The reserve is located on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the mouth of the Natashquan River, 336 km (209 mi) east of Sept-Îles and has been accessible by Route 138 since 1996.

It was subsequently spelled as Nontascouanne (1734), Natasquan (1831), Nataskwan (1844), Natashkwan (1846), Natosquan (1857), Nataskouan (1858), and taking its current form, Natashquan, circa 1895.

The post was acquired by the Hudson's Bay Company in the middle of the 19th century, but abandoned circa 1914 due to lack of profitability.

[4] The mother tongue of the residents is (2021):[4] Nutashkuan has a subarctic climate (Dfc), typical of communities along the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Nutashkuan's economy is mostly based on arts and handicrafts, trapping, tourism, and some construction, transport, and commercial fishing.