Known history begins in the second half of the 20th century when North American companies settled in the area creating enclaves for the production of bananas, rubber, raicilla, and wood.

Amenities such as stores and large buildings, casinos, theaters, phonographs, telephones, air strips, all-weather roads, and railroads were installed, which attracted waves of migrant peasants from the Pacific, including many Chinese.

The region is mainly located in the so-called Atlantic Coastal Plain, characterized by a predominantly flat or slightly sloping relief, which is sectioned by an abundant network of natural drains, providing good surface runoff; the soils derived from these materials are very acidic, very poor in bases, rich in aluminum, and of low fertility.

[3] The municipal territory is administratively divided into the municipal seat and 49 communities, grouped into the following ten microregions: Makantaka, Matagalpa, Muelle Real, San Miguel de Casa de Alto, Batitán, Uliwas, Aguas Calientes, Mayawas, Santo Domingo del Carmen, and La Cruz.

In six hours, you can travel downstream by boat and by sea to Bluefields, or upstream to San Pedro del Norte in the municipality of Paiwas, from where there is a connecting road west to the rest of the country.