The north of the district lies in the basins of the Syas River and its right tributary, the Volozhba.

The center and the south belong to the basin of the Msta River, which crosses the southern part of the district.

[11] Much of the area of the district represents the hilly landscape crossed by deep ravines.

The northern part of the district belongs to the Tikhvin Ridge, which runs from west to east along the borders of Novgorod and Leningrad Oblasts.

[11] The Msta River was an important waterway connecting Novgorod to the lands in the north, at least from the 9th century.

In 1796, the viceroyalty was abolished, and the area, which was a part of Borovichsky Uyezd, was transferred to Novgorod Governorate.

Belsky District, with the administrative center in the selo of Beloye,[13] was established within Borovichi Okrug of Leningrad Oblast effective October 1, 1927.

[13] On July 5, 1944, Lyubytinsky District was transferred to newly established Novgorod Oblast,[13] where it remained ever since, with a brief interruption in 1963–1964.

Dregelsky District was partially occupied by German forces between October 31 and December 8, 1941.

[18] In 1927, Budogoshchensky District with the administrative center in the settlement of Budogoshch[19] and Pikalyovsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Pikalyovo[20] were also established as a part of Leningrad Okrug of Leningrad Oblast.

[23] Six of the seven federal monuments are archaeological sites, and the seventh one is a house in the settlement of Lyubytino.

[24] A traditional handicraft in the district is making containers and storage boxes of birch bark.