County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000.
This is a maritime county, bounded on the north by the Atlantic, on the east by the Irish Channel, on the south by the county Down, and on the west by Lough Neagh and the counties of Tyrone and Londonderry. Its greatest length from north to south is fifty-six miles, and its width thirty-one miles. Its area comprises 762,080 statue acres, of which 257,211 are under tillage, 373,839 pasture, 6,717 of plantation, 72,085, towns, waste, bog, mountain, etc, and 52,248 of water—the latter including a portion of Lough Neagh.
The surface of Antrim is level along the river Bann, and the general soil of the plains and valleys is a strong loam ; in some places gravelly and sandy soils prevail; the subsoil is basalt, of which the Giant's Causeway is a celebrated specimen ; also clay, slate and limestone. Besides the Bann, the county is watered by several small rivers, among which are the following:—the Bush, which, falling first westerly from the north-eastern upland, turns to the north, and seven miles afterwards joins the sea at Bush Mills.
