What is the capital of the Northwest Territories, Canada?

The capital of the Northwest Territories, Canada, is Yellowknife. It sits on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake, about 400 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle, and is the territory’s largest community and only incorporated city.

Yellowknife’s modern growth began after gold was discovered in the area in 1934. The settlement became a municipality in 1953 and was officially named the territorial capital in September 1967, following recommendations from the Carrothers Commission. Its location, transportation links, industrial base, and established population helped it win the decision.

The city’s name comes from the Yellowknives Dene, an Indigenous people historically associated with copper tools and trade. Yellowknife later developed beyond gold mining: diamond discoveries north of the city in 1991 helped create a new economic boom, while government, transportation, tourism, and services remain important today.

A common mix-up is Fort Smith, which served as an administrative centre for many years and was one of the Northwest Territories’ former seats of government. Since Nunavut was created from the eastern Northwest Territories in 1999, Yellowknife serves the territory within its present boundaries.