Many people underestimate just how large Australia is. It was not settled by European colonists until after North America and South America had already been colonized. Therefore, much of the continent is still significantly underdeveloped, and the population in Australia is relatively low compared to Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. One of the most remote areas of Australia is called the Northern Territory. This is a territory located in the Central and Northern regions of Australia, and it does not include any of the major cities, such as Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, or Melbourne. In total, the Northern Territory covers approximately 1.3 million square kilometers, and it is the third-largest Federal division of Australia.
The Northern Territory is bordered by Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland. Queensland is located to the east, South Australia is located to the south, and Western Australia is located to the west. The northern borders of the western territory look out toward the sea. Specifically, the Northern Territory borders the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Arafura Sea, and the Timor Sea. The Northern Territory is also relatively close to Western New Guinea and the islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago. When compared to other territories in Australia, the Northern Territory does not receive nearly as many visitors every year.
It has been estimated that approximately a quarter of a million people live in the Northern Territory. For how large the Northern Territory is, this is a very small number, particularly when compared to cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. In total, the Northern Territory is estimated to have fewer than half the number of people that live in Tasmania. The largest population center in the Northern Territory is Darwin. Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, and it includes the vast majority of the people who live in the state. There are also a fair number of indigenous people that live in the Northern Territory, and these individuals may not necessarily be included in the census.
It is difficult to say exactly how long people have been living in the Northern Territory. People of British descent have only lived in Australia for a few hundred years, but it has been estimated that indigenous people started arriving in the area more than 60,000 years ago. The first region to be settled in the Northern Territory was the Sahul continent. In addition, Makassan traders are estimated to have started trading with people in the Indigenous regions starting around the 17th century. The very first European settlers to arrive in Australia were the British. They tried to establish a settlement several times during the 19th century, but they were not able to do so until 1869. That is when Port Darwin was settled, and it remains the capital city to this day.