The programme area covers 31 085 km2 and has a population of approximately 2.1 million people, 46% of whom live in Hungary and 54% in Croatia (Source: Eurostat, 2011). The programme area includes administrative units at NUTS III level as follows:
- Hungarian counties: Zala, Somogy and Baranya;
- Croatian counties: Međimurska, Varaždinska, Koprivničko-križevačka, Bjelovarsko-bilogorska, Virovitičko-podravska, Požeško-slavonska, Osječko-baranjska and Vukovarsko-srijemska.
While in the 2007-2013 period the four Croatian regions without direct access to the border had the status of 'adjacent counties', this programme provides equal access to the funds to all the NUTS III regions included in the programme area.