Darwin

Port and capital of Northern Territory, Australia; population (2001 est) 72,100. Darwin is situated at the centre of Australia's north coast, in the northwest of Arnhem Land on a peninsula bordering the Timor Sea. It is a service centre for the northern part of Northern Territory, and industries include mining (uranium and copper), fruit and meat canning, and brickmaking, while in the surrounding area pastoral farming, tropical horticulture (producing rice, bananas, mangoes, rock melons, Chinese cabbage, avocado, and other fruits), and tourism are important occupations. Darwin is the most northerly city of Australia, and the terminus of a number of routes including the railway to Birdum (509 km/316 miles to the southeast), the Stuart Highway to Alice Springs (1535 km/954 mi southeast) and east and west coast shipping routes of Australia. The city was destroyed in 1974 by Cyclone Tracy, and rebuilt on the same site. It is a base for tourists visiting Kakadu National Park, Bathurst Island, and Melville Island.

History

Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin on 25 December 1974, and the population was evacuated. The cyclone destroyed 85% of Darwin's buildings, and 49 people died. Ambitious plans for reconstruction were advanced in 1975, including the removal of the city to a safer site. Reconstruction was delayed because of the difficulty in releasing government loans, and eventually former residents were allowed to return and rebuild their homes. The reconstruction of the city had been completed by the late 1970s. The Northern Territory University (1989) is located here.

Climate Darwin has a tropical climate, with an average annual maximum temperature of 32.7°C/91°F, average annual minimum 23.6°C/74°F, and average annual rainfall 1,535 mm/60 in.