Neighboring provinces are (clockwise from north) Phayao, Nan, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, and Lampang.

The Phi Pan Nam Range runs across the province from north to south in the west.

When they met to divide the land between them the one from Phrae rode on a horse, the one from Nan on a buffalo to the meeting point on top of a mountain.

When the provincial government proposed the seal in 1940, the Fine Arts Department suggested adding a historic building to the seal in addition to the horse, thus it now has the stupa of Phra Tat Cho Hae on the back of the horse.

These buildings, all over 100 years old, were built in the Rattanakosin period or being used in the wood trading business that was once prosperous in the past.

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[14] one Phrae Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 26 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province.

The non-municipal areas are administered by 57 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).