It borders the Zacatecan municipalities of Mazapil to the northeast, Villa de Cos to the southeast, Río Grande to the southwest, and Juan Aldama to the west.

[5] It also borders three municipalities of Durango to the north and northwest: Santa Clara, General Simón Bolívar, and San Juan de Guadalupe.

[6] The small mountain range called the Sierra de Guadalupe rises in the south-central part of the municipality, and was formerly exploited for its deposits of copper, antimony and mercury.

In 1964, the municipality was renamed in honour of General Francisco Murguía [es], who was born in Mazapil and fought in the Mexican Revolution.

[6][10] The municipal government of Francisco R. Murguía comprises a president, a councillor (Spanish: síndico), and thirteen trustees (regidores), eight elected by relative majority and five by proportional representation.