The Northern Territory is located in the north central region of the continent and is a federal territory of Australia. NT as it is usually abbreviated as, is bordered by Western Australia on the west, Queensland on the east and South Australia in the south. The capital city of the territory is Darwin. Northern Territory is sparsely populated and is the least populous among the eight major states and territories of Australia. When compared to other states, the population is not concentrated in coastal regions of this state. The Stuart Highway and surrounding areas have attracted majority of the population. Other notable areas include Alice Springs, Nhulunbuy, Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Stuart Highway, also known as ‘the track’ is a single paved road which links Darwin to South Australia. The population is spread throughout the route of this track. There are two natural rock formations in the Northern Territory, which include Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and Uluru (Ayers Rock). These are major tourist attractions and are considered to be sacred by the local Aboriginal peoples.
The Kakadu National Park, which is situated in the northern part of the territory, is a well – known tourist destination. The park has attractive wetlands and native wildlife. NT possesses an extensive series of river systems. The rivers which flow through the territory include the Finke River, Daly River, Todd River, McArthur River, Roper River, Alligator River and Victoria River.
There are two distinct climate zones in the territory, featuring tropical and desert climate conditions. While the Northern end experiences tropical weather along with high level of humidity, the central region is a desert region, with hot weather and very little rain. Tropical cyclones and monsoon rains are a common feature during the wet season in the northern parts. The north – western coastal areas experiences the most amount of rainfall. The central region which also contains Alice Springs and Ayers Rock is semi-arid, hence the region is sparsely populated.
The Northern Territory has consistently progressed and developed over the years. Compared to other states and territories, the Gross state product per capita is the highest in the Northern Territory. This is largely due to the mining and resources industry. The economy in the territory is defined by its mining activities, centred on petroleum and energy and other energy producing minerals. It generates revenues of $2.5 billion to the gross state product. The mining industry provides employment for more than 4,600 people.
The Northern Territory is involved in the mining of bauxite at Gove Peninsula, manganese at Groote Eylandt, Bootu Creek and Frances Creek. Gold mines are found at Union Reefs plant and Uranium is mined at the Ranger Uranium Mine.
During 2005 – 2006, NT’s exports had experienced an increase of 19 % over the previous year. Oil and gas accounted for 33.4% of the total exports of the state, followed by iron ore (20 %). Other industries which export goods include manufacturing and agriculture. The territory also imports goods in industries like chemical, machinery and equipment manufacturing, petroleum, coal and associated product manufacturing.
Tourism generates considerable revenue for the Northern Territory, owing to Uluru and Kakadu, the rock formations. Domestic and international travellers are attracted to the diverse landscapes, waterfalls and aboriginal culture.