It bordered the Atrek River in the north, the Alborz in the south, the Mazandaran province to the west, and Jajarm to the east.

[1] By the end of the Safavid era, Astarabad was composed of the following administrative jurisdictions: Gira'i, Goklan, Hajjilar, Jalayer, K.ra-chupi, and Yamut.

Some of the Turkoman tribes (such as the Qepchaq) lived to the north of Astarabad, but were still nominal subjects of the Safavids.

[1] From 1589 to 1598, the Sa'en-khanis of the Yakka Turkoman tribe assumed control over the province as caretaker governors, due to its lack of efficient Safavid rule.

[2] Their hold over the province was ended when Shah Abbas I (r. 1588–1629) marched to Astarabad and pacified the tribes.