It is believed that Yavatmal, along with the rest of the former Berar province, was part of the legendary kingdom of Vidarbha mentioned in the Mahabharata.

[citation needed] Berar also formed part of the Mauryan Empire during the reign of Ashoka (272 to 231 BCE).

A period of Muslim rule began when Ala ud din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, conquered the region in the early 14th century.

A detailed account of Berar was added to the Ain-i-Akbari in 1596–97, immediately after the treaty of Ahmadnagar under which the province was ceded to the Mughal Empire; this account may be regarded as a description of the province as it was administered by the Nizam Shahi and Imad Shahi kings, and probably also by the Bahamani Sultans.

In 1864 Yavatmal, along with some other talukas, was formed into the district initially called Southeast Berar and later renamed Wani.

In recent years heavy rainfall has destroyed crops or left the land unsuitable for planting.

According to the 2011 census Yavatmal district had a population of 2,772,348,[7] roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica[8] or the US state of Utah.

Yavatmal district forms the southeast corner of Amravati Division, which corresponds to the former British Raj province of Berar.

Proposed National Highway from Khandwa(MP) to Karanji is passing via Paratwada, Amravati, Yavatmal.

Yavatmal to Amravati route needs to be built newly via Pimpalgaon, Sawar, Dabha(pahur), Rajura, Bankhead as the existing are unnecessarily too long to travel.

Yavatmal-Murtijapur Railway Line (Work in Progress) Wardha-Yavatmal-Nanded Railway Line (Work in Progress) India's first Broad Gauge Metro will run from Nagpur to Yavatmal In future Maharashtra's Nagpur or Chandrapur to Pune expressway if propose can be pass via Yavatmal, washim, Lonar, Paithan, Ahmednagar.

[12] The geology of the district is transitional with Deccan trap rocks (lava bed) predominating, displaying characteristic step-like hills and ridges.

Arni and Digras tehsils are pilgrimage locations, important for the journeys of Baba Kambalposh R.A. Shrine and Shri Ghantibaba Temple.

They also have the Shri Chintamani temple of Kalamb, Ghatanji Maroti Maharaj Yatra and the Shree Datta Jayanti festival at Jambhora Mahur.

Ner tehsil have temple called Shri Fakirji Maharaj Sansthan, Dhanaj Manikwada which is Grade 'B' pilgrimage by Gramvikas Department of Maharashtra State Government.

Various religious fairs take place in the district including: There are also forest locations for tourists and hot springs at Kapeshwar on the banks of Penganga.