Larne is a port and industrial town on the eastern coast of Northern Ireland. Ferries run from Larne to Cairnryan, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Larne was a center of textile production for many years. The manufacture of transportation equipment and electrical generation equipment also has been important in the region. The area around Larne includes a low-lying coastal belt and a hilly interior. Farmers raise sheep on the hills and grow crops in coastal areas. The nearby towns of Carnlough and Island Magee are seaside resorts.
Larne is part of the historic Country Antrim, one of the six former counties of Northern Ireland. County Antrim ceased to be used as an administrative area in 1973, when local government was reorganized into smaller districts. From 1973 to 2015, Larne was the name of a district council area—a kind of local government area—that included the town of Larne. In 2015, the Larne district was combined with the Ballymena and Carrickfergus districts to form the Mid and East Antrim local government district.
