The borough of Harburg lies on the southern banks of the river Elbe and covers parts of the port of Hamburg as well as residential and rural areas.

On 1 January 2007 the Ortsämter (Precincts) were dissolved and the organisation of all boroughs of Hamburg was restructured.

Previously the quarters of Eißendorf, Gut Moor, Harburg, Heimfeld, Langenbek, Marmstorf, Neuland, Rönneburg, Sinstorf and Wilstorf had belonged to the Kerngebiet Harburg (central area), while the quarters of Altenwerder, Cranz, Francop, Hausbruch, Moorburg, Neuenfelde and Neugraben-Fischbek had belonged to the precinct Süderelbe (south Elbe).

[4] On 1 March 2008 Harburg's quarter Wilhelmsburg was transferred to the borough Hamburg-Mitte in keeping with civic law.

Hamburg-Harburg station is a significant rail hub in the city at which long-distance (IC/ICE) trains also stop.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicles (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt), there were 69,262 private cars registered in the borough as of 2006 (346 cars/1000 people).