This constituency is the political home of the Democratic Unionist Party leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley. It is one of the most picturesque of the province's 18 parliamentary seats including the famous Giant's Causeway, now designated a world heritage site.
Although mainly rural and agricultural, there is a little light industry, and three towns of note: Ballymena, Ballymoney and Ballycastle.
Three miles northeast of Ballymena is Broughshane, which is known as the garden village of Ulster - it is a previous winner of Ulster in Bloom, Britain in Bloom and Europe in Bloom. Also in the constituency is the world's oldest, legal distillery, which is rather ironic, given that the sitting MP is strictly teetotal. At Bushmills, they have been making whiskey since 1608.
In 1997 Mr Paisley’s vote dipped below 50% of the total, but he still managed a majority of 22.9%. In the 1998 Assembly election, the DUP won 38% of the vote - this lower than usual level can mainly be accounted for by the fact that the other anti-Agreement party, the United Unionists, won 7% of the vote.
At that election both Mr Paisley and his son Ian (Jnr) were elected as members for this constituency.