It is among the richest European deposits of lignite, which has been extracted here since the second half of 19th century, mostly by extensive surface mining.

The highest point of the territory is a contour line near Libouchec, at 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level.

The basin lies between the Central and Eastern Ore Mountains to the north and the Rakovník Uplands to the south.

To the east the basin borders on the Central Bohemian Uplands and the foothills of Elbe Sandstone Mountains as well as in the southeast on the geomorphological region of the Lower Ohře Table.

[4] The Most Basin has an area of 1,111 square kilometres (429 sq mi) and an average elevation of 272 metres (892 ft).