With its extensive mangrove-lined coasts, wetlands and floodplains, the Top End landscape has been shaped by fire and water and is dominated by woodland and open forest with small pockets of grassland and monsoon forest.

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Most of the region is Aboriginal or pastoral land,with the horticulture industry concentrated in the Douglas Daly area.

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Sites of international conservation significance include the Western Arnhem Plateau including RAMSAR and World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. Around 70% of Territorians reside here, and Darwin is the main commercial and administrative centre of the NT with a population (including the city of Palmerston) of about 132,000 people.