Local government areas of the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal Australian territory in north-central Australia. It is the third largest Australian federal division with an area of 1348094.3 km2 but the least populous with 245,929 inhabitants as at June 2019. The Northern Territory is divided administratively into 17 Local government areas (LGAs) generally known as Councils who are responsible for providing local government services.

Area types
As of 1 July 2008, there were two classifications of local government in the Northern Territory:
 * 1) Municipalities (predominantly inner-city suburban areas and smaller rural towns), of which there were five; and
 * 2) 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 (1237999 km2 out of 1349130 km2) 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 km2 (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 19790 km2, 1.47 percent of the total, and contains 3.0 percent of the population in June 2019.

By comparison, in the only other states or territories in Australia with unincorporated areas, only 0.02% of the population of New South Wales, 0.002% of Victoria's population and 0.6% of the population of South Australia, live in unincorporated areas.

Former local government areas
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.