Northern Ireland
People who identify themselves as being of Protestant heritage comprise 56% of the population in Northern Ireland. Those with a Catholic background make up 41%; the gap has been narrowing in recent years.
In Belfast, the capital, the two groups are of approximately equal size. Most districts in the province have a clear Protestant or Catholic majority, however. Protestants (and especially Presbyterians) are especially strong in the areas around Belfast and in the east. Catholics are particularly numerous in the west and south of Northern Ireland, where they contribute about two-thirds of the population.