The district is elongated from west to east. The northeastern part is occupied by swamps and is hardly populated. A part of it belongs to the Polistovsky Nature Reserve, one of the first wetland preserves in Russia, founded in 1994. It was created to protect the raised bog landscapes of the Polist-Lovat Swamp System.
The whole area of the district lies in the basin of the Lovat River and thus in the basin of the Neva. The Lovat crosses the eastern part of the district; its largest tributaries within the district are the Loknya River (left) and the Kunya River (right), the short stretch of the latter forming the border with Tver Oblast. There is a lake region in the west of Loknyansky District, with the largest lakes being Loknovo, Uzho, and Ale. Another lake of considerable size, Lake Dulovo, is located in the east of the district.
On August 1, 1927, the uyezds were abolished and Loknyansky District was established, with the administrative center in the work settlement of Loknya. It included parts of former Velikoluksky and Kholmsky Uyezds. The governorates were abolished as well and the district became a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to Western Oblast. On July 23, 1930, the okrugs were also abolished and the districts were directly subordinated to the oblast. On January 29, 1935, the district was transferred to Kalinin Oblast, and on February 5 of the same year, Loknyansky District became a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Kalinin Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the Soviet Union. On May 11, 1937, the district was transferred to Opochka Okrug. On May 4, 1938, the district was subordinated directly to the oblast. Between 1941 and 1944, Loknyansky District was occupied by German troops. On August 22, 1944, the district was transferred to newly established Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished and Loknyansky District was transferred to Pskov Oblast. The district was abolished on February 1, 1963 but re-established on January 12, 1965.[10]
On August 1, 1927, Troitsky District was established as well. It included parts of former Velikoluksky and Kholmsky Uyezds, and its administrative center was located in the selo of Troitsa-Khlavitsa. The district was a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast and was transferred to Western Oblast on June 17, 1929 with the rest of the okrug. In August 1930, the district was renamed Lovatsky. On September 20, 1930, the district was abolished and split between Kholmsky and Loknyansky Districts.[10]
Another district created on August 1, 1927 was Rykovsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Skokovo.[clarification needed] It included parts of former Velikoluksky and Opochetsky Uyezds. The district was a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to Western Oblast. On September 20, 1930, Rykovsky District was abolished and split between Nasvinsky, Loknyansky, Novosokolnichesky, and Pustoshkinsky Districts.[10]
On August 1, 1927 Nasvinsky District was also established, with the administrative center in the settlement of Nasva. It included parts of former Velikoluksky Uyezd. The district was a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On June 17, 1929, the district was transferred to Western Oblast. On January 1, 1932, Nasvinsky District was abolished and split between Loknyansky, Velikoluksky, and Novosokolnichesky Districts.[10]
On June 1, 1936, Ashevsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Chikhachyovo was established. It included parts of Bezhanitsky and Loknyansky Districts. The district was a part of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Kalinin Oblast. On May 11, 1937, the district was transferred to Opochka Okrug. On May 4, 1938, the district was directly subordinated to Kalinin Oblast. Between 1941 and 1944, Ashevsky District was occupied by German troops. On August 23, 1944, it was included into newly established Pskov Oblast. On February 1, 1963, the district was abolished and merged into Bezhanitsky District.[10]
On March 10, 1945, Podberezinsky District with the administrative center in the selo of Podberezye was established. It included parts of Loknyansky, Kholmsky, and Ploskoshsky Districts. The district was a part of Velikiye Luki Oblast. On October 2, 1957, the district was transferred to Pskov Oblast. On January 14, 1958, the district was abolished and split between Kholmsky, Loknyansky, Velikoluksky, and Ploskoshsky Districts.[10]
Economy
Industry
The district contains enterprises of timber and food industries. The biggest of them is the bakery in Loknya.[11]
Agriculture
The main agricultural specializations in the district are cattle breeding with meat and milk production, as well as production of fodder.[12]
Transportation
The railway connecting St. Petersburg and Vitebsk crosses the district from north to south.
The district contains seven objects classified as cultural and historical heritage of federal significance and forty-one monuments of local significance.[13] The federal monuments are the Trinity Church in the village of Miritinitsy, the Intercession Church in the village of Medvedovo, as well as four archaeological sites and the location where Alexander Matrosov was killed in battle in 1943 when he blocked a German machine gun fire with his body.
^The count of urban-type settlements may include the work settlements, the resort settlements, the suburban (dacha) settlements, as well as urban-type settlements proper.
^"Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
Псковское областное Собрание депутатов. Закон №833-оз от 5 февраля 2009 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Псковской области». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Псковская правда", №20, 10 февраля 2009 г. (Pskov Oblast Council of Deputies. Law #833-oz of February 5, 2009 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Pskov Oblast. Effective as of the official publication date.).
Псковское областное Собрание депутатов. Закон №420-оз от 28 февраля 2005 г. «Об установлении границ и статусе вновь образуемых муниципальных образований на территории Псковской области», в ред. Закона №1542-ОЗ от 5 июня 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Псковской области "Об установлении границ и статусе вновь образуемых муниципальных образований на территории Псковской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Псковская правда", №41–43, №44–46, №49–51, 4 марта 2005 г., 5 марта 2005 г., 11 марта 2005 г. (Pskov Oblast Council of Deputies. Law #420-oz of February 28, 2005 On Establishing the Borders and the Status of the Newly Formed Municipal Formations on the Territory of Pskov Oblast, as amended by the Law #1542-OZ of June 5, 2015 On Amending the Law of Pskov Oblast "On Establishing the Borders and the Status of the Newly Formed Municipal Formations on the Territory of Pskov Oblast". Effective as of the official publication date.).