Lochaber (/lɒxˈɑːbər/) (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Abar) is a name applied to areas of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it consisted of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation of Quo ad Sacra parishes in the 19th century; this Lochaber extended from the Northern shore of Loch Leven, a district called Nether Lochaber, to beyond Spean Bridge and Roy Bridge, which area is known as Brae Lochaber or Braigh Loch Abar in Gaelic. The town of Fort William is the main urban centre and Lochaber was a distinct Province of Scotland in its own right. Lochaber is now also used to refer to a much wider area, one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region.
The ward management area is one of five comprising the Highland Council's Ross, Skye and Lochaber corporate management area, which is one of three Highland Council corporate management areas. The Ross, Skye and Lochaber area consists of six out of the 22 wards of the council area and the Lochaber area consists of two wards, the Caol and Mallaig ward, which elects three councillors, and the Fort William and Ardnamurchan ward, which elects four councillors. Each of the other wards of the corporate area is a separate ward management area.