# Demographics of the Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories is a territory of Canada. It has an area of 1,171,918 square kilometres and a population of 41,786 as of the 2016 Canadian census.

## Population history

| Census year | Population | 5-year % change | 10-year % change | Rank among provinces and territories | Notes on changes impacting area and attendant population, and count provinces and territories |
| 1871 | 48,000 | n/a | n/a | 5 | In 1870, the Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory Order, a British order in council, transfers ownership of those two areas of land from the Hudson's Bay Company to the new (1867) Dominion of Canada, becoming the North-West Territories (NWT)In 1871, Canada had 1 territory and 6 provinces |
| 1881 | 56,446 | n/a | 17.6 | 7 | In 1874, NWT ceded land to the expansion of the province of Ontario.In 1876, NWT ceded land to the creation of District of Keewatin.In 1880, NWT gained the British Arctic Territories, transferred to Canada from the United Kingdom.In 1881, NWT ceded land to the expansion of Manitoba.In 1881, Canada had 2 territories and 7 provinces |
| 1891 | 98,967 | n/a | 75.3 | 7 | In 1886, NWT gained land back from District of Keewatin.In 1891, Canada had 2 territories and 7 provinces |
| 1901 | 184,430 | n/a | 86.4 | 6 | In 1895, NWT ceded land to the expansion of District of Keewatin.In 1898, NWT ceded land to the creation of Yukon Territory and the expansion of the province of Quebec.In 1901, Canada had 3 territories and 7 provinces |
| 1911 | 6,507 | n/a | -96.5 | 11 | In 1905, NWT ceded land to the creation of the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, while District of Keewatin rejoined NWT.In 1906, North-West Territories renamed Northwest Territories (NT)In 1911, Canada had 2 territories and 9 provinces |
| 1921 | 8,143 | n/a | 25.1 | 10 | In 1912, NT ceded land to the expansion of the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.In 1921, Canada had 2 territories and 9 provinces |
| 1931 | 9,316 | n/a | 14.4 | 10 | In censuses of 1931 and 1941, Canada had 2 territories and 9 provinces |
| 1941 | 12,028 | n/a | 29.1 | 10 | In censuses of 1931 and 1941, Canada had 2 territories and 9 provinces |
| 1951 | 16,004 | n/a | 33.1 | 10 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1956 | 19,313 | 20.7 | n/a | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1961 | 22,998 | 19.1 | 43.7 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1966 | 28,738 | 25.0 | 48.8 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1971 | 34,807 | 21.1 | 51.3 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1976 | 42,609 | 22.4 | 48.3 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1981 | 45,740 | 7.3 | 31.4 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1986 | 52,235 | 14.2 | 22.6 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1991 | 57,649 | 10.3 | 26.0 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 1996 | 64,402 | 11.7 | 23.2 | 11 | In censuses of 1951 through 1996, Canada had 2 territories and 10 provinces |
| 2001 | 37,360 | -42.0 | -35.2 | 11 | In 1999, NT ceded land to the creation of Nunavut.In 2001, Canada had 3 territories and 10 provinces |
| 2006 | 41,464 | 11.0 | -35.6 | 11 | Since 2001 census, Canada has 3 territories and 10 provinces |
| 2011 | 41,462 | 0.0 | 10.9 | 11 | Since 2001 census, Canada has 3 territories and 10 provinces |
| 2016 | 41,786 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 11 | Since 2001 census, Canada has 3 territories and 10 provinces |
| 2021 | 41,070 | -1.7 | -0.9 | 11 | Since 2001 census, Canada has 3 territories and 10 provinces |
Source: Statistics Canada, with Social Science Federation of Canada for 1871–1901

## Population geography
### Ten largest population centres

Ten largest municipalities by population :
| Municipality | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | 1996 |
| Yellowknife | 19,234 | 18,700 | 16,541 | 17,275 |
| Hay River | 3,606 | 3,648 | 3,510 | 3,611 |
| Inuvik | 3,463 | 3,484 | 2,894 | 3,296 |
| Fort Smith | 2,093 | 2,364 | 2,185 | 2,441 |
| Behchokǫ̀ | 1,926 | 1,894 | 1,552 | 1,662 |
| Fort Simpson | 1,238 | 1,216 | 1,163 | 1,257 |
| Tuktoyaktuk | 854 | 870 | 930 | 943 |
| Fort McPherson | 792 | 776 | 761 | 878 |
| Fort Providence | 734 | 727 | 753 | 748 |
| Norman Wells | 727 | 761 | 666 | 798 |

## Visible minorities and Indigenous peoples

Visible minority and Indigenous population (2021 Canadian census) :
| Population group | Population group | Population | % |
| European | European | 15,430 | 38.2% |
| Visible minority group | South Asian | 770 | 1.9% |
| Visible minority group | Chinese | 335 | 0.8% |
| Visible minority group | Black | 1,060 | 2.6% |
| Visible minority group | Filipino | 1,665 | 4.1% |
| Visible minority group | Arab | 225 | 0.6% |
| Visible minority group | Latin American | 125 | 0.3% |
| Visible minority group | Southeast Asian | 305 | 0.8% |
| Visible minority group | West Asian | 35 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Korean | 75 | 0.2% |
| Visible minority group | Japanese | 105 | 0.3% |
| Visible minority group | Visible minority, n.i.e. | 50 | 0.1% |
| Visible minority group | Multiple visible minorities | 170 | 0.4% |
| Total visible minority population | Total visible minority population | 4,915 | 12.2% |
| Indigenous group | First Nations (North American Indian) | 12,315 | 30.5% |
| Indigenous group | Métis | 2,890 | 7.2% |
| Indigenous group | Inuk (Inuit) | 4,150 | 10.3% |
| Indigenous group | Multiple Indigenous responses | 405 | 1.0% |
| Indigenous group | Indigenous responses n.i.e. | 270 | 0.7% |
| Total Indigenous population | Total Indigenous population | 20,035 | 49.6% |
| Total population | Total population | 40,380 | 100.0% |

## Languages

French was made an official language in 1877 by the appointed government, after lengthy and bitter debate resulting from a speech from the throne in 1888 by Lt. Governor Joseph Royal. The members voted on more than one occasion to nullify and make English the only language used in the assembly. After some conflict with Ottawa and a decisive vote on January 19, 1892, the issue was put to rest as an English-only territory.
In the early 1980s, the government of Northwest Territories was again under pressure by the federal government to reintroduce French as an official language. Some native members walked out of the assembly, protesting that they would not be permitted to speak their own language. The executive council appointed a special committee of MLAs to study the matter. They decided that if French was to be an official language, then so must the other languages in the territories.
The Northwest Territories's Official Languages Act recognizes the following eleven official languages, which is more than any other political division in Canada:
* Chipewyan
* Cree
* English
* French
* Gwich’in
* Inuinnaqtun
* Inuktitut
* Inuvialuktun
* North Slavey
* South Slavey
* Tłįchǫ
NWT residents have a right to use any of the above languages in a territorial court and in debates and proceedings of the legislature. However, laws are legally binding only in their French and English versions, and the government only publishes laws and other documents in the territory's other official languages when the legislature asks it to. Furthermore, access to services in any language is limited to institutions and circumstances where there is significant demand for that language or where it is reasonable to expect it given the nature of the services requested. In reality, this means that English language services are universally available and there is no guarantee that other languages, including French, will be used by any particular government service except for the courts.
The 2006 Canadian census showed a population of 41,464. Of the 40,680 singular responses to the census question concerning 'mother tongue' the most commonly reported languages (official languages in bold) were:
| | Mother tongue | Speakers | Share |
| 1. | English | 31,545 | 77.54% |
| 2. | Athapaskan languages | 4,710 | 11.58% |
| | Dogrib | 1,950 | 4.79% |
| | South Slavey | 1,285 | 3.16% |
| | North Slavey | 835 | 2.05% |
| | Chipewyan | 390 | 0.96% |
| | Gwich'in | 190 | 0.47% |
| | Dene | 50 | 0.12% |
| 3. | French | 975 | 2.40% |
| 4. | Inuktitut | 695 | 1.71% |
| 5. | Malayo-Polynesian languages | 530 | 1.30% |
| | Tagalog | 505 | 1.24% |
| 6. | Vietnamese | 305 | 0.75% |
| 7. | Chinese | 260 | 0.64% |
| | Cantonese | 120 | 0.29% |
| 8. | Algonquian languages | 250 | 0.61% |
| | Cree | 190 | 0.47% |
| | Ojibway | 35 | 0.09% |
| 9. | German | 190 | 0.47% |
| 10= | Arabic | 105 | 0.26% |
| 10= | Creole | 105 | 0.26% |
| 12. | Dutch | 95 | 0.23% |
| 13. | Spanish | 90 | 0.22% |
| 14. | Niger-Congo languages | 80 | 0.20% |
| | Bantu languages | 55 | 0.14% |
| 15. | Yugoslavian languages | 60 | 0.15% |
| 16= | Inuinnaqtun | 55 | 0.14% |
| 16= | Italian | 55 | 0.14% |
There were also about 40 single-language responses for Ukrainian; 35 for the Scandinavian languages, Slovak and Urdu; and 30 for Hungarian, the Iranian languages and Polish. In addition, there were also 320 responses of both English and a 'non-official language'; 15 of both French and a 'non-official language; 45 of both English and French, and about 400 people who either did not respond to the question, or reported multiple non-official languages, or else gave some other unenumerated response. The Northwest Territories' official languages are shown in bold. Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)

## Religion

Religious beliefs in NWT (2011 census) :
| Religion | Adherents | % of the population |
| Christianity | 27,050 | 66.3% |
| Irreligious | 12,450 | 30.51% |
| Traditional (Aboriginal) Spirituality | 500 | 1.23% |
| Islam | 275 | 0.67% |
| Buddhism | 170 | 0.42% |
| Hinduism | 70 | 0.17% |
| Judaism | 40 | 0.1% |
| Sikhism | 20 | 0.05% |
| Other religions | 220 | 0.54% |
| Total | 40,800 | 100% |

## Migration
### Immigration

Northwest Territories immigration$^{:239}$$^{:108}$ :
| Year | Immigrant percentage | Immigrant population | Total population |
| 1881 | 0.8% | 453 | 56,446 |
| 1891 | 18.9% | 18,712 | 98,967 |
| 1901 | 0.7% | 147 | 20,129 |
| 1911 | 1.8% | 116 | 6,507 |
| 1921 | 2.5% | 207 | 8,143 |
| 1931 | 5.7% | 534 | 9,316 |
| 1941 | 6.8% | 818 | 12,028 |
| 1951 | 6.5% | 1,042 | 16,004 |
| 1961 | 8.5% | 1,963 | 22,998 |
| 1971 | 6.4% | 2,245 | 34,810 |
The 2021 census reported that immigrants (individuals born outside Canada) comprise 4,145 persons or 10.3 percent of the total population of the Northwest Territories.
Immigrants in Northwest Territories by country of birth :
| Country of Birth | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 | 2006 | 2006 | 2001 | 2001 |
| Country of Birth | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| Philippines | 1,175 | 28.3% | 955 | 25.9% | 630 | 21.9% | 555 | 19.8% | 355 | 14.9% |
| United Kingdom | 275 | 6.6% | 320 | 8.7% | 280 | 9.7% | 340 | 12.1% | 460 | 19.3% |
| India | 265 | 6.4% | 180 | 4.9% | 70 | 2.4% | 30 | 1.1% | 55 | 2.3% |
| United States of America | 175 | 4.2% | 220 | 6% | 225 | 7.8% | 235 | 8.4% | 215 | 9% |
| Vietnam | 165 | 4% | 175 | 4.7% | 95 | 3.3% | 245 | 8.7% | 140 | 5.9% |
| Germany | 115 | 2.8% | 125 | 3.4% | 110 | 3.8% | 130 | 4.6% | 145 | 6.1% |
| China | 100 | 2.4% | 110 | 3% | 170 | 5.9% | 100 | 3.6% | 60 | 2.5% |
| South Africa | 90 | 2.2% | 40 | 1.1% | 35 | 1.2% | 40 | 1.4% | 50 | 2.1% |
| Zimbabwe | 80 | 1.9% | 70 | 1.9% | 145 | 5% | 10 | 0.4% | 10 | 0.4% |
| Bangladesh | 80 | 1.9% | 95 | 2.6% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.4% | 0 | 0% |
| Total immigrants | 4,145 | 10.3% | 3,685 | 9% | 2,880 | 7.1% | 2,810 | 6.8% | 2,380 | 6.4% |
| Total responses | 40,375 | 98.3% | 41,135 | 98.4% | 40,800 | 98.4% | 41,060 | 99% | 37,100 | 99.3% |
| Total population | 41,070 | 100% | 41,786 | 100% | 41,462 | 100% | 41,464 | 100% | 37,360 | 100% |

### Recent immigration

The 2021 Canadian census counted a total of 810 people who immigrated to the Northwest Territories between 2016 and 2021.
Recent immigrants to Northwest Territories by country of birth (2016 to 2021) :
| Country of birth | Population | % recent immigrants |
| Philippines | 275 | 34% |
| India | 95 | 11.7% |
| Sudan | 35 | 4.3% |
| Syria | 35 | 4.3% |
| South Africa | 25 | 3.1% |
| France | 25 | 3.1% |
| China | 20 | 2.5% |
| Zimbabwe | 20 | 2.5% |
| Bangladesh | 20 | 2.5% |
| Pakistan | 20 | 2.5% |
| Jamaica | 20 | 2.5% |
| Somalia | 20 | 2.5% |
| Eritrea | 20 | 2.5% |
| Ethiopia | 20 | 2.5% |
| Total | 810 | 100% |

### Internal migration

A total of 12,100 people moved to the Northwest Territories from other parts of Canada between 1996 and 2006 while 15,955 people moved in the opposite direction. These movements resulted in a net influx of 825 from Newfoundland and Labrador, 295 from Nunavut, 235 from Quebec and 195 from Nova Scotia; and a net outmigration of 3,955 to Alberta, 705 to British Columbia, 260 to Manitoba, 245 to Ontario and 230 to the Yukon. (All inter-provincial movements and official minority movements of more than 100 persons are given.)