The catchment of the Manawatu River generally defines the north and south extremities.

The district's chief town is Dannevirke, settled by immigrants from Denmark in the 19th century.

Other towns (from south to north along the main valleys) include Eketāhuna and Pahiatua, which have their own Community Boards, and Woodville, Ormondville, and Norsewood.

[10] In its final form, DCC had five ridings, Ākitio, Weber, Mangapuaka, Norsewood and Ruahine.

The results were 84.0% European (Pākehā); 26.9% Māori; 2.7% Pasifika; 3.1% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander".

[15] When Europeans settled the area, it was almost entirely forested and was called "Seventy Mile Bush".

Industrious clearance has made it a busy pastoral district, although the region close to the Pacific coast is still sparsely populated.

The original name lives on in that of the local National Provincial Championship rugby union team, Wairarapa-Bush.