NORTHERN TERRITORY


Territory summary

Population change in Darwin

Population change in the remainder of the Northern Territory

Population density

Centre of population

Local government area populations


TERRITORY SUMMARY

At 30 June 2011, the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) was 230,400 people, which represented just 1.0% of the total Australian population. The NT's growth rate for 2010-11 was 0.4%, compared to 1.4% for the previous year. In 2010-11, the NT had the slowest growth rate of all the states and territories, behind Tasmania (0.6%) and South Australia (0.8%). This is the first time since 2002-03 that the NT had the slowest growth in the country

POPULATION CHANGE IN DARWIN

At June 2011, the population of Darwin SD, which is in the Top End of the NT and includes the LGAs of Darwin (C), Palmerston (C) and Litchfield (M), was 128,100 people. Darwin SD accounted for three-quarters of the NT's population growth between June 2010 and June 2011, and was home to 56% of the NT's population in 2011. In 2010-11, Darwin SD had the slowest growth of all Australian capital city SDs at 0.5%.

The population of Litchfield (M) was 19,700 people at June 2011. This LGA, which is predominately a rural residential area and is situated on the outskirts of Darwin and Palmerston, recorded the largest growth (320 people) of all NT LGAs. Almost all (97%) of the population growth for Litchfield (M) was in the SLA of Litchfield (M) - Pt B (which includes the suburbs of Howard Springs and Humpty Doo).

Palmerston (C) increased in population to 30,300 people at June 2011. Within this LGA, Palmerston (C) Bal (which includes the suburbs of Bellamack, Farrar, Marlow Lagoon and Rosebery) was the only SLA to record an increase in population (480 people).

For the first time since 2002-03, the population of Darwin (C) declined (down 50 people).

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Northern Territory - Bal SD

In the 12 months to June 2011, the population in the Northern Territory - Bal SD increased slightly (up 230 people) to reach 102,300 people. This SD accounted for 44% of the total NT population.

Most LGAs in Northern Territory - Bal SD experienced population increases in the year to June 2011. The fastest-growing LGAs in this SD were Victoria-Daly (S), which includes communities from Pine Creek/Wadeye in the north to Daguragu/Kalkarindji in the south (2.0%), and East Arnhem (S), located in the north-east of the territory (1.6%).

Three LGAs in Northern Territory - Bal SD decreased in population during 2010-11, with the largest decline in Alice Springs (T) (down 370 people), followed by Katherine (T) (down 130) and Tiwi Islands (S) (down 10).The only SLA within Alice Springs (T) to increase in population in the year ending June 2011 was Alice Springs (T) - Heavitree (up 40 people).

SLAs WITH LARGEST POPULATION GROWTH, Northern Territory
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2011p	2010r-2011p
SLA	no.	no.	%
Palmerston (C) Bal	5 800	480	8.9
Lee Point-Leanyer Swamp	1 600	310	24.1
Litchfield (M) - Pt B	18 000	310	1.8
City - Inner	4 200	270	6.8
East Arnhem (S)	10 200	160	1.6

Unincorporated NT

The population of Unincorporated NT at June 2011 was 9,500 people, an increase of 2.1% since June 2010. Unincorporated NT contains those areas in the NT that are not part of an incorporated local government council area. This includes the SLAs of Alyangula, Darwin Waterfront, East Arm, Finniss-Mary, Nhulunbuy and Yulara.

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2011, the population density of the NT was 0.2 people per square kilometre (sq km), the lowest of any state or territory. Most of the NT had a low population density, with 11 SLAs (comprising 99% of the total area of the NT) having less than one person per sq km. Darwin also had the lowest population density (41 people per sq km) of any capital city SD in Australia.

The SLAs within Darwin SD with the highest population density at June 2011 were Bakewell (2,800 people per sq km), Nightcliff and Wagaman (both 2,700). The SLA of Litchfield (M) - Pt B, which comprises 90% of the total area of Darwin SD, had the lowest population density (6.4 people per sq km), followed by East Arm and Litchfield (M) - Pt A (both 18).

Between June 2010 and June 2011, the SLA within Darwin SD which had the largest increase in population density was the newly developed Darwin Waterfront (increasing by 140 people per sq km), followed by City - Inner (up 110).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population at June 2011 for the NT was around 56 kilometres south of the town of Katherine. The centre moved approximately 11.9 kilometres north in the five years from June 2006 to June 2011. This reflects strong population growth in the territory's northern LGAs including Darwin (C) and Palmerston (C) over this period.

The centre of population for Darwin SD at June 2011 was south of the Stuart Highway, near the suburb of Berrimah.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA POPULATIONS

For a full list of LGA populations, see the Downloads tab.