Ibusuki is located about 50 kilometers south of Kagoshima City, on the southeastern tip of the Satsuma Peninsula, and faces the East China Sea and Kagoshima Bay from the northeastern to eastern, southern and southwestern parts of the city.

Mount Kaimon is located along the East China Sea in the southwestern part of the city.

[6] Due to its marine subtropical climate, the city is the northern limit in Japan where cycads grow naturally.

After the Meiji restoration, the village of Ibusuki was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

Ibusuki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Kagoshima 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

The local economy of Ibusuki is reliant on commercial fishing, agriculture, electricity production and tourism.