It covered roughly the same area as the colonial-era Lac Léopold II District.

The district takes its name from the large but shallow Lake Mai-Ndombe, which covers 2,300 square kilometres (890 sq mi) but expands to double or triple that size in the rainy season.

During the colonial era the region was a major producer of rubber, copal, textile fibers, palm nuts and lumber.

Buildings such as schools, health centers, hospitals, offices and churches from the earlier period have been allowed to deteriorate.

The Forest Development Corporation SODEFOR employs several hundred workers, and a few other companies also operate in the district.