Claiborne County's neighbors are Campbell, Union, Grainger, and Hancock Counties in Tennessee, Bell and Whitley Counties in Kentucky and Lee County Virginia. See this map of the surrounding area.

Claiborne County was established in 1801 and was named after William Charles Cole Claiborne, one of the first judges of the superior court, and the first representative in Congress from Tennessee.

From Goodspeed's History of Claiborne County:
"Claiborne County lies in the northern portion of East Tennessee, and borders both the States of Kentucky and Virginia; the famous Cumberland Gap being situated near the middle of its northern line. The principal stream in the county is Powell River. The Clinch River forms a portion of its southern boundary. These streams receive a large number of tributaries, which furnish the best of water power. The surface presents a great variety of hills, mountains, and valleys. For the most part the soil is good, but some of the ridges are poor and sandy. Its mineral resources consist of coal, iron, and manganese, all of which it possesses in abundance, and when sufficient transportation facilities have been procured, the county will become one of the wealthiest in East Tennessee... more