US Trends

what is the indigenous population of the northern territory

The most recent detailed data shows that around 61,000 people in the Northern Territory identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander at the 2021 Census, making up about 26–30% of the Territory’s total population.

Quick Scoop: Indigenous population of the Northern Territory

  • In the 2021 Australian Census , about 61,000 residents of the Northern Territory identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
  • This represents roughly 26.3% of the Northern Territory’s population in 2021.
  • Other official statistics note that Indigenous Australians make up just over 30% of the NT population, reflecting that the Territory has by far the highest proportion of Indigenous people of any Australian jurisdiction.

A bit of context

  • The Northern Territory has a relatively small overall population , but a very large Indigenous share compared with the rest of Australia.
  • Indigenous communities are spread across remote regions and towns, not only in Darwin, and include many different language and cultural groups.

Looking to the near future

  • Demographic studies and projections suggest the Indigenous population in the NT is continuing to grow , both in absolute numbers and remaining a large share of the Territory’s people.
  • Because the population is comparatively young , with many people under 25, the Indigenous share of the NT population is likely to stay high in coming years.

Key facts table

[3] [3] [7]
Measure Value Year / Source
Indigenous population (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) ≈61,000 2021 Census
Share of NT population 26.3% 2021 Census
Other official estimate of Indigenous share ≈30.3% Population statistics

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.