According to the current administrative division, Latgale Region incorporates six administrative districts (Balvi, Rēzekne, Ludza, Preiļi, Daugavpils and Krāslava Districts) and two republican cities (Rēzekne and Daugavpils) that have the same administrative status as the districts.

Latgale Planning Region does not correspond to the historical and ethnographical region of Latgale. A large part of Jekabpils District on the right bank of he River Daugava belongs to Latgale in historical and ethnographical terms. The historical borderline between Latgale and Vidzeme is the River Aiviekste, which is the largest tributary of the River Daugava.

The characteristic landscape of Latgale with its heights and lowland formed under the impact of a glacier. The East Latvian Lowland and Mudava Lowland areas stretch along northern Latgale. The southern part of Latgale is occupied by Latgale Heights and Augšzeme Heights. The highest point of Latgale is 289 m above the sea level – Lielais Liepu kalns (the Great Linden Mountain).

Diverse relief, woods and fields replaced by lakes and hills interlaced with serpentine highroads account for the typically mosaic Latgale landscape. There are three areas of protected landscapes in the region – that of Augšzeme and along the bends of the Rivers Augšdaugava and Daugava, which are famous for their outstanding picturesque and diverse landscapes and special beauty.