It occupies the northern portion of Nias Island and has an area of 1,520.54 square kilometres (587.1 sq mi).

[4] In 2018, parts of the regency's capital Lotu, including several government buildings, were demolished for the purpose of urban renewal.

North Nias Regency has rugged terrains with hills of up to 478 metres (1,568 ft) above sea level and includes 50 rivers and streams.

[6] Being located close to the equator, North Nias experiences high rainfall with an average of 23 rainy days per month.

Being surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the regency experience strong winds with an average speed of 5.4 knots (10.0 km/h) and frequent storms, which usually occur between September and November but occasionally in late August.

[7] North Nias Regency's Gross regional domestic product (GRDP) was valued at Rp3,875.07 billion in 2021.

The regency is mainly agrarian, with most industries—both in value and employment—dominated by farming, plantation, forestry, and fishing-related activities.

Agriculture dominates the regency's economy at 52.25% in the same year, followed by trading and retail services at 11.91%, and the construction sector at 9.47%.

[7] North Nias Regency's agriculture and fishery sector produces large, diverse outputs due to its fertile soil and being located on an island, many of its residents work as fishers.

[7] The livestock owned in the regency consists mainly of pigs and chickens, with populations of 52,850 and 57,310 respectively in 2016.

[22] In 2020, a merger of the regency's community college was proposed and it became a campus of University of North Sumatra.