The range also marks the boundary between Hubei Province (near Tingqian town) and its neighbors of Henan (to the north) and Anhui (to the east).

During the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Dabie Mountains were a stronghold of the Chinese Communist Party and the location of the Eyuwan Soviet.

The region is median income in China, and subsistence agriculture is the heart of its economy with rice and tea predominating.

The main transportation route across the higher range is from Macheng in Hubei to Huangchuan in Henan, through the Huai River valley.

This scenic park centered on Tiantangzhai is a key tourist attraction in the highest part of the Dabie mountain range.