This report is the first volume in the Mortality in the Northern Territory 1981-2000 series, and provides an overview of information on Northern Territory (NT) deaths for the years 1981 to 2000. It provides detailed statistics for deaths from all causes, and for each of the major International Classification of Disease (ICD) chapters. Age-adjusted death rate, age-specific death rate and life expectancy are used to describe and compare health status within the Northern Territory population. Australian data is provided for comparison, where appropriate. The two subsequent volumes of this series provide disease specific causes of death including analysis of associated and underlying causes of death.