The western and the central parts belong to the basins of the rivers flowing into Lake Onega, most notably the Vytegra, the Vodla, the Andoma, and the Megra.

The Vepsian Upland rises in the western part with 304 metres (997 ft) high Malgora hill, the highest point of the district.

The name probably originates from Finnic language (as evidenced by the suffix "-егра"), however, the exact meaning is unknown.

The area was populated by Finnic peoples and then colonized by the Novgorod Republic.

The four districts were a part of Lodeynoye Pole Okrug of Leningrad Oblast.

[2] On September 23, 1937, all four districts were transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast.

[2] During World War II, parts of Oshtinsky District were the only areas of Vologda Oblast to be occupied by Finnish troops.

The Vepsians living in the district speak the central group of Veps dialects.

[17] The agriculture in the district specializes in meat and milk production and has been steadily declining since the 1990s.

[16] Vytegra is a road junction where a partially paved road connecting to Podporozhye in Leningrad Oblast branches off from the highway connecting Vologda with Medvezhyegorsk in the Republic of Karelia via Lipin Bor and Pudozh.

The passenger navigation on Lake Onega, connecting Vytegra with Petrozavodsk, has been discontinued.

The district contains 8 objects classified as cultural and historical heritage by Russian Federal law, and additionally 170 objects (66 of them located in Vytegra) classified as cultural and historical heritage of local importance.