Because land is a limited resource and property rights include the right to exclude others, land rights are a form of monopoly. Those without land rights must enter into land use agreements, since they must reside somewhere. In western culture, land rights are derived from the sovereign; thus, a land value tax is sometimes referred to as rent.

Land rights can also refer to encumbrances on land rights proper; for example, the right of access.

Land rights and related resource rights are of fundamental importance to the worlds indigenous peoples since they constitute the basis of their economic livelihood and are the source of their spiritual and cultural identity. Dispossession of traditional lands is a major problem faced by indigenous peoples worldwide.

In Australia, land rights for Indigenous Australians living in the Northern Territory were granted under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 (Northern Territory).

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