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The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia. The capital city is Darwin; the other two sizable settlements are Alice Springs (in the desert interior, 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) to the south) and Katherine (near the base of the Top End). Residents of the Northern Territory are often known simply as 'Territorians'. It is the largest territory in Australia by area.

History

Main article: History of the Northern Territory
Indigenous Australians have lived in the present area of the Northern Territory for an estimated 40,000 years, and extensive seasonal trade links existed between them and the peoples of what is now Indonesia for at least five centuries.

With the coming of the British, there were four early attempts to settle the harsh environment of the northern coast, of which three failed in starvation and despair. The Northern Territory was part of New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February 1846 until December 1846 when it was part of the short lived colony of North Australia, and part of South Australia from 1863 to 1911. Under the administration of South Australia, the overland telegraph was constructed by Charles Todd between 1870 and 1872. A railway was also built between Palmerston and Pine Creek between 1883 and 1889. The economic pattern of cattle raising and mining was established so that by 1911 there were 513 000 cattle. Victoria River Downs was at one time the largest cattle station in the world. Gold was found at Grove Hill in 1872 and at Pine Creek, Brocks Creek, Burrundi and copper was found at Daly River. Many of the miners were Chinese and subsequently deported under the White Australia Policy.

On 1 January 1911, a decade after federation, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control. Alfred Deakin opined at this time "To me the question has been not so much commercial as national, first, second, third and last. Either we must accomplish the peopling of the northern territory or submit to its transfer to some other nation."

For a brief time between 1927 and 1931 the Northern Territory was divided into North Australia and Central Australia at the 20th parallel of South latitude. Soon after this time, parts of the Northern Territory were considered in the "Kimberley Scheme" as a possible site for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland, understandably considered the "Unpromised Land".

During World War II, most of the Top End was placed under military government. This is the only time since Federation that an Australian state or territory has been under military control. After the war, control for the entire area was handed back to the Commonwealth.

Indigenous Australians had struggled for rights to fair wages and land. An important event in this struggle was the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill Cattle Station in 1966. The Commonwealth Government of Gough Whitlam set up the Woodward Royal Commission in February 1973 set to inquire into how land rights might be achieved in the Northern Territory. Justice Woodward's first report in July 1973 recommended that a Central Land Council and a Northern Land Council be established in order to present to him the views of Aboriginal people. In response to the report of the Royal Commission a Land Rights Bill was drafted, but the Whitlam Government was dismissed before it was passed.

The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was eventually passed by the Fraser Government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on the following Australia Day (26 January 1977).

In 1978 the Territory was granted responsible government, with a Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister.

During 1996 the Northern Territory was briefly one of the few places in the world with legal voluntary euthanasia, until the Federal Parliament overturned the legislation [5]. Before the overriding legislation was enacted, three people committed suicide through voluntary euthanasia, a practice orchestrated by Dr Philip Nitschke.

Politics

The legislative assembly building in Darwin.The territory has a legislative assembly. Whilst this assembly exercises similar powers as the governments of the states of Australia, it does so by delegation of powers from the commonwealth government, rather than by any constitutional right.

For several years there has been agitation for full statehood. A referendum was held on the issue in 1998, which was resolved in the negative. This was a shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, for opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. However, under the Australian Constitution, the Federal government may set the terms of entry to full statehood. The Northern Territory was offered three Senators, rather than the twelve guaranteed to original states. (Because of the difference in populations, equal numbers of Senate seats would mean a Territorian's vote for a Senator would have been worth more than 30 votes in New South Wales or Victoria.) Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then Chief Minister Shane Stone, it is believed that most Territorians, regardless of their general views on statehood, were reluctant to adopt the particular offer that was made.

The current head of government is Chief Minister Clare Martin who led the Australian Labor Party to their first Northern Territory electoral victory in August 2001, and to a second victory in June 2005. The leader of the opposition was Denis Burke, head of the Country Liberal Party, until the Territory elections of June 2005, where Burke lost his seat. The party then chose Jodeen Carney as the new Opposition Leader.

The territory is represented in the Commonwealth parliament by two members in the House of Representatives, currently Warren Snowdon for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and David Tollner for the Country Liberal Party (CLP), and two members in the Senate, currently Trish Crossin for the ALP and Nigel Scullion for the CLP.

At the local government level, there are 6 incorporated municipalities (3 town councils, 1 shire and 2 cities), 30 'community government councils' and 26 other bodies. See: Local Government Areas of the Northern Territory

People

Population growth
estimates for Northern Territory
2006 212,600
2021 308,700
2050 500,000

Darwin skyline from East PointThe population of the Northern Territory in late 2006 was estimated at 212,600 This was an 1.8% increase from the 2001 Australian Bureau of Statistics report and the population represents 1% of the total population of Australia. The cities that make up these populations are, Darwin and nearby Palmerston with 111,000 and Alice Springs with 28,000. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that by 2021 the Territories population will increase to around 308,700 people, and by the year 2050 the population would reach 500,000 people. The Northern Territory's population is the youngest in Australia, and has the largest proportion under 15 years of age and the smallest proportion aged 65 and over. The median age of residents of the Northern Territory is 30.3 years, almost six years younger than the national median age. More than 100 nationalities are represented in the Northern Territory's population, including more than 50 organisations representing different ethnic groups. The Northern Territory's alcohol consumption rate is one of the highest in the world, and is the highest in Australia. In 2001 the alcohol consumption rate was estimated at 1120 standard drinks per person per year.[citation needed]

Indigenous Australian people make up 29 per cent of the Northern Territory's population and own some 49% of the land. The life expectancy of Aboriginal Australians is well below that of non-Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory, a fact that is mirrored elsewhere in Australia. ABS statistics suggest that Indigenous Australians die about 20 years earlier than the average Australian. There are Aboriginal communities in many parts of the territory, the largest ones being the Pitjantjatjara near Uluru, the Arrernte near Alice Springs, the Luritja between those two, the Warlpiri further north, and the Yolngu in eastern Arnhem Land. See also: Australian Aboriginal Prehistoric Sites.

Land Rights

Aboriginal rock art in Kakadu National ParkThe Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 established the basis upon which Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could, for the first time, claim rights to land based on traditional occupation. In effect it allowed title to be transferred for most of the Aboriginal reserve lands and the opportunity to claim other land not owned, leased or being used by someone else.

The Land Councils are representative bodies with statutory authority under the Act. They also have responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992. There are four Land Councils in the Northern Territory, they are:

the Anindilyakawa Land Council covering Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
the Central Land Council is in the southern half of the Northern Territory. The region covers 771,747 square kilometres (297,973&nbps;sq mi) of remote, rugged and often inaccessible areas. There are 18,000 Aboriginal people from 15 different Aboriginal language groups in Central Australia.
the Northern Land Council covering the Top End.
the Tiwi Land Council covering Bathurst and Melville Islands north of Darwin.

Geography

Northern Territory towns, settlements and road networkThere are many very small settlements scattered across the Territory but the larger population centres are located on the single sealed road that links Darwin to southern Australia, the Stuart Highway, known to locals simply as "the track".

The Northern Territory is also home to two spectacular natural rock formations, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), which are sacred to the local Aboriginal peoples and which have become major tourist attractions.

In the northern part of the territory lies Kakadu National Park, which features breathtaking wetlands and native wildlife. To the north of that lies the Arafura Sea, and to the east lies Arnhem Land, whose regional centre is Maningrida on the Liverpool River delta.

Highest maximum temperature: 48.3 °C (118.9 °F), Finke, 2 January 1960

Lowest minimum temperature: -7.5 °C (18.5 °F), Alice Springs, 12 July 1976 [6]

Rivers include:

Alligator River
Daly River
Finke River
McArthur River
Roper River
Todd River
Victoria River

National Parks

Main article: protected areas of the Northern Territory (Australia)

Mount Sonder, the second highest mountain in the Northern Territory after nearby Mount Zeil, in West MacDonnell National Park
Nourlangie Rock in Kakadu National ParkArnhem Land (Restricted Area)
Barranyi Nth. Island National Park
Casuarina Coastal Reserve
Daly River Nature Park
Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
Djukbinj National Park
Elsey National Park
Finke Gorge National Park
Gregory National Park
Gurig National Park-now Garig Gunak Barlu National Park
Howard Springs Nature Park Conservation Reserve
Kakadu National Park
Keep River National Park
Watarrka National Park (including Kings Canyon)
Litchfield National Park
Mary River Crossing Conservation Reserve and proposed Mary River National Park
Mataranka Thermal Springs
Nitmiluk National Park
Katherine Gorge
Palm Valley
Tanami Desert
The Olgas
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Watarrka National Park
West MacDonnell National Park

Tourism

Tourism is one of the major industries on the Northern Territory. Iconic destinations such as Uluru and Kakadu make the Northern Territory a must see destination for domestic and international travellers. Diverse landscapes, spectacular waterfalls, wide open spaces, aboriginal culture, wild and untamed wildlife, all create a unique opportunity for the visitor to immerse themselves in the natural wonder that the Northern Territory offers. Images of Uluru (Ayers Rock) are recognised around the world ensuring that Tourism in the Northern Territory will remain a vital component of its future.