Editing Northwest Territories (section)

==Demography==
{{Main|Demographics of the Northwest Territories}}
{{Pie chart
| caption = Visible minority and indigenous identity (2016):<ref>{{cite web |title=Aboriginal Peoples Highlight Tables |work=2016 Census |publisher=Statistics Canada |year=2019 |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/abo-aut/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&S=99&O=A&RPP=25 |access-date=July 16, 2019 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021041920/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/abo-aut/Table.cfm?Lang=Eng&S=99&O=A&RPP=25 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Immigration and Ethnocultural Diversity Highlight Tables |work=2016 Census |publisher=Statistics Canada |year=2019 |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/imm/Table.cfm?Lang=E&T=41&Geo=00&SP=1&vismin=2&age=1&sex=1 |access-date=July 16, 2019 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015204/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/hlt-fst/imm/Table.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref>
| other =
| label1 = [[European Canadians|European Canadian]]
| value1 = 39.7
| color1 = #d8d8d8
| label2 = [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]]
| value2 = 32.1
| color2 = #ba1d1d
| label3 = [[Inuit]]
| value3 = 9.9
| color3 = #eddb38
| label4 = [[Visible minority]]
| value4 = 9.6
| color4 = #a0a0a0
| label5 = [[Métis]]
| value5 = 8.2
| color5 = #3183d6
| label6 = Other Indigenous responses
| value6 = 0.5
| color6 = #000000
}}

The NWT is one of two jurisdictions in Canada – Nunavut being the other – where [[Aboriginal peoples in Canada|Indigenous peoples]] are in the majority, constituting 50.4% of the population.<ref name="census2016">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=61&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Northwest%20Territories&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Aboriginal%20peoples&TABID=1 |title=Canada 2016 Census |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224155851/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=61&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Northwest%20Territories&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Aboriginal%20peoples&TABID=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to the 2016 Canadian census, the 10 major [[ethnic group]]s were:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=61&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Northwest%20Territories&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Ethnic%20origin&TABID=1 |title=Ethnic origin population |author=Statistics Canada |author-link=Statistics Canada |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]]&nbsp;– 36.8%
* [[Canadian ethnicity|Canadian]]&nbsp;– 18.6%
* [[English Canadian|English]]&nbsp;– 15.9%
* [[Scottish Canadian|Scottish]]&nbsp;– 14.8%
* [[Irish Canadian|Irish]]&nbsp;– 12.3%
* [[Inuit]] ([[Inuvialuit]])&nbsp;– 10.9%
* [[French Canadian|French]]&nbsp;– 10.3%
* [[Canadians of German ethnicity|German]]&nbsp;– 8.3%
* [[Métis people (Canada)|Métis]]&nbsp;– 7.1%
* [[Ukrainian Canadian|Ukrainian]]&nbsp;– 3.1%
{{div col end}}
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:1.{{note|1}}Yukon was ceded from the Northwest Territories in 1898.
:2.{{note|2}}Alberta and Saskatchewan were created mostly from parts of the Northwest Territories in 1905.
:3.{{note|3}}Nunavut was separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999.-->

===Language===
[[File:Multilingual sign for eye clinic in Yellowknife, NT.jpg|upright|thumb|Sign for an eye clinic in [[Yellowknife]] with all 11 official territorial languages|alt=A metallic white sign on a gray background with a red and blue depiction of a building at the top. Below it is text in blue saying "Eye Clinic" in English, French and the other nine official territorial languages]]
French was made an official language in 1877 by the then-territorial government. After a lengthy and bitter debate resulting from a [[speech from the throne]] in 1888 by [[List of lieutenant governors of the Northwest Territories|Lieutenant Governor]] [[Joseph Royal]], the members of the time voted on more than one occasion to nullify this and make English the only language used in the assembly. After some conflict with the Confederation Government in [[Ottawa]], and a decisive vote on January 19, 1892, the assembly members voted for an English-only territory.

Currently, the Northwest Territories' ''Official Languages Act'' recognizes the following eleven [[official language]]s:<ref name="lang1">{{cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/files/legislation/official-languages/official-languages.a.pdf |title=Official Languages Act (Northwest Territories |date=1998 |access-date=August 5, 2021 |publisher=Government of the Northwest Territories |archive-date=August 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814140425/https://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/en/files/legislation/official-languages/official-languages.a.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="lang2">{{cite web |url=https://www.pwnhc.ca/official-languages-of-the-northwest-territories/ |title=Official Languages of the Northwest Territories |access-date=August 5, 2021 |publisher=[[Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre]] |archive-date=October 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019184622/https://www.pwnhc.ca/official-languages-of-the-northwest-territories/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Chipewyan language|Chipewyan/Dené]]
* [[Cree language|Cree]]
* [[Canadian English|English]]
* [[Canadian French|French]]
* [[Gwich’in language|Gwich’in]]
* [[Inuinnaqtun]]
* [[Inuktitut]]
* [[Inuvialuktun]]
* [[Slavey language|North Slavey]]
* [[Slavey language|South Slavey]]
* [[Dogrib language|Tłı̨chǫ]] (Dogrib)
{{div col end}}

NWT residents have a right to use any of the above languages in a territorial court, and in the debates and proceedings of the legislature. However, the laws are legally binding only in their French and English versions, and the [[Politics of the Northwest Territories|NWT 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 a significant demand for that language or where it is reasonable to expect it given the nature of the services requested. In practical terms, 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 2016 census returns showed a population of 41,786. Of the 40,565 singular responses to the census question regarding each inhabitant's "mother tongue", the most reported languages were the following (italics indicate an official language of the NWT):
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| 1
| ''English''
| 31,765
| 78.3%
|-
| 2
| Dogrib (''Tłı̨chǫ'')
| 1,600
| 3.9%
|-
| 3
| ''French''
| 1,175
| 2.9%
|-
| 4
| ''South Slavey''
| 775
| 1.9%
|-
| 5
| ''North Slavey''
| 745
| 1.8%
|-
| 6
| [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]
| 745
| 1.8%
|-
| 7
|''Inuinnaqtun''
| 470
| 1.1%
|-
| 8
| Dené
| 440
| 1.1%
|-
| 9
| Slavey (not otherwise specified)
| 175
| 0.4%
|-
| 10
| ''Gwich'in''
| 140
| 0.3%
|-
| 11
| ''Cree''
| 130
| 0.3%
|}

There were also 630 responses of both English and a "non-official language"; 35 of both French and a "non-official language"; 145 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 unenumerable response. (Figures shown are for the number of single language responses and the percentage of total single-language responses.)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=61&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Northwest+Territories&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Language&TABID=1 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census – Northwest Territories [Territory] and Canada [Country] |first=Statistics Canada |last=Government of Canada |date=February 8, 2017 |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |access-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715171948/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=61&Geo2=PR&Code2=01&Data=Count&SearchText=Northwest+Territories&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Language&TABID=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Religion===
In the 2021 Census, 55.2% of the population followed Christianity (primarily [[Roman Catholicism]]); this is down from 67.6% in the 2001 Census. At the same time, the population reported having no religious affiliation has more than doubled, from 17.4% in 2001 to 39.8% in 2021 census. About 5.0% reported other religious affiliations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Religion/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&View=1a&Code=61&Table=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=61&B2=All |title=Selected Religions, for Canada, Provinces and Territories&nbsp;– 20% Sample Data |publisher=2.statcan.ca |access-date=February 22, 2011 |archive-date=December 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203202550/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/highlight/Religion/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&View=1a&Code=61&Table=1&StartRec=1&Sort=2&B1=61&B2=All |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/mc-b001-eng.htm |title=In 2021, more than half of the population of British Columbia and Yukon reported having no religion, while the Christian religion was predominant in the other provinces and territories |date=October 26, 2022 |access-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-date=November 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126100641/https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/221026/mc-b001-eng.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Communities===
{{Main|List of communities in the Northwest Territories|List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Five largest municipalities by population
!Municipality
!2016
|-
|[[Yellowknife]]<ref name="CYZF"/>
|19,569
|-
|[[Hay River, Northwest Territories|Hay River]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6105016&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&SearchText=Hay%20River&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6105016&TABID=1&type=0 |title=2011 Community Profiles – Hay River |publisher=www12.statcan.ca |date=November 29, 2017 |access-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref>
|3,528
|-
|[[Inuvik]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6101017&TABID=1&type=0 |title=2016 Community Profiles – Hay River |publisher=www12.statcan.ca |date=November 29, 2017 |access-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628152548/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6101017&TABID=1&type=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|3,243
|-
|[[Fort Smith, Northwest Territories|Fort Smith]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6103031&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&SearchText=Behchok%C3%B2&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6103031&TABID=1&type=0 |title=2011 Community Profiles – Fort Smith |publisher=www12.statcan.ca |date=November 29, 2017 |access-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref>
|2,542
|-
|[[Behchokǫ̀]]<ref name="bech2011">{{cite web |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6103031&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&SearchText=Behchok%C3%B2&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6103031&TABID=1&type=0 |title=Census Profile |date=October 6, 2020 |access-date=October 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref>
|1,874
|}
As of 2014, there are 33 official communities in the NWT.<ref name="maca">{{cite web |url=http://www.maca.gov.nt.ca/en/communitylist |title=Communities |access-date=October 30, 2017 |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120143540/https://www.maca.gov.nt.ca/en/communitylist |url-status=live }}</ref> These range in size from Yellowknife with a population of 19,569<ref name="CYZF">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6106023&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Yellowknife&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6106023&TABID=1 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census |date=February 8, 2017 |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref> to [[Kakisa]] with 36 people.<ref name="kakisa">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6104005&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Kakisa&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6104005&TABID=1 |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census |date=February 8, 2017 |publisher=[[Statistics Canada]] |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref> Governance of each community differs, some are run under various types of First Nations control, while others are designated as a city, town, village or hamlet, but most communities are [[Municipal government in Canada|municipal corporations]].<ref name="maca"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maca.gov.nt.ca/resources/Differences_in_Comm_Govt_Structure.pdf |title=Differences in Community Government Structures |access-date=February 22, 2011 |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626030148/http://www.maca.gov.nt.ca/resources/Differences_in_Comm_Govt_Structure.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Yellowknife is the largest community and has the largest number of Aboriginal peoples, 4,520 (23.4%) people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CMACA&Code1=995&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Yellowknife&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Ethnic%20origin&TABID=1 |title=Yellowknife [Census agglomeration] |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref> However, [[Behchokǫ̀]], with a population of 1,874,<ref name="bech2016">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6103031&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Behchok%20&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |title=Census Profile |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=March 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301131609/http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6103031&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Behchok%20&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> is the largest First Nations community, 1,696 (90.9%),<ref name="behc">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6103031&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Behchok%20&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=Aboriginal%20peoples&TABID=1 |title=Behchokò – Aboriginal population |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=June 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628033512/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Inuvik]] with 3,243 people<ref name="YEV2011">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |title=Census Profile |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225070154/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> is the largest Inuvialuit community, 1,315 (40.5%).<ref name="CYEV">{{cite web |url=http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |title=search: Inuvik |website=www12.statcan.gc.ca |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225070154/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101017&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Inuvik&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1 |url-status=live }}</ref> There is one [[Indian reserve]] in the NWT, [[Hay River Reserve]], located on the south shore of the [[Hay River (Canada)|Hay River]].