The first evidence of a locality in the district comes from 1419, when is attested the city Otaci, called Stânca Vămii.

Other historical attestations of district towns down to the period 1422–1431 when the localities are listed first: Hădărăuți, Mihălășeni, Lipnic, Naslavcea and others.

In the following centuries the territory adjacent to the boundary of the district today is the Principality of Moldavia: Grand Duchy of Lithuania later the Polish-Lithuanian Union and Russian Empire.

The most northerly point of the Republic of Moldova is located in Ocnița district: the village Naslavcea, with coordinates: 48°28′02″N, 27°35′04″W.

Here come the daylight limestone rocks, forming rocky areas, called Toltre.

In district is extracted precious building materials: limestone, quartz sand, clay shale.

The maximum altitude in the district is located near the village of Hădărăuți, reaching heights of 280 m (920 ft).

The fauna of the district is typical of central and eastern Europe and includes: hedgehogs, wild boars, foxes, rabbits, badgers, polecats, and rarely deer, spotted deer, wolves, and raccoon dogs.

District Directorate of Agriculture and Food, orient their work towards the organization and training of managers and professionals from large and small farms.

Ocnița district is located in the so-called "Red North", where, starting with the 2001 elections, the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova (PCRM) has been getting over 50% of the vote.