Apart from a small seacoast to the northeast, it borders Manyak Payed District of Aceh Tamiang Regency to the east and is otherwise surrounded by Birem Bayeun District of Aceh Timur Regency (of which the city was formerly a part until 2001) to the north, west and south.

Langsa is close to its province's southern border and is 167 kilometres (103 miles) from Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces repelled this Darul Islam attack after receiving reinforcement troops from Medan.

[5] The city is divided into five districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with areas and their population at the 2010[2] and 2020[3] Censuses, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.

Langsa's population is mainly made up of people of Acehnese, Malay, Javanese, Chinese, and Batak ethnicities.