The area of the district is 9,200 square kilometers (3,600 sq mi) (the size of Cyprus).

Almost the whole area of the district belongs to the basin of the Volga River and drains to the east.

Rivers, lakes and swamps occupy a considerable part of the district's territory.

[4] Historically the area was sparsely populated by Finnic peoples, of whom the Vepsians, a few still living in the district, are the descendants.

Important historic route - St.Petersburg-Tikhvin-Belozersk tract - runs via this district and crosses the Suda River at Borisovo-Sudskoye.

Khvalevskoye Manor is located here, a country seat of Russian noble family Kachalov.

On September 23, 1937, Babayevsky District was transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast.

The Vepsians living in the district speak the central group of Veps dialects.

[15] The railroad connecting Vologda to Saint Petersburg via Cherepovets crosses the southern part of the district from east to west.

The district contains one archaeological monument of federal significance which is a group of tumuli near the village of Stepanovo.