Part of the Misraq Gojjam Zone, Shebel Berenta is bordered on the southwest by Dejen, on the northwest by Enemay, on the north by Enarj Enawga, and on the east by the Abay River which separates it from the Oromia Region.

In 2002, Shebel Berenta was judged to be one of four chronically food insecure woredas in this part of the Amhara Region, due to much of their farmland being "extremely depleted, deforested and eroded".

The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 94.86% reporting that as their religion, while 5.07% of the population said they were Muslim.

Beke passed through the district in November 1841, when he found the inhabitants were "Mietta Gallas, nominally subject to the ruler of Gojam, whose hold on them would, however, appear to be not very strong.

"[6] The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 93.82% reporting that as their religion, while 6.1% were Muslim.