Curacautín is located 90 kilometres northeast of Temuco, in a valley near the volcanoes Tolhuaca, Lonquimay and Llaima, all of which can be seen from the city.

Historically, it served as a highway of sorts for the Pehuenches that lived on either side of the Andes mountain range.

[5] According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Curacautín spans an area of 1,664.0 km2 (642 sq mi) and has 16,970 inhabitants (8,310 men and 8,660 women).

[3] As a commune, Curacautín is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years.

The commune is represented in the Senate by Alberto Espina Otero (RN) and Jaime Quintana Leal (PPD) as part of the 14th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-North).