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Northwest Territory

a name now given to British North American territory N. W. of the St. Lawrence river watershed which includes the old provincial districts of Mackenzie, Franklin, and Keewatin, north of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and extending to Arctic Ocean, its islands and as far as land has been discovered. Area about 1,242,224 square miles. The population, which is steadily declining, is estimated (1918): Indians, 5,100; Eskimos, 2,600, and some hundreds of half-breeds. There are two principal lakes, Great Bear, 11,- 800 square miles, and Slave Lake, 11,- 700. The Mackenzie river is 2,525 miles long. The region in parts abounds in fur-bearing animals-moose, bear, and caribou-and the waters teem with fish.

Vegetables and oats are raised in the Mackenzie river valley. The territory is under a Commissioner of the Royal North West Police. Government-seat, Ottawa. Formerly included in Northwest Territory were the present provinces of Alberta (area, 255,285 square miles, pop. 375,000); Manitoba (area, 251,832 square miles, pop. 455,614); Saskatchewan (area, 251,700 square miles, pop. 492,432); and Yukon (area, 34,298 square miles, pop. 8,512).