The region is the 2nd most densely populated among the five, despite having the smallest land area. Bedok is the region's most populous town and Tampines is the regional centre of the area. Comprising 11,000 hectares, it includes six planning areas and is also home to Singapore's Changi Airport and Paya Lebar Airbase. The region also houses the Paya Lebar Air Base, Changi Naval Base and Changi Prison, which was first constructed in 1936 by the British and is Singapore's oldest internment facility.

With a total land area of 93.1 km2 (35.9 sq mi), the region is situated on the eastern corner of Singapore Island, bordering the North-East Region to the North-west, Central Region to the South-west and shares riverine borders with the North-Eastern Islands to the north.