Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. The name Belfast comes from the Irish term Beal Feirste, which means 'the crossing of the mouth of the River Farset, where the ancient settlement of Belfast originated.
Historically Belfast was a busy and thriving seaport. Trade from the port continued to increase in both the 18th and 19th century, with boat building growing in importance as an industry which helped to assist Belfast's economic growth. In 1888 Belfast was awarded city status. Belfast currently has a population of over 260,000 people.
The main shipbuilders of the city, Harland and Wolff, were responsible for the building of the famous RMS Titanic, the largest passenger steamship which did not survive its maiden voyage after colliding with an Iceberg. The Titanic Quarter in Belfast, named after the ill-fated ship, is now a major waterfront regeneration project which has created housing, employment and education opportunities within Belfast.
Belfast is the commercial hub of Northern Ireland with a fast growing economy. Belfast has a thriving tourist industry and the service sectors create widespread employment opportunities in Belfast. Large supermarket chains continue to create significant job opportunities throughout Belfast and Northern Ireland, and Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's currently rank within the top 10 of the 100 top companies in Northern Ireland at 2nd, 4th and 8th places respectively.
Belfast has two airports within the city: The George Best Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport. Belfast's port is still largely influential with its import and export trade. The city of Belfast also has extensive road and rail links and is a vibrant city, making it a great place to live and work.