The Northern Territory is a self-governing territory of Australia. It has a population of 232,605 as of the 2021 Australian census, the most recent census for which data has been released, and occupies an area of . Official population statistics are published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which conducts a census every five years. The ABS publishes data for various types of geographic structures, including urban centres and localities, which represent the built-up area of cities and towns with more than 200 people, and local government areas.

Urban centres and localities by population Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1s) are areas that subdivide all of Australia. SA1s generally have a population between 200 and 800 people, but this can reach as low as 180 for small towns and 90 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Urban centres and localities (UCLs) are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as clusters of urban SA1s. Clusters with a population higher than 1,000 are considered urban centres and clusters with a population between 200 and 999 are considered localities. The population of a locality is allowed to fall below 200 for two consecutive censuses before it is declassified as a locality.

The largest UCL within the Northern Territory is Darwin, with a population of 122,207 at the 2021 census. There are a total of 70 UCLs in the Northern Territory as of 2021, of which twelve have a population above 1,000.

+ RankUrban centre or localityPopulation2011 census2016 census2021 census1Darwin103,016118,456122,2072Alice Springs24,20823,72624,8553Katherine6,0946,3035,9804Nhulunbuy3,9333,0883,2675Tennant Creek3,0622,9912,9496Maningrida2,2932,3082,5187Galiwinku2,1242,0882,1998Wadeye2,1122,2801,9249Wurrumiyanga (Nguiu)1,5271,5631,42110Gunbalanya (Oenpelli)1,1711,1171,15311Milingimbi1,0811,2251,09712Ngukurr1,0561,1491,08813Angurugu83585588314Yulara88875985315Ramingining83387281416Jabiru1,1291,08175517Borroloola92687175518Alyangula98687375119Yuendumu68775974020Gapuwiyak87492370521Numbulwar68772368122Humpty Doo56967866023Yirrkala84380965724Lajamanu65659865325Minyerri48461865026Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Purte)55558060327Daguragu – Kalkarindji54257557528Howard Springs61259556929Hermannsburg62560555130Wugular (Beswick)51153154231Ampilatwatja36541843932Papunya41840443833Warruwi42338943234Ilparpa43336042435Wagait Beach – Mandorah36846142236Walungurru (Kintore)45441042037Umbakumba44150341938Milikapiti44740141439Ali Curung53549439440Batchelor33646637141Nganmarriyanga (Palumpa)37739036442Alpurrurulam44142035043Nauiyu Nambiyu (Daly River)45437835044Barunga31336333745Mataranka24431032746Pine Creek380 328 318 47Pirlangimpi37137131748Mutitjulu21032329649Elliot34833928750Yarralin26629328351Timber Creek24927852Minjilang30924726553Jilkminggan28030126354Bulman – Weemol29128026355Nyirripi21023625156Adelaide River23726524357Gunyangara24024158Binjari23819024059Areyonga23519523660Amoonguna27523922961Kaltukatjara (Docker River)29539422962Willowra22130122263Atitjere22420464Titjikala20122719665Aputula (Finke)19219166Laramba25123918967Robinson River (Mungoorbada)25822218068Yuelamu20722014969Canteen Creek21718414770Wutunugurra207166143

Local government areas by population The Northern Territory is divided into 17 local government areas plus several unincorporated areas. Local government area boundaries are set by an independent local government representation review committee, which consists of the Northern Territory's electoral commissioner, surveyor-general, and the chief executive officer of the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory. The Australian Bureau of Statistics uses an approximation of these boundaries for its statistics. The largest local government area within the Northern Territory is the City of Darwin, with a population of 80,530 as of the 2021 census.

+ RankLocal government areaPopulation2011 census2016 census2021 census172,93078,80480,530227,70333,78637,247325,18624,75325,9124Litchfield Municipality18,99423,85521,41159,1879,7179,6436East Arnhem Region9,0989,0268,778*Unincorporated areas8,0896,9076,8027Roper Gulf Region6,1216,5056,4868Barkly Region6,8236,6556,3169West Arnhem Region6,2326,1886,28110MacDonnell Region5,8316,0295,74811Central Desert Region3,7203,6773,59112West Daly Region3,1662,97313Victoria Daly Region5,9242,8102,81514Tiwi Islands Region2,5802,4532,34815Coomalie Shire1,1061,3191,27616Wagait Shire369463423*Darwin Waterfront Precinct29317Belyuen Shire181164149

See also List of cities in Australia by population List of places in New South Wales by population List of places in Queensland by population List of places in South Australia by population List of places in Tasmania by population List of places in Victoria by population List of places in Western Australia by population

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