[4] The entire district lies in the basin of the Velikaya River, a major tributary of Lake Peipus.

The Velikaya crosses the district from southeast to northwest; the town of Ostrov is located on its banks.

In the 18th century, the state border was moved further to the west, and the area lost its military importance.

On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Ostrovsky District was established, with the administrative center in the town of Ostrov.

Between March 22, 1935 and September 19, 1940, Soshikhinsky District was a part of Pskov Okrug of Leningrad Oblast.

[11] The main agricultural specializations of the district are cattle (with meat and milk production) and poultry breeding.

[12] A railway from St. Petersburg via Pskov to Pytalovo and further to Rēzekne in Latvia crosses the district from north to south.

The M20 highway, which connects St. Petersburg and Vitebsk via Pskov, crosses the district from north to south.

Ostrov is the northern terminus of the European route E262, which proceeds to Kaunas via Rēzekne and Daugavpils.

The district contains six cultural heritage monuments of federal significance (all of them in the town of Ostrov) and additionally ninety-nine objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of local significance (fifty-one of them in Ostrov).

[14] The federally protected monuments are the St. Nicholas Church, the Trinity Church, the trading arcades, the bridge, the monument to Klavdiya Nazarova, an organizer of the underground during World War II, and the site of the former Ostrov fortress.