As well as a large part of the northern and western suburbs of the city of Surabaya, it includes the offshore Bawean Island, some 125 km to the north of Java and Madura.

[5] Gresik has become one of the main ports and trade cities that are quite important since the 14th century, as well as being a haven for ships from Maluku to Sumatra and mainland Asia (including India and Persia).

In his 1515 book, Suma Oriental, the Portuguese apothecary and traveller Tomé Pires described Gresik as "the jewel of Java in trading ports".

The table also includes the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 329 rural desa and 27 urban kelurahan), and its post code.

Notes: (a) comprising 11 kelurahan (Gending, Gulomantung, Indro, Kawis Anyar, Kebomas, Ngargosari, Prambangan, Sidomoro, Sidomukti, Singosari and Tenggulunan) and 10 desa.

(b) comprising 16 kelurahan (Bedilan, Karangpoh, Karangturi, Kebungson, Kemuteran, Kroman, Lumpur, Ngipik, Pekauman, Pekelingan, Sidokumpul, Sukodono, Sukorame, Tlogopatut, Tlogopojok and Trate) and 5 desa.

(c) Sangkapura and Tambak districts together constitute the island of Pulau Bawean, lying to the north of Madura but administratively a part of Gresik Regency.