Yellowknife Find the 60th parallel on a map of North America, look northward, and you will see the Northwest Territories, bordered by the Yukon to the west, the prairies to the south, and Canada's newest territory, Nunavut, to the north and east. Approximately 40,000 people inhabit this region, and most live in small communities. Yellowknife, the capital, has a population of more than 15,000.
Mining drives the territory's economy.
Because of its northern locale, the Northwest Territories is often referred to as 'the land of the midnight sun'. During the summer months, there is almost continuous daylight as the sun seldom sets, while winter sees almost complete darkness.