[2] Its elevation is 394 m. It is located 320 km west of the state capital of Porto Alegre, northeast of Alegrete and east of Santo Ângelo.

Pinhal Grande is located in the Planalto Médio, one of the pine species found is the Araucaria angustifolia.

The municipality is partly flooded by the reservoir of the Dona Francisca Hydroelectric Plant on the upper Jacuí River.

The Portuguese dominion explored and later claimed the lands until 1822 when Brazil gained independence.

In 1813, the Curitibano João Gonçalves Padilha along with his brother initiated agricultural commerce between the region and São Paulo.