It is bounded by (from the north and clockwise) the districts of Kelheim, Straubing-Bogen, Dingolfing-Landau, Rottal-Inn, Mühldorf, Erding and Freising.

The city of Landshut was founded in 1204 by the ruling Wittelsbach family of Bavaria.

Heinrich Himmler attended Landshut Grammar School, He would go on to become Reichsführer-SS of the Schutzstaffel in Nazi Germany and one of the organizers of the Holocaust.

Many residents work at the Dingolfing BMW (formerly Glas) car plant which expanded massively during the 1970s.

The first research nuclear power plant at Niederaichbach was torn down and returned to greenfield status in 1995.