Recorded human activity in the Jining area dates back to the Shang dynasty. It was originally named Bingzhou (并州). In the Song dynasty it was part of the Yunzhong Commandery (云中府); it was placed under the administration of Datong during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). During the Yuan dynasty, it was named "Jining" for the first time. In 1675, the Jining area was placed under the administration of the Plain Yellow Banner of Chahar Province, and in 1750 was transferred to Fengzhen City's administration. In 1922, it was renamed Jining and became a municipality, and the following year a county. In 1948 Jining fell under the control of the Communist Party. The urban core was subsequently renamed Chengguan Town (roughly, "urban district"), then Pingdiquan Town (平地泉), then finally back to Jining in April 1956.

In 2004, Ulanqab League, to which it is the seat of government, was 'converted' to a prefecture-level city, and Jining is correspondingly changed from a county-level city to a district. Ulanqab is named Chaborte in the writings of P. Evariste Huc.

Jining District is divided into 8 subdistricts, 1 town, and 1 township.

Jining is a major transport node in central Inner Mongolia. It is on the Beijing-Baotou railway, and the terminus of the Jining-Erenhot, Jining-Tongliao, and Trans-Mongolian railways, making the city a short connection away from urban centres such as Hohhot, Baotou, Zhangjiakou, Datong, and Beijing. High-speed rail access is available to Hohhot and Baotou; travel time to the regional capital is approximately an hour.

Jining is also on the route of China National Highway 208, China National Highway 110, and the G6 Beijing–Lhasa Expressway.

Intercity buses are available to neighboring cities and towns.

The Jining area is a source of limestone and turquoise.