The administrative seat and the main town was Magdeburg.

The district was established, with the other 13, on 25 July 1952, substituting the old German states.

After 3 October 1990 it was abolished as part of the process of German reunification, becoming again part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt except Havelberg district, passed to Brandenburg.

The Bezirk Magdeburg bordered with the Bezirke of Schwerin, Potsdam, Halle and Erfurt.

The Bezirk was divided into 22 Kreise: 1 urban district (Stadtkreis) and 21 rural districts (Landkreise): Media related to Magdeburg District (GDR) at Wikimedia Commons