It is bounded by (from the south and clockwise) the districts of Passau, Deggendorf and Regen, the Czech Republic and by Austria.

Grafenau (west of the Ilz River) successively belonged to different countries, before it was annexed by Bavaria in 1438.

Wolfstein became a part of Bavaria two years after the dissolution of the clerical states in Germany (1803).

The wolf represents the area of Wolfstein, while the bear stands for Grafenau (as it was ruled from the castle of Bärnstein, and Bär means "bear").

At the bottom sits the blue and white lozengy pattern of Bavaria.