The district borders the Pinzgau (Salzburg) in the north, the districts Spittal an der Drau and Hermagor (both Carinthia) in the east, Veneto (Italy) in the south, and South Tyrol (Italy) in the west.

The area of the district is 2,016.41 square kilometres (778.54 sq mi) with a population of 48,833 o January 1, 2019, and population a density of 25 per square kilometre (65/sq mi).

Accordingly, it forms an inner-Austrian exclave of the federal state of Tyrol.

The district comprises parts of the Puster Valley, the valleys of Iseltal, Defereggen, Virgental, Kalser Tal, and the Tyrolean Gailtal.

Mountain ranges in the district include parts of the Hohe Tauern with Venediger Group and Glockner Group, the Defereggen Alps, the Lienz Dolomits and the Karnisch Alps.