The town is located at the eastern extremity of Maramureș County, 123 km (76 mi) from the county seat, Baia Mare. Covering 12% of the county's area, it borders Ukraine to the north, Suceava County to the east, Bistrița-Năsăud County to the south, and Moisei commune to the west.[3]
Borșa lies in the valley of the river Vișeu and near the Prislop Pass. Linking Transylvania to Bukovina, Prislop Pass is surrounded by the Rodna and Maramureș Mountains, both ranges of the Carpathians. The highest peak in the region is Pietrosul Rodnei, at 2,303 metres (7,556 feet). The Rodna National Park, which has an area of 463 km2 (179 sq mi), can be accessed from Borșa.
The town is home to a wooden church, built in 1718. In 1891, there were 1,432 Jews living in Borșa. The area has lost much of its population following the collapse of the communist regime. In the past, the town of Borșa was also home to a Zipser German community.