Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (NT) is one of the most sparsely settled
environments on the planet, it is Australia's real outback and home
to the iconic natural wonders of Kakadu National Park and
Uluru/Ayers Rock. It spans more than 1.4 million square
kilometres from the centre to the northen coast of Australia.
Ancient woodlands meet sandy beaches and steep cliff faces tower
above lush billabongs in this land of diversity.
Despite its large area, it is sparsely populated. With a
population of 215,000, it is the least populous division in the
country. The capital city is Darwin. Other major
settlements are Katherine, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and
Nhulunbuy in the territory's north-east.
Residents of the Northern Territory are often known simply as
'Territorians'.
Weather and Climate
The Northern Territory has two distinct climate zones: the
red centre, and the tropicla north. The red
centre has a semi-arid climate with four seasons, the
hottest days between December and February. The top end of
the state including Darwin has a tropical climate.
Darwin has an average temperature of 32 degrees all year, with
varying humidity and the summer months are between
December and March.
History
Indigenous Australians have lived in the present area of the
Northern Territory dating back 50,000 years -Aboriginal society has
the longest continuous cultural history in the
world. Extensive seasonal trade links existed between
them and the peoples of what is now Indonesia for at least five
centuries.
The first European contact with the people of northern Australia
was between the Dutch and the Tiwis in 1705. In 1824, the British
established the first European settlement in the Northern Territory
at Fort Dundas on Melville Island, but it was abandoned five
years later.
Darwin Harbour was discovered in 1839 by John Lort Stokes, who
named it after former shipmate Charles Darwin. Darwin was founded
in 1869. In 1871, Alice Springs was established as a repeater
station on the Overland Telegraph line between Adelaide and Darwin.
The line, completed in 1872, connected Australia to the world and
opened up settlement in the NT as never before.
Darwin
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory. It
has has a population of 105,991, making it the largest and most
populated city in the Territory, but the smallest of all
Australia's capital cities. It is built on a low bluff overlooking
the harbour.
Alice Springs
Alice Springs is a town and the second largest centre in the
Northern Territory of Australia and very close to the
geographic centre of Australia. Popularly known as "the
Alice" or simply "Alice", it had a population of 26,486 in
2005. The site is known as Mparntwe to its traditional
inhabitants, the Arrernte, who have lived in the Central Australian
desert in and around what is now Alice Springs for more than 50,000
years.
Sources: About Australia, Wikipedia, Northern Territory, http://en.travelnt.com