Local government areas of the Northern Territory

thumb|250px|alt=Map of Australia with Northern Territory highlighted in red|Location of [[Northern Territory in Australia]]

thumb|250px|Map of local government areas in the Northern Territory as of 1 July 2014

The Northern Territory is a federal Australian territory in north-central Australia. It is the third largest Australian federal division with an area of but the least populous with inhabitants as at June 2019. The Northern Territory is divided administratively into 18 Local government areas (LGAs) generally known as Councils who are responsible for providing local government services.

The most recent local elections were held in 2025. The next elections are scheduled to be held on 25 August 2029.

Area types

As of 1 July 2008, there were two classifications of local government in the Northern Territory:

Municipalities (predominantly inner-city suburban areas and smaller rural towns), of which there were five; and
Shires or Regions (predominantly rural or outer suburban areas), of which there were eleven shire councils.

The Northern Territory was unusual as a comparatively large share of the territory's population lived in unincorporated areas. In 2006, prior to the reorganisation of local government areas in the territory, 92 percent of the land area ( out of ) with 16 percent of the population (30,523 out of 192,898), was unincorporated. This anomaly is due to the territory's very low population density, just 0.16 people per km<sup>2</sup> (0.099 people per sq mi).

Most of the unincorporated areas disappeared as a result of local government reform in 2008. The area remaining unincorporated is , 1.47 percent of the total,

! class=unsortable scope="col" rowspan=2| Notes

! scope="col" | km<sup>2</sup>

! scope="col" | sq mi

! scope="col" | 2021

! scope="col" | 2022

| Alice Springs, Town of || || Central Australia || Town || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Barkly Region || || Barkly Tableland || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Belyuen Shire || Belyuen || Greater Darwin || Shire || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Central Desert Region || Alice Springs || Central Australia || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Coomalie Community Government Council || || Greater Darwin || Council || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Darwin, City of || || Greater Darwin || City || align=center| || ||align=right|||align=right| || Darwin Town and District Council formed, 1874; redesignated Darwin Town Council, 1915; redesignated Municipality of Darwin, 1955; redesignated City of Darwin, 1959

| East Arnhem Region || Nhulunbuy || Arnhem Land || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Katherine, Town of || || Katherine || Town || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Groote Archipelago Region

| Groote Eylandt

| Arnhem Land

| Region

| align=center|

| Split from East Arnhem Region in 2024

| Litchfield Council || Freds Pass|| Greater Darwin || Council || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| MacDonnell Region || Alice Springs || Central Australia || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Palmerston, City of || || Greater Darwin || City || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Roper Gulf Region || Katherine || Katherine || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| ||

| Tiwi Islands Region || Darwin || Greater Darwin || Region || align="center" | || ||align=right| || align=right| ||

| Victoria Daly Region || Katherine || Katherine || Region || align=center| || ||align=right|||align=right|||De-amalgamated in 2014 into Victoria Daly and West Daly Regional Councils

| Wagait Shire || || Greater Darwin || Shire || align=center| || ||align=right|||align=right| || Formerly the Cox Peninsula Community Government Council, established on 28 April 1995.

| West Arnhem Region || || Arnhem Land || Region || align=center| || ||align=right|||align=right|||

| West Daly Region || Wadeye|| Katherine || Region || align=center| || ||align=right| ||align=right| || Part of Victoria Daly Regional Council from 2008 until 2014 de-amalgamation

Former local government areas

thumb|250px|Map of old local government areas in the Northern Territory prior 1 July 2008

Prior to 1 July 2008, local government areas in the Northern Territory were classified as either :

Community Government Councils of which 51 existed,
Incorporated Associations (Commonwealth) of which three existed,
Municipalities of which six existed and
Special Purpose Towns of which there is only one example.

Towns

Town of Jabiru (special purpose town)
Town of Tennant Creek

Community Government Councils

Alpurrurulam CGC
Angurugu CGC
Anmatjere CGC
Arltarlpilta CGC
Belyuen CGC (now Belyuen Shire)
Binjari CGC
Borroloola CGC
Coomalie CGC (now Coomalie Shire)
Cox Peninsula CGC (now Wagait Shire)
Daguragu CGC
Elliott District CGC
Jilkminggan CGC
Kunbarllanjnja CGC
Lajamanu CGC
Ltyentye Apurte CGC
Marngarr CGC
Mataranka CGC
Nauiyu Nambiyu CGC
Numbulwar Numburindi CGC
Nyirranggulung Mardrulk Ngadberre Regional Council
Pine Creek CGC
Tapatjatjaka CGC
Thamarrurr Regional Council
Timber Creek CGC
Tiwi Islands CGC (now Tiwi Islands Region)
Walangeri Ngumpinku CGC
Wallace Rockhole CGC
Watiyawanu CGC
Yuendumu CGC
Yugul Mangi CGC

Incorporated Communities

Aherrenge Community
Ali Curung Community
Amoonguna Community
Aputula Community
Areyonga Community
Galiwin'ku Community
Gapuwiyak Community
Ikuntji Community
Imanpa Community
Kaltukatjara Community
Maningrida Community
Milingimbi Community
Milyakburra Community
Minjilang Community
Mutitjulu Community
Nganmarriyanga Community
Ntaria Community (Hermannsburg)
Nyirrpi Community
Papunya Community
Peppimenarti Community
Ramingining Community
Umbakumba Community
Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation
Walungurru Community
Warruwi Community
Yuelamu Community

Unincorporated Area

Unincorporated Area: A contiguous 92 percent of the area did not belong to any local government area. The LGAs were enclaves within unincorporated territory.