It covers an area of 198,318 square kilometres (76,571 sq mi) (about twice the size of Zhejiang province and similar to Kyrgyzstan or Senegal),[5] making it the largest county-level division in the country.

The populated areas are located mostly along the northern foothills of the Altyn-Tagh mountain range.

North of this strip of irrigated agricultural settlement is the Taklamakan Desert, south, the Altyn-Tagh and Kunlun Mountains.

The southern part of the county (administratively, Qimantag Township (祁曼塔格乡)), is mountainous.

Part of Altun Shan National Nature Reserve is located in Qimantag Township, in southern Ruoqiang County.

The county is made up of five towns, three townships and other areas:[13][14][1] As of 1885[update], there was about 2,740 acres (18,113 mu) of cultivated land in Qakilik.