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The Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories (NWT) lie above Saskatchewan, Alberta,
and eastern British Columbia, and between the Yukon and Nunavut.
Like the Yukon, the Northwest Territories can be divided into
two broad geographical regions: the taiga, a boreal forest belt
that circles the subarctic zone; and the tundra, a rocky Arctic
region where the cold climate has stunted vegetation.
The People
The present population of the NWT is
approximately
42 000. Dene, Inuvialuit and
Métis peoples make up 48 percent, the non-Aboriginal population
about 52 percent. Most live in small communities; Yellowknife,
the capital, has a population of more than 15 000.
The Economy
The economy relies heavily on resource industries subject to
wide fluctuations in world markets. Mining is by far the largest
private industrial sector of the NWT economy. Oil and gas
exploration and development are also important.
Recently, tourism
has become increasingly important. The NWT offers a variety of
landscapes of great natural beauty, conducive to fishing,
wildlife observation and other outdoor activities.
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