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The Tiwi Islands are part of the Northern Territory, Australia, 80 km to the north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island, Bathurst Island, and nine smaller uninhabited islands, with a combined area of . Inhabited before European settlement by the Tiwi indigenous Australians, there are approximately 3,000 people on the islands. The Tiwi Land Council is one of four land councils in the Northern Territory. It is a representative body with statutory authority under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and has responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992. ==Geography and population== The Tiwi Islands lie 80 km to the north of the Australian mainland in the Arafura Sea, and are part of the Northern Territory.〔(Bathurst Island | About Australia )〕 The island group consists of two large inhabited islands (Melville and Bathurst), and nine smaller uninhabited islands (Buchanan, Harris, Seagull, Karslake, Irritutu, Clift, Turiturina, Matingalia and Nodlaw). Bathurst Island is the fifth-largest island of Australia and accessible by sea or air.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Sites of Conservation Significance: Tiwi Islands )〕 Melville Island is Australia's second largest island (after Tasmania). The main islands are separated by Apsley Strait, which connects Saint Asaph Bay in the north and Shoal Bay in the south, and is between 550 metres and 5 km wide, 62 km long. At the mouth of Shoal Bay is Buchanan Island, with an area of about 3 km2. A car ferry at the narrowest point provides a quick connection between the two islands. They are inhabited by the Tiwi people, as they have been since before European settlement in Australia. The Tiwi are an Indigenous Australian people, culturally and linguistically distinct from those of Arnhem Land on the mainland just across the water. They number around 2,500.〔 In 2011, the total population of the islands was 2,579, of whom 87.9% were Aboriginal. Most residents speak Tiwi as their first language and English as a second language. Most of the population live in Wurrumiyanga (known as Nguiu until 2010) on Bathurst Island, and Pirlangimpi (also known as Garden Point) and Milikapiti (also known as Snake Bay) on Melville Island. Wurrumiyanga has a population of nearly 1500, the other two centres around 450 each. There are other smaller settlements, including Wurankuwu (Ranku) Community on western Bathurst Island.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Welcome to the Wurankuwu Community Online Information Directory )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tiwi Islands」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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