[1] The district headquarters at Abim, are located approximately 140 kilometres (87 mi), by road, northwest of Moroto, the largest town in the sub-region.

[2] This location lies approximately 366 kilometres (227 mi), by road, northeast of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country.

The district is part of the Karamoja sub-region, home to an estimated one million Karimojong.

Abim District has got a wet and dry woodland savannah type of climate, characterized by an intensive hot season that lasts from December until February.

Subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry are the main occupations of the population of the district.