Ballymena is a local government district with borough status in Northern Ireland. It is one of twenty-six districts created on 1 October 1973 and covers the town of Ballymena and the surrounding area which includes small towns including Broughshane, Cullybackey, Galgorm, Ahoghill and Portglenone. The borough has an area of and a population of 64,044 according to the 2011 census. The borough has a central location within Northern Ireland and is served by the M2 motorway and with a station on the Belfast-Derry/Londonderry railway line. Belfast International Airport itself is only away and the Belfast City Airport is from Ballymena. It is also accessible to the seaports of Larne and Belfast, 20 and away respectively.