Kibingo, where the district headquarters are located,[1] lies approximately 33 kilometres (21 mi) west of Mbarara, the largest city in Ankole sub-region.

Sheema District was created by an Act of the Ugandan Parliament, becoming operational on 1 July 2010.

The sub-region was home to an estimated 2.2 million people in 2002, according to the national census conducted that year.

In 1991, the national census estimated the district population at about 153,000.

In 2012, the population of Sheema District was estimated at approximately 220,200.