Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts on the north, Gaibandha and Joypurhat districts on the south, Nilphamari and Rangpur districts on the east, the Indian state of West Bengal on the south west.

Dinajpur district was established in 1786. Its previous name was Ghoraghat district. Various parts of the districts were included in Purnia, Rangpur and Rajshahi districts at different times during 1833 to 1870. Thakurgaon and Panchagarh Sub-divisions of this district were turned into independent districts in 1984. It consists of six municipalities, 57 wards, 200 mahallas, 13 upazilas, 101 union parishads and 2142 villages. The Upazilas are birampur, birganj, biral, bochaganj, chirirbandar, phulbari, ghoraghat, hakimpur, kaharole, khansama, dinajpur sadar, nawabganj, parbatipur.

Biral Upazila, Birampur Upazila, Birganj Upazila, Bochaganj Upazila, Chirirbandar Upazila, Dinajpur Sadar Upazila, Ghoraghat Upazila, Hakimpur Upazila, Kaharole Upazila, Khansama Upazila, Nawabganj Upazila, Parbatipur Upazila, Phulbari Upazila