POPULATION

A 1996 census recorded 64,402 people living in the Northwest Territories. The population is quite diverse with 17,500 Inuits and 2,000 Native Americans. English is the major language of 54% of the people. French is the first language of 2% of the people. Thirty-seven percent of the people live in urban areas and 64% live in rural areas. The largest communities are Yellowknife, the capital, Iqaluit, Hay River, Inuvik, and Fort Smith.