A local government area is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory.
Local government area is an official designation in The Gambia, and Nigeria.
The phrase is used as a generalised description in Australia and the United Kingdom to describe such areas whose actual status can be unequal (e.g. boroughs, counties and cities) and in different countries within the United Kingdom. The term is particularly common in Australia where most local governments within a state have equivalent functions and powers even if they have different statuses.