Neighbouring districts are Mandi and Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, Uttarakhand in the southeast, Solan to the southwest and Sirmaur in the south.

As of 2011, it is the third most populated district of Himachal Pradesh (out of 12), after Kangra and Mandi.

Distance between the major towns and Shimla: According to the 2011 census, the district had a population of 814,010.

[1] The district has a population density of 159 inhabitants per square kilometre (410/sq mi).

Shimla has a sex ratio of 915 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 83.64%.