A number of officers were injured during the trouble which lasted into the night, as nationalist rioters - some of whom were masked and wore surgical gloves - threw petrol bombs, bricks, bottles, slates, firework and stones at police in the Brompton Park and Estoril Park areas.
The protective clothing of two officers were set alight briefly when hit by petrol bombs.
A number of cars, including a Mercedes, were hijacked and set alight. The first vehicle was driven at police lines by a masked man and set on fire in the Crumlin Road area. A second car was destroyed by rioters in Brompton Park later.
Two water cannons were deployed and used to contain the trouble and extinguish fires in the area, including on shop roofs. One had its tyres slashed by rioters.
Police say a number of plastic baton rounds have also been discharged at crowds.
Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay, who said officers came under "serious and sustained attack", insists the violence is "totally unacceptable".
Police will carry out a rigorous investigation in relation to all the recent incidents, which will include the examination of CCTV footage.
Assistant Chief Constable Alistair Finlay
"The past 24 hours has been a very challenging time for communities and policing in Northern Ireland," he said.
"My colleagues are working around the clock to protect the community right across Northern Ireland and we have sufficient resources in place to do this."
ACC Finlay appealed for everyone "to keep working to build and maintain calm across all local areas."
"We have unfortunately witnessed firsthand this evening how violence damages people's homes and businesses, it sets back relationships and leaves wounds which take time to heal. It is not representative in anyway of the vast majority of people here who want to get on with their lives," he said.
"Every hour spent in countering riotous attack, in dealing with disorder, every casualty evacuated during these incidents has the potential to deprive communities of vital resources that could be used to increase the quality of life for everyone," he added.
Serious trouble erupted in the aftermath of an Orange Order parade, with police losing control of the roofs of the Ardoyne shops after temporarily withdrawing from the area.
The parade returned through the interface area without major incident. Orangemen passed the Ardoyne shop fronts in almost complete silence, marching along to just a single drum beat.
Hundreds of loyalists greeted the marchers on the Crumlin Road, while a silent protest was held by nationalist residents.
Police in riot gear had already come under attack shortly before 7pm on Tuesday, as they moved in to seal the area ahead of the parade.
Violence initially flared at the flashpoint, with police deploying a water cannon and discharging baton rounds as a protest by the Greater Ardoyne Residents' Collective got underway.
Motorists were urged to avoid the Crumlin Road, Ardoyne Road, Estoril Park and Brompton Park.
Trouble also spread to other parts of Belfast with disturbances in the Stewart Street area of the city centre, close to the Markets area.
Stones and missiles were thrown at police and a parked vehicle was set on fire.
A member of the public was hurt after being struck with masonary.
Five people were arrested in connection with rioting.
Public disorder also erupted in the Bogside and Waterside areas of Derry, in Ballymena, Armagh, Strabane and Newry.
On Monday night, 22 police officers were injured during what the PSNI have described as "significant localised disorder" across nationalist areas of Belfast.