List of communities in the Northwest Territories

The Northwest Territories of Canada contains 33 official communities according to the Government of the Northwest Territories.^[1]

Communities

The following are communities recognised by the Government of the Northwest Territories. All of them are also recognised as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada.^[2]

Official name, traditional name[3]	Former name, date of change[3]	Translation[3]	Governance[A]	Municipality[4]	Administrative region	Census division	2021 Canadian census[2]			Coordinates
							Population (2021)	Population (2016)	% change
Aklavik Akłarvik		barren-ground grizzly place	Hamlet[5]	Yes	Inuvik[5]	Region 1[6]	536	590	−9.2%	68°13′10″N 135°00′29″W[7]
Behchokǫ̀	Rae Edzo August 4, 2005	Mbehcho's place	Self government[8]	Yes	North Slave[8]	Region 3[9]	1,746	1,874	−6.8%	62°49′38″N 116°03′30″W[10]
Colville Lake K'áhbamı̨́túé		ptarmigan net place	Designated Authority[11] (Settlement)	No	Sahtu[11]	Region 2[12]	110	129	−14.7%	67°02′24″N 126°05′28″W[13]
Délı̨nę	Fort Franklin June 1, 1993	where the waters flow	Self Government[14] (Charter Community)	Yes	Sahtu[14]	Region 2[12]	573	533	7.5%	65°11′20″N 123°25′21″W[15]
Dettah T'èɂehda		burnt point	Designated Authority[16] (Settlement)	No	North Slave[16]	Region 6[17]	192	219	-12.3%	62°24′40″N 114°18′30″W[18]
Enterprise			Hamlet[19]	Yes	South Slave[19]	Region 5[20]	75	106	-29.2%	60°33′17″N 116°08′50″W[21]
Fort Good Hope Rádeyı̨lı̨kóé	Fort Hope unknown	rapids place	Charter Community[22]	Yes	Sahtu[22]	Region 2[12]	507	516	-1.7%	66°15′25″N 128°38′16″W[23]
Fort Liard Echaot'ı̨e Kų́ę́		people from the land of the giants	Hamlet[24]	Yes	Dehcho[24]	Region 4[25]	468	500	−6.4%	60°14′21″N 123°28′31″W[26]
Fort McPherson Teetł'it Zheh		at the head of the waters place	Hamlet[27]	Yes	Inuvik[27]	Region 1[6]	647	700	−7.6%	67°26′07″N 134°52′57″W[28]
Fort Providence Zhahti Kų́ę́		mission house	Hamlet[29]	Yes	South Slave[29]	Region 4[25]	618	695	−11.1%	61°21′19″N 117°39′15″W[30]
Fort Resolution Denı́nu Kų́ę́		moose island	Hamlet[31]	Yes	South Slave[31]	Region 5[20]	412	470	−12.3%	61°10′16″N 113°40′19″W[32]
Fort Simpson Łı́ı́dlı̨ Kų́ę́		place where rivers come together	Village[33]	Yes	Dehcho[33]	Region 4[25]	1,100	1,202	-8.5%	61°51′39″N 121°21′10″W[34]
Fort Smith Tthebacha		beside the rapids	Town[35]	Yes	South Slave[35]	Region 5[20]	2,248	2,542	-11.6%	60°00′19″N 111°52′58″W[36]
Gamèti Gahmı̨̀tı̀	Rae Lakes August 4, 2005	rabbit net place	Self Government[37] (Community Government)	Yes	North Slave[37]	Region 3[9]	252	278	-9.4%	64°06′46″N 117°21′09″W[38]
Hay River Xátł'odehchee		for the Hay River	Town[39]	Yes	South Slave[39]	Region 5[20]	3,169	3,528	−10.2%	60°48′35″N 115°47′23″W[40]
Inuvik Inuuvik		place of man	Town[41]	Yes	Inuvik[41]	Region 1[6]	3,137	3,243	−3.3%	68°21′39″N 133°43′47″W[42]
Jean Marie River Tthek'éhdélı̨		water flowing over clay	Designated Authority[43](Settlement)	No	Dehcho[43]	Region 4[25]	63	77	-18.2%	61°31′30″N 120°37′40″W[44]
Kakisa K'ágee		between the willows	Designated Authority[45] (Settlement)	No	South Slave[45]	Region 4[25]	39	36	8.3%	60°56′27″N 117°24′57″W[46]
Kátł’odeeche Hay River Reserve Hay River Dene 1 Xátł'odehchee		for the Hay River	Designated Authority[47] (Indian reserve)	No	South Slave[47]	Region 4[25]	259	309	-16.2%	60°50′01″N 115°45′57″W[B]
Łutselk'e Łútsę̀lk'é	Snowdrift July 1, 1992	place of the Łutsel fish, a cisco	Designated Authority[50] (Settlement)	No	North Slave[50]	Region 5[20]	333	303	9.9%	62°24′15″N 110°44′18″W[51]
Nahanni Butte Tthenáágó		strong rock	Designated Authority[52](Settlement)	No	Dehcho[52]	Region 4[25]	81	87	−6.9%	61°02′08″N 123°23′00″W[53]
Norman Wells Tłegǫ́htı̨		where there is oil	Town[54]	Yes	Sahtu[54]	Region 2[12]	673	778	-13.5%	65°16′52″N 126°49′54″W[55]
Paulatuk Paulatuuq		place of coal	Hamlet[56]	Yes	Inuvik[56]	Region 1[6]	298	265	12.5%	69°21′01″N 124°04′08″W[57]
Sachs Harbour Ikaahuk		place to which you cross	Hamlet[58]	Yes	Inuvik[58]	Region 1[6]	104	103	1.0%	71°59′12″N 125°15′02″W[59]
Sambaa K'e	Trout Lake June 21, 2016	Place of trout	Designated Authority[60] (Settlement)	No	Dehcho[60]	Region 4[25]	97	88	10.2%	60°26′33″N 121°14′43″W[61]
Tsiigehtchic Tsiigehtshik	Arctic Red River April 1, 1994	mouth of the iron river Arctic Red River[62]	Hamlet[63]	Yes	Inuvik[63]	Region 1[6]	138	172	-19.8%	67°26′33″N 133°44′33″W[64]
Tuktoyaktuk Tuktuujaqrtuuq	Port Brabant 1950[65]	looks like a caribou	Hamlet[66]	Yes	Inuvik[66]	Region 1[6]	937	898	4.3%	69°27′03″N 133°02′09″W[67]
Tulita Tulı́t’a	Fort Norman January 1, 1996	where the waters meet	Hamlet[68]	Yes	Sahtu[68]	Region 2[12]	396	477	−17.0%	64°54′02″N 125°34′35″W[69]
Ulukhaktok Ulukhaqtuuq	Holman April 1, 2006	where there is material for ulus	Hamlet[70]	Yes	Inuvik[70]	Region 1[6]	408	396	3.0%	70°44′12″N 117°46′19″W[71]
Wekweètì	Snare Lakes November 1, 1998	rock lake	Self Government[72] (Community Government)	Yes	North Slave[72]	Region 3[9]	109	129	−15.5%	64°11′21″N 114°11′10″W[73]
Whatì	Lac La Martre January 1, 1996	marten lake	Self Government[74] (Community Government)	Yes	North Slave[74]	Region 3[9]	543	470	15.5%	63°08′42″N 117°16′27″W[75]
Wrigley Pedzéh Kı̨́		clay place	Designated Authority[76] (Settlement)	No	Dehcho[76]	Region 4[25]	117	119	−1.7%	63°13′36″N 123°28′00″W[77]
Yellowknife Sǫ̀mbak'è		money place	City[78]	Yes	North Slave[78]	Region 6[17]	20,340	19,569	3.9%	62°27′13″N 114°22′12″W[79]

Other

Ndilǫ, ("end of the island", formerly Rainbow Valley, until 1991) part of the Akaitcho Territory Government, and represented by the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. It is located at 62°28′26″N 114°20′22″W^[80] on Latham Island, Yellowknife.^[3]

Other census subdivisions

Name[2]	Governance[C]	Municipality[81]	Administrative region	Census division	2021 Canadian census[2]			Coordinates[D]
					Population (2021)	Population (2016)	% change
Region 1, Unorganized		No		Region 1[6]	0	5	-100.0%	68°21′39″N 133°43′47″W[42][E]
Region 2, Unorganized		No		Region 2[12]	0	0	-	65°16′52″N 126°49′54″W[55][F]
Region 3, Unorganized		No		Region 3[9]	0	0	-	62°49′38″N 116°03′30″W[10][G]
Region 4, Unorganized		No		Region 4[25]	30	47	-36.2%	61°51′39″N 121°21′10″W[34][H]
Region 5, Unorganized		No		Region 5[20]	37	31	19.4%	60°48′35″N 115°47′23″W[40][I]
Region 6, Unorganized		No		Region 6[17]	273	302	-9.6%	62°27′13″N 114°22′12″W[79][J]
Reliance	Settlement	No	South Slave	Region 5[20]	0	0	-	62°42′46″N 109°09′53″W[82]
Salt Plains 195	Indian reserve	No	South Slave	Region 5[20]	5	0	-	60°06′21″N 112°14′34″W[83]

Other places

Main article: List of ghost towns in the Northwest Territories

• Canol Camp
• Discovery
• Fort Confidence
• Old Fort Providence
• Pine Point
• Port Radium
• Rayrock
• Tungsten

BC

AB

SK

MB

ON

QC

NB

PE

NS

NL

YT

NT

NU

Communities in Canada's provinces and territories

Regional populations

Regional populations (Census division)

Name	# of communities	2021 Canadian census[2]			Area		Coordinates[D]
		Population (2021)	Population (2016)	% change	km2	sqmi
Region 1	8	6,205	6,372	-2.6%	357,015.13	137,844.31	68°21′39″N 133°43′47″W[42][E]
Region 2	5	2,259	2,433	-7.2%	218,296.94	84,284.92	65°16′52″N 126°49′54″W[55][F]
Region 3	4	2,650	2,751	-3.7%	24,796.95	9,574.16	62°49′38″N 116°03′30″W[10][G]
Region 4	9	2,872	3,160	-9.1%	193,265.47	74,620.22	61°51′39″N 121°21′10″W[34][H]
Region 5	7	6,279	6,980	-10.2%	152,135.92	58,740.01	60°48′35″N 115°47′23″W[40][I]
Region 6	2	20,805	20,090	3.6%	182,201.50	70,348.39	62°27′13″N 114°22′12″W[79][J]

Regional populations (Administrative regions)

Name	Regional office	# of communities	2021 Canadian census[2]			Coordinates[K]
			Population (2021)	Population (2016)	% change
Dehcho Region[84]	Fort Simpson[84]	6	1,926	2,073	-7.1%	61°51′39″N 121°21′10″W[34]
Inuvik Region[85]	Inuvik[85]	8	6,205	6,367	-2.5%	68°21′39″N 133°43′47″W[42]
North Slave Region[86]	Yellowknife[86]	7	23,515	22,842	2.9%	62°27′13″N 114°22′12″W[79]
Sahtu Region[87]	Norman Wells[87]	5	2,259	2,433	-7.2%	65°16′52″N 126°49′54″W[55]
South Slave Region[88]	Fort Smith[88]	7	6,825	7,686	-11.2%	60°00′19″N 111°52′58″W[89]

See also

• List of cities in Canada
• List of municipalities in the Northwest Territories

Notes

1. Governance types are from Municipal Affairs and Community Administration and Statistics Canada. Entries in parenthesis are from Statistics Canada only.^[2]
2. Orignal site was at 60°51′32″N 115°43′33″W^[48] and the Hay River Dene 1 is centred at 60°48′00″N 115°44′05″W^[49]
3. Governance types are from Statistics Canada.^[2]
4. Centred on largest community
5. Region 1 centred on Inuvik
6. Region 2 centred on Norman Wells
7. Region 3 centred on Behchokǫ̀
8. Region 4 centred on Fort Simpson
9. Region 5 centred on Hay River
10. Region 6 centred on Yellowknife
11. Centred on regional office