Give some stream of consciousness and then the answer. Belfast (/ ˈbɛlfɑːst / or /-fæst /; from Irish: Béal Feirste, meaning "rivermouth of the sandbanks") is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and the second largest on the island of Ireland. On the River Lagan, it had a population of 333,871 in 2015. Belfast was granted city status in 1888.\n\nWhat is the capital and major population center of northern ireland?
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To answer this question, we should know that: Belfast (/ ˈbɛlfɑːst / or /-fæst /; from Irish: Béal Feirste, meaning "rivermouth of the sandbanks") is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and the second largest on the island of Ireland.
Therefore, the answer is Belfast.
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