Map of Northwest Territories, Canada

The Northwest Territories (NWT) is a vast, sparsely populated territory in northern Canada, It's the second-largest the Canadian's three territories. Its capital and largest city is Yellowknife. The NWT borders Yukon (west), Nunavut (east), and the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan (south). It covers a massive area, roughly equal to the combined landmass of France, Portugal, and Spain.

The NWT has vast forests and tundra, numerous islands in the Arctic Ocean, and the many scenic beauty. The climate is characterized by long, cold winters and short, mild summers in the south, with even extreme cold in the north. It is above the Arctic Circle and experiences almost continuous daylight in the summer and long periods of darkness in the winter. Aboriginal peoples make up a significant portion of the NWT's population. Its economy is largely based on natural resource industries, including mining. The NWT offers several opportunities for adventure, including viewing the aurora borealis.

Geographical features include Great Bear Lake, the largest lake entirely within Canada, and the Great Slave Lake, the deepest body of water in North America at 614 m, as well as the Mackenzie River and the canyons of the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Territorial islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago include Banks Island, Borden Island, Prince Patrick Island, and parts of Victoria Island and Melville Island. Its highest point is Mount Nirvana near the border with Yukon at an elevation of 2,773 m.

The North-West Territories Council was created in 1875. It got its first elected members in 1882 and became wholly elected in 1888 when the council was reorganized as the Legislative Assembly of the North-West Territories.