[1] Bulambuli, the district headquarters, is located approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi), by road, northeast of Mbale, the largest city in the sub-region.

Bulambuli District was created by Act of the Ugandan Parliament, in 2009, and became operational on 1 July 2010.

The terrain in the southern part of the district is mountainous and prone to flash flooding.

The next national census in 2002 estimated the population of the district at about 97,300.

[5] Subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry are the two main economic activities in the district.