It faces the Gulf of Hibiki and the Genkai Sea, and also includes inhabited islands of Oshima and Jijima, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Okinoshima offshore.

It is believed to have been the site of the kingdom of Matsurokoku, one of the countries described in Wajinden, Liangshu and History of the Northern Dynasties, and is the first place where emissaries from China landed on the mainland of Wa.

After the Meiji restoration, the villages of Akama and Tōgō were established on May 1, 1889 with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

Munakata has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 20 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Fukuoka 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

It continues to develop as a commuter town, and the population is increasing because it is located halfway between the two cities and has good transportation links.

The city is rich in tourist resources, and is also home to Munakata Taisha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is said to be the guardian deity of maritime and traffic safety.