County Down, (Contae an Dúin in Irish - meaning the Fort) is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, and one of the nine counties of the ancient province of Ulster
The county forms an area of 2,448 km² (945 square miles). The estimated population in 1992 was 416,600, a more recent approximation puts it at about 516,000. The county town is Downpatrick, and the largest town is Bangor.