[2] The whole district belongs to the drainage basin of the Sozh River, a major left tributary of the Dnieper.

The Sozh itself makes the northwestern border of the district, separating it from Mogilev Region of Belarus.

Historically, the area belonged intermittently to the Principality of Smolensk and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, subsequently to Poland.

[8] The western part of the district was in 1772, as a result of the First Partition of Poland, transferred to Russia and included in the newly established Mogilev Governorate.

[10] On 12 July 1929, governorates and uyezds were abolished, and Shumyachsky District with the administrative center in the settlement of Shumyachi was established.

[8] The main agricultural specializations are cattle breeding with meat and milk production as well as growing of crops and potatoes.

The railway connecting Roslavl and Krychaw crosses the southern part of the district.