Shinyanga District Council is one of the five Councils and one municipal Council forming Shinyanga Region. The Council lies between latitude 30.20’ and 30.95’ south of the equator and between longitudes 320.30 and 330.30 east of Greenwich Meridian, south of Lake Victoria.

It is bordered to the east by the Kishapu District and Shinyanga Municipal Councils, to the west by the Kahama and Geita Districts, and to the north by Kwimba District and to the south by the Nzega District.

Shinyanga District Council was established in 1st January 1984 under the terms of the provisions of Section 8 and 9 of the Local Government (District Authorities) Act 1982.