It is located SW of Agrinion, about 20 km NW of Messolonghi, W of Nafpaktos and the Rio-Antirrio bridge and SE of Astakos.

The municipal unit Aitoliko is subdivided into the following communities (constituent villages in brackets): Aitoliko has primary schools, a high school (first three years of secondary education), a Lyceum (the second three-year period of secondary education), several churches, a small post office and a central square.

The geography has rocky bushy hills to the east and farms along with some grasslands and swamps as far as the Achelous to the west.

The name of the town in the middle of the lagoon dates back to ancient times.

Around 900 A.D, the Byzantine fleet from Naupaktos (Lepanto) at the Gulf of Corinth became the capital and was named Nikopolis.

The Venetian forces divided their incomes from the salt gardens and fishing waters of Anatoliko which lasted until 1430.

During the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire, in the beginning of the 19th century, Aitolikon experienced three Turkish sieges before it became a part of Greece.