The northeastern part of the district belongs to the basin of the Sit River, a tributary of the Rybinsk Reservoir.

The rivers in the southeastern part of the district drain into the Korozhechna, another tributary of the Rybinsk Reservoir.

The area is remarkable for being a location of the Battle of the Sit River, which took place in 1238 at the Sit, close to the current selo of Bozhonka, between the advancing Mongols and the army under command of Yuri Vladimirovich, a prince of Vladimir.

In 1775, Tver Viceroyalty was formed from the lands which previously belonged to Moscow and Novgorod Governorates.

[11] The area, previously a backwater, considerably accelerated its economical development after the railroads were constructed in the end of the 19th century.

Sonkovsky District, with the administrative center in the settlement of Sonkovo, was established within Bezhetsk Okrug of Moscow Oblast.

[2] The main agricultural specializations in the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production.

One, running from south to north, connects Moscow with Mga via Krasny Kholm and Pestovo.