Northwest Territories

A Northwest Territories is a Canadian territory that forms a unique and historically significant region in Northern Canada.

• Context:
  • It can (often) have Northwest Territories Hamlets, such as Ulukhaktok hamlet.
  • It can represent a vast geographical area with a mix of boreal forest (taiga) and tundra landscapes, as well as portions of the Arctic Archipelago.
  • It can serve as an administrative region with Yellowknife as its capital, the largest and most populous city.
  • It can encompass a diverse population, including Indigenous groups such as the Chipewyan, Cree, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Slavey, and Dogrib peoples.
  • It can be involved in significant historical and political events, such as joining the Canadian Confederation in 1870 and undergoing multiple territorial divisions, the most recent being the creation of Nunavut in 1999.
  • It can serve as a region rich in natural resources and cultural heritage, hosting activities related to mining, tourism, and traditional Indigenous practices.
  • It can provide a unique climate that transitions from sub-Arctic to Arctic conditions, with some of the largest freshwater lakes in Canada.
  • It can function as a boundary-sharing region with more provinces and territories than any other region in Canada, including Nunavut, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and touching Manitoba at the Four Corners (Canada).
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • 1870: The Northwest Territories joined the Canadian Confederation as part of the transfer of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada.
  • 1906: The region's name was officially changed from "North-West Territories" to "Northwest Territories."
  • 1967: Yellowknife became the official capital of the Northwest Territories, following recommendations by the Carrothers Commission.
  • 1999: The territory was divided to create Nunavut, significantly altering its geographical size and political jurisdiction.
  • 2024: The estimated population of the Northwest Territories reached 44,936, reflecting ongoing development and population trends.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Nunavut, which is primarily Arctic tundra and was created from the eastern portion of the Northwest Territories.
  • Yukon, which shares the northern location but has distinct cultural and geographical attributes.
  • British Columbia, a province with a temperate climate and coastal features, contrasting with the Northwest Territories' sub-Arctic and Arctic climate.
  • Canadian provinces, which have different governance structures compared to territories.
• See: Four Corners (Canada), Provinces And Territories of Canada, Chipewyan Language, Cree Language, Gwich’in Language, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Slavey Language, Dogrib Language, Yellowknife.

---

---

References

2025

• (Wikipedia, 2025) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Territories Retrieved:2025-1-14.
  • {{The Northwest Territoriesis a federal territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of the three territories in Northern Canada. Its estimated population as of the second quarter of 2024 is 44,936. Yellowknife is the capital, most populous community, and the only city in the territory; its population was 20,340 as of the 2021 census. It became the territorial capital in 1967, following recommendations by the Carrothers Commission.

    The Northwest Territories, a portion of the old North-Western Territory, entered the Canadian Confederation on July 15, 1870. At first, it was named the North-West Territories. The name was changed to the present Northwest Territories in 1906. Since 1870, the territory has been divided four times to create new provinces and territories or enlarge existing ones. Its current borders date from April 1, 1999, when the territory's size was decreased again by the creation of a new territory of Nunavut to the east, through the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. While Nunavut is mostly Arctic tundra, the Northwest Territories has a slightly warmer climate and is both boreal forest (taiga) and tundra, and its most northern regions form part of the Arctic Archipelago.

    The Northwest Territories has the most interprovincial and inter-territorial land borders among all provinces and territories of Canada. It is bordered by the territories of Nunavut to the east and Yukon to the west, and by the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan to the south; it also touches Manitoba to the southeast at a quadripoint that includes Nunavut and Saskatchewan. The land area of the Northwest Territories is roughly equal to that of France, Portugal and Spain combined, although its overall area is even larger because of its vast lakes.

---