As a city of political importance, Belfast was heavily damaged by German air raids during World War II. The capital of Northern Ireland has also been the site of riots and terrorist attacks stemming from tension between Roman Catholics and Protestants, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century, when the violence escalated.

As an industrial city—the largest in Northern Ireland—Belfast is an important manufacturing centre. Local industries are engineering, vehicle components, food processing, computer software, and brewing. The city’s maritime location on the River Lagan, at the head of an inlet of the Irish Sea, has given rise to an important shipbuilding and repairing industry. The long harbour is navigable to even the largest ships; some of the world’s largest ocean liners were built in Belfast. A large petroleum refinery here is supplied by imported petroleum received at Belfast’s deepwater port.

Belfast is also an educational centre. It is the seat of Queen’s University of Belfast, and a campus of the University of Ulster, as well as the Belfast College of Technology and Union Theological College. The majestic City Hall building, the Protestant Cathedral of St Anne, and the Ulster Museum are other notable landmarks. The cultural offerings of Belfast are rich, with thriving theatre, opera, and ballet companies.

Although evidence suggests that the site was occupied during the Stone and Bronze ages, Belfast dates from 1177, when a Norman fortress castle was constructed in the area. The area was settled by Scots after the 17th century and became a centre for Irish Protestantism. The modern city, unquestionably a product of the Industrial Revolution, became the capital of Northern Ireland in 1920.