Map of the Northern Territory within Australia Darwin , the capital and largest city in the Northern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a self governing territory of Australia . It has a population of 232,605 as of the 2021 Australian census [1] and occupies an area of 1,334,404 square kilometres (515,216 sq mi).[2] Official population statistics are published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics , which conducts a census every five years. The most recent census for which data has been released is the 2021 census .[3]
Urban centres and localities by population
SA1's are areas that subdivide all of Australia, and have a population between 200 and 800 people and an average population size of 400.[4] Urban centres and localities are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to be clusters of urban SA1's. Clusters with a population higher than 1,000 are considered urban centres and clusters with a population between 200 and 999 are considered localities.[5]
Rank
Urban centre
Population
2011 census
Ref.
2016 census
Ref.
2021 census
Ref.
1
Darwin
103,016
[1]
118,456
[2]
122,207
[3]
2
Alice Springs
24,208
[4]
23,726
[5]
24,855
[6]
3
Katherine
6,094
[7]
6,303
[8]
5,980
[9]
4
Nhulunbuy
3,933
[10]
3,088
[11]
3,267
[12]
5
Tennant Creek
3,062
[13]
2,991
[14]
2,949
[15]
6
Galiwinku
2,124
[16]
2,088
[17]
2,199
[18]
7
Wadeye
2,112
[19]
2,280
[20]
1,924
[21]
8
Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu)
1,527
[22]
1,563
[23]
1,421
[24]
9
Gunbalanya (Oenpelli)
1,171
[25]
1,117
[26]
1,153
[27]
10
Milingimbi
1,081
[28]
1,225
[29]
1,097
[30]
11
Ngukurr
1,056
[31]
1,149
[32]
1,088
[33]
12
Angurugu
835
[34]
855
[35]
883
[36]
13
Yulara
888
[37]
759
[38]
853
[39]
14
Ramingining
833
[40]
872
[41]
814
[42]
15
Jabiru
1,129
[43]
1,081
[44]
755
[45]
16
Borroloola
926
[46]
871
[47]
755
[48]
17
Alyangula
986
[49]
873
[50]
751
[51]
18
Yuendumu
687
[52]
759
[53]
740
[54]
19
Gapuwiyak
874
[55]
923
[56]
705
[57]
20
Humpty Doo
569
[58]
678
[59]
660
[60]
21
Yirrkala
843
[61]
809
[62]
657
[63]
22
Lajamanu
656
[64]
598
[65]
653
[66]
23
Minyerri
—
618
[67]
650
[68]
24
Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Purte)
555
[69]
580
[70]
603
[71]
25
Daguragu – Kalkarindji
542
[72]
575
[73]
575
[74]
26
Howard Springs
612
[75]
595
[76]
569
[77]
27
Hermannsburg
625
[78]
605
[79]
551
[80]
28
Wugular (Beswick)
511
[81]
531
[82]
542
[83]
29
Ampilatwatja
365
[84]
418
[85]
439
[86]
30
Papunya
418
[87]
404
[88]
438
[89]
31
Warruwi
423
[90]
389
[91]
432
[92]
32
Ilparpa
433
[93]
360
[94]
424
[95]
33
Wagait Beach – Mandorah
368
[96]
461
[97]
422
[98]
34
Walungurru (Kintore)
454
[99]
410
[100]
420
[101]
35
Umbakumba
441
[102]
503
[103]
419
[104]
36
Milikapiti
447
[105]
401
[106]
414
[107]
37
Ali Curung
535
[108]
494
[109]
394
[110]
38
Kaltukatjara (Docker River)
295
[111]
394
[112]
394
[113]
39
Batchelor
336
[114]
466
[115]
371
[116]
40
Nganmarriyanga (Palumpa)
377
[117]
390
[118]
364
[119]
41
Alpurrurulam
441
[120]
420
[121]
350
[122]
42
Nauiyu Nambiyu (Daly River )
454
[123]
378
[124]
350
[125]
43
Barunga
313
[126]
363
[127]
337
[128]
44
Mataranka
244
[129]
310
[130]
327
[131]
45
Pine Creek
380
[132]
328
[133]
318
[134]
46
Pirlangimpi
371
[135]
371
[136]
317
[137]
47
Mutitjulu
210
[138]
323
[139]
296
[140]
48
Elliot
348
[141]
339
[142]
287
[143]
49
Yarralin
266
[144]
293
[145]
283
[146]
50
Timber Creek
—
249
[147]
278
[148]
51
Minjilang
309
[149]
247
[150]
265
[151]
52
Jilkminggan
280
[152]
301
[153]
263
[154]
53
Bulman – Weemol
291
[155]
280
[156]
263
[157]
54
Nyirripi
210
[158]
236
[159]
251
[160]
55
Adelaide River
237
[161]
265
[162]
243
[163]
56
Gunyangara
—
240
[164]
241
[165]
57
Binjari
238
[166]
190
[167]
240
[168]
58
Areyonga
235
[169]
195
[170]
236
[171]
59
Amoonguna
275
[172]
239
[173]
229
[174]
60
Willowra
221
[175]
301
[176]
222
[177]
61
Atitjere
—
224
[178]
204
[179]
62
Titjikala
201
[180]
227
[181]
196
[182]
63
Aputula (Finke)
—
192
[183]
191
[184]
64
Laramba
251
[185]
239
[186]
189
[187]
65
Robinson River (Mungoorbada)
258
[188]
222
[189]
180
[190]
66
Yuelamu
207
[191]
220
[192]
149
[193]
67
Canteen Creek
217
[194]
184
[195]
147
[196]
68
Wutunugurra
207
[197]
166
[198]
143
[199]
Local government areas by population
The Northern Territory is divided into 17 local government areas plus several unincorporated areas .[6]
Rank
Local government area
Population
2011 census
Ref.
2016 census
Ref.
2021 census
Ref.
1
City of Darwin
72,930
[200]
78,804
[201]
80,530
[202]
2
City of Palmerston
27,703
[203]
33,786
[204]
37,247
[205]
3
Town of Alice Springs
25,186
[206]
24,753
[207]
25,912
[208]
4
Litchfield Municipality
18,994
[209]
23,855
[210]
21,411
[211]
5
Town of Katherine
9,187
[212]
9,717
[213]
9,643
[214]
6
East Arnhem Region
9,098
[215]
9,026
[216]
8,778
[217]
*
Unincorporated areas
8,089
[218]
6,907
[219]
6,802
[220]
7
Roper Gulf Region
6,121
[221]
6,505
[222]
6,486
[223]
8
Barkly Region
6,823
[224]
6,655
[225]
6,316
[226]
9
West Arnhem Region
6,232
[227]
6,188
[228]
6,281
[229]
10
MacDonnell Region
5,831
[230]
6,029
[231]
5,748
[232]
11
Central Desert Region
3,720
[233]
3,677
[234]
3,591
[235]
12
West Daly Region [a]
—
3,166
[236]
2,973
[237]
13
Victoria Daly Region [a]
5,924
[238]
2,810
[239]
2,815
[240]
14
Tiwi Islands Region
2,580
[241]
2,453
[242]
2,348
[243]
15
Coomalie Shire
1,106
[244]
1,319
[245]
1,276
[246]
16
Wagait Shire
369
[247]
463
[248]
423
[249]
*
Darwin Waterfront Precinct [b]
—
—
293
[250]
17
Belyuen Shire
181
[251]
164
[252]
149
[253]