Arnhem Land

Plateau of the central peninsula in northeast Northern Territory, Australia, west of the Gulf of Carpentaria; approximate area 80,776 sq km/31,188 sq mi. Arnhem Land was named after a Dutch ship which dropped anchor here in 1618. The chief town is Nhulunbuy; population (2001) 9,000. It is the largest of the Aboriginal reserves, and was declared Aboriginal land in 1976. Many of the inhabitants live in small settlements and maintain a traditional way of life. Bauxite and uranium mining and the supporting industries provide the main economic base of the area.

Mining The mining of bauxite began in 1972 in the Cape Arnhem region, in the northeast of the central peninsula, and uranium mining occurs on the western fringe of Arnhem Land.