Until 2024, the territory, part of the regional county municipality of Maria-Chapdelaine, covered a land area of 15,579.11 km2 (6,015.13 sq mi) and had a population of 210 as of the Canada 2021 Census,[3] all living in the village of Sainte-Élisabeth-de-Proulx (48°57′51″N 72°04′05″W / 48.96417°N 72.06806°W / 48.96417; -72.06806), which is north-east of Dolbeau-Mistassini in the geographic township of Proulx.

[5] The territory's name Passes-Dangereuses (French for "dangerous pass") refers to a series of rapids and chutes that stir up the Peribonka River for a distance of about 15 km (9.3 mi) from Lake Peribonka's outlet downstream.

This section of the river flows through impressive escarpments of over 100 m (330 ft) high and was first identified as "the nasty portage" by Jesuit Pierre-Michel Laure on his map of 1731.

In 1941, Alcan built at the head of these rapids a dam called Chute-des-Passes, forming Lake Peribonka behind it.

The dam's name also refers to the nearby hamlet that formed the east side of the river, and was the former name of Passes-Dangereuses Territory.