This zone is named for the city of Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia until the mid-19th century.

Towns and cities in North Gondar include Arbaya, Dabat, Dembiya, Debark, Emfranz, Feres Megria, Musebamb Town, Kurbi, Armachiho, Gondar, Tekeldengy, Gorgora and Metemma.

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), North Gondar Zone had a total population of 2,929,628, an increase of 40.26% over the 1994 census, of whom 1,486,040 are men and 1,443,588 women; with an area of 45,944.63 square kilometers, North Gondar had a population density of 63.76.

[3] According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 7% of the inhabitants of North Gondar have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 21.2 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers),[4] the average rural household has 1.2 hectares of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.75 for the Amhara Region)[5] and the equivalent of 0.8 heads of livestock.

The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 506.