The northeast of a place, country, or region is the part which is in the northeast.
东北部 • The northeast has been particularly hard hit.. 东北部受影响尤其严重。
The northeast edge, corner, or part of a place is the part which is toward the northeast.
东北部的 • ...a climate like that of our northeast coast. …同我们东北部沿海气候相似的一种气候。
If you go northeast, you travel toward the northeast.
向东北 • "We're going northeast," Paula told them, before they started. “我们将朝东北方向走,”葆拉在他们出发前告诉他们。