View source for Arnhem Land

{{Infobox Australian place | type = region
| name     = Arnhem Land
| state    = nt
| image    = Arnhem land locator.png
| image_upright = 0.81 
| caption  = Approximate location of Arnhem Land
| pop      = 16,230
| pop_year = 2007
| pop_footnotes = <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/6C2E0D5EB9791D50CA2574D50014B9A0/$File/13627_2008.pdf|format=PDF|title=Australian Demographic Statistics|author=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]|date=2 October 2008|accessdate=2008-06-24}}</ref>
| area     = 97000
| seat     = 
| region   = 
  | stategov = [[Electoral division of Arafura|Arafura]], [[Electoral division of Nhulunbuy|Nhulunbuy]], [[Electoral division of Arnhem|Arnhem]]
| fedgov   = [[Division of Lingiari|Lingiari]]
}}

The '''Arnhem Land Region''' is one of the five regions of the [[Northern Territory]] of [[Australia]]. It is in the north east corner of the territory and is about 500km from the territory capital [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]]. It has an area of 97,000 km². This area includes [[Kakadu National Park]]. About 16,230 people live in Arnhem Land. It was named by [[Matthew Flinders]] after the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] ship [[Arnhem (ship)|''Arnhem'']], which explored the coast in 1623. 

==Geography==
[[Image:Kakadu 2803.jpg|thumb|left|Nanydjaka Cape Arnhem Coast]]

Arnhem Land goes from [[Port Roper]] on the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]] around the coast to the [[East Alligator River]] where it joins [[Kakadu National Park]]. The major towns are [[Jabiru, Northern Territory|Jabiru]] on the [[Kakadu National Park]] border, [[Maningrida, Northern Territory|Maningrida]] on the Liverpool River mouth, and [[Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory|Nhulunbuy]] (also known as [[Gove]]) in the far north east, on the [[Gove Peninsula]]. Gove is the site of large [[bauxite]] mine with an [[alumina]] refinery. Its administrative centre is the town of [[Nhulunbuy]], the fourth largest town in the Northern Territory.


The [[climate]] of Arnhem Land is [[tropical]] [[monsoon]] with a wet and dry season.  Temperatures do not vary much during the year. It can get as cold as 15 degrees Celsius during nights in the dry season (April to September). In the wet season (October to March) the days can be as hot as 33 degrees Celsius.

[[Image:Kakadu 2403.jpg|left|thumb|200px|East Alligator River Crossing (Cahills Crossing)]]
[[Image:GoyderRiverCrossing.jpg|thumb|left|Goyder River Crossing, Central Arnhem Highway]] 
[[Image:Ceremonycountry2.jpg|thumb|right|Some cultural areas off-limits to visitors]]
==The people==
Arnhem Land became an Aboriginal Reserve in 1931. It is still one of the largest Aboriginal Reserves in Australia. It is best known for its remoteness, its art, and the strong continuing traditions of its people. North east Arnhem Land is home to the [[Yolngu]] people, one of the largest indigenous groups in Australia. They have been able to keep their traditional indigenous culture. The [[Malays]] and [[Macassan]]s are believed to have had contact with the coastal Aboriginal groups and traded with them prior to European settlement of Australia.

The 2006 [[movie]] ''[[Ten Canoes]]'' shows life in Arnhem land with a story that uses old Aboriginal stories. It was co-directed by one of the cast members.  The movie and also the movie about how it was made, ''The Balano and the Bark Canoes'', shows the great struggle the indigenous people have made to keep their culture alive. 

===Art===
The [[Indigenous Australian|Aboriginal]] town of [[Yirrkala]], just outside [[Nhulunbuy]], is famous throughout the world. This is because of its [[bark painting]]s, and its role in supporting the rights of [[Indigenous Australians]]. It is also the place where the [[Yidaki]], or [[Didgeridoo]], came from. The town of [[Gunbalanya]], once called [[Oenpelli]], in Western Arnhem Land is also famous for its [[bark painting]]. 

Arnhem Land is famous for its Aboriginal [[rock art]]. Some of the best art can be found at [[Ubirr Rock]], [[Injalak Hill]], and in the [[Canon Hill]] area. Some of these show early visits by Europeans, sometimes in such detail that [[Martini-Henry]] rifles can be identified. Other paintings show [[axe]]s, [[aircraft]] and ships. In one rock shelter, hundreds of kilometres from Darwin, there is a painting the [[wharf]] at Darwin. It shows buildings and boats, the Europeans with their hats and pipes. Some are shown without hands, which they have in their pockets. There is a painting, near the East Alligator River crossing, which shows a man with a gun and long pigtails down his back. This would be one of the [[China|Chinese]] workers brought to Darwin in the late [[19th century]]. The people also make [[ritual]] [[sand sculptures]] which do not last.

One Yolngu [[Aboriginal stone arrangements|stone arrangement]], at Maccasans Beach near [[Yirrkala]], shows the layout of the Macassan [[prau]]s (ships) used for [[Trepang]] fishing. The Yolngu traded with the people of [[Makassar]] on the [[Indonesia]]n island of [[Sulawesi]]. This trading was happening 200 years before European settlement.

{{clear}}

==Related pages==
*[[Kakadu National Park]]
*[[Indigenous Australians]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
*Arnhem Land. Its History and Its People. 1954. R. M. & C. H. Berndt. F. W. Cheshire, Melbourne.

==Related websites==
*[http://www.nt.gov.au/business/documents/general/East%20Arnhem%20Region%20Snapshot%20Nov%202006.pdf Arnhem Region]
*[http://www.goveonline.com Gove Online Community Website]



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[[Category:Geography of the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:Indigenous peoples of Australia]]
[[Category:Regions of Australia]]