In local government on the British Isles, a rural district was a predominantly rural area used for local government. Rural districts had elected councils, which shared local government activities with the county councils.

The districts were initially based on poor law unions , with any urban districts or boroughs with the area of the union excluded. Thus, the typical shape of a district was a doughnut around a small town. Many rural districts were fragmentary, consisting of a number of detached parts.

Rural districts were established both on Great Britain and Ireland in the late 19th century.

In the Republic of Ireland they were abolished in 1925; and their functions transferred to the county councils. In Northern Ireland they were abolished (along with all other local government) in 1973 and replaced with a system of unitary districts.

In England and Wales they had been created in 1894 along with urban districts, and survived until 1974, although their numbers much lessened due to mergers, when they were replaced (along with urban districts) with a uniform pattern of districts, which tended to be much larger.