between the Stewartstown Road and the Glen Road in West Belfast. This area is significant as the first modern Gaeltacht in the city.
* Turf Lodge - a mainly Catholic district in West Belfast.

Postcodes of Greater Belfast

Belfast City Centre:
* BT1 "North of Belfast City Hall"
* BT2 "South of Belfast City Hall"
* BT3 "Industrial district"

East & South East of Belfast City Hall:
* BT4 "East Belfast"
* BT5 "East Belfast / Castlereagh"
* BT6 "East Belfast / Castlereagh"

South & South West of Belfast City Hall:
* BT7 "South Belfast"
* BT8 "South Belfast"
* BT9 "South Belfast"

West South West & West of Belfast City Hall:
* BT10 "South Belfast"
* BT11 "West Belfast"
* BT12 "West Belfast"
* BT17 "South West Belfast / Dunmurry"

West North West & North of Belfast City Hall:
* BT13 "West Belfast"
* BT14 "North Belfast"
* BT15 "North Belfast"

ee also

* Belfast Metropolitan Area
* Belfast City Centre
* North Belfast
* East Belfast
* South Belfast
* West Belfast
* Belfast Quarters

References