What is the capital of the Northern Territory?
Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory. This tropical harbour city on the Timor Sea was named after naturalist Charles Darwin and has about 150,000 people.
The harbour was named Port Darwin in 1839 by the crew of HMS Beagle, the ship that had earlier carried Charles Darwin around the world. The town itself was first called Palmerston and officially became Darwin in 1911.
Darwin has been rebuilt twice. Japanese air raids in 1942 caused heavy damage during the Second World War, and on Christmas Day 1974 Cyclone Tracy destroyed most of the city. It was rebuilt with stronger building standards.
Life in the tropics
Darwin has a wet season from about November to April and a dry season the rest of the year. It is a gateway to Kakadu and Litchfield national parks and is famous for the Mindil Beach Sunset Market.
Darwin's population is young and diverse, with strong links to Southeast Asia. Many residents have Aboriginal, Greek, Chinese, Filipino or Timorese heritage, reflected in its food markets.
Did You Know?
Darwin is closer to several Asian capitals, such as Dili and Jakarta, than it is to Canberra.