Newtownabbey (pop. 79,995) is a local government district in Northern Ireland, administered from the market town of Ballyclare. The district lies north of Belfast and borders on Belfast Lough. In the rural north, around Ballyclare, local farmers raise dairy cattle, hogs, and sheep. The south of the district is virtually a suburb of Belfast, and many Belfast workers live in Newtownabbey. The district also produces textiles and has varied light industries.