Formerly known as Jalisco, this municipality is located 6.4 km. southwest of Tepic. In the north it bounds the municipality of Tepic, in the south the municipality of Compostela; in the east the municipality of Santiago Ixcuintla and in the west the municipality of San Blas. The total area is 290.60 square kilometers, which makes it the smallest of the 20 municipalities that make up the state.
Over half of the municipal territory is mountainous with one peak, Cerro Alto, reaching 2,240 meters. There are several small rivers and streams of short length.
In the upper elevations there are still conifers and oaks, but over-forestry and long years of wood gathering for cooking have seriously depleted the natural cover. There are still deer, badgers, armadillos, and javelinas in more remote locations.