Although the local economy is still based on agriculture and livestock, oil production, handcrafts and some tourism are important aspects as well.

The facade is flanked by two towers with four levels and a spire decorated with doves, which support a metallic cross.

Underneath is the world “YIXTUP” which is its name in the Chontal language along with a legend that reads “People first, things after.”[1] The first culture to dominate the Nacajuca area was Mayan coming from what is now Chiapas and Guatemala, eventually establishing the main city in nearby Comalcalco.

The settlements of the municipality have long histories with their names originally spelled Nacaxuxuca, Túcta, Mazateupa, Tapaucingo, Huatacalca, Tecoluta, Huaitalpa, Olcuatitlan and Ohicake.

In 1524 and 1525, Hernán Cortés passed through on his way to what is now Honduras and commented on the area's abundant cacao in his letters to the Spanish Crown.

The area was also mentioned by contemporary historian Bernal Díaz del Castillo, noticing that the local population had pale faces, generally due to the prevalence of malaria.

After this year, the Spanish began to infiltrate and live in the villages of the municipality to established encomiendas and haciendas for the production of cacao and fruit.

[1] In 1852, the municipality was composed of the town of Nacajuca as seat along with the communities of, Mazateupa, Tapotzingo, Guatacalca, Tecoluta, Guaytalpa, Olcuatitán, Oxiacaque along with the farmland among them.

[3] Nacajuca is a major center of the state's Chontal Maya population, which principally live in the north-center of Tabasco.

[4] Communities with a strong Chontal Maya presence include Tucta, Tapotzingo, Mazateupa, Guaytalpa, Tecoluta, Oxiacaque, Guatacalca, Olcuatitán, San Isidro, San Simón, El Sitio, Isla Guadalupe, El Tigre, Guanosolo and Saloya.

[6] Flooding from the Samaria River affected Chontal communities such as Guácimo, Pastal, Chcozapote, Guatacalca and Oxiacaque in the municipality in October 2011.

The main fauna of the area include rabbits, opossums, armadillos, caiman crocodiles, pejelagarto, coral snakes, iguanas and more, all of which are considered threatened.

[1] The municipality's culture is strongly influenced by the Chontal Maya population especially in religious traditions which are a syncretism of Catholic and indigenous rituals.

Another aspect is the use of leafy tree branches used as offerings to religious images in the hope for good crops and livestock production for the coming year.

[8] Traditional dress for women consists of a long, full flowered skirt and a white cotton blouse embroidered around the neck.

For men, it consists of white cotton pants and shirt with a red handkerchief around the neck with a hat called “chontal”, carrying back and machete.

Traditional foodstuffs include a plant called guao (Comocladia dentate), turtle, pejelagarto and other river fish and turkey.

Traditional sweets are made from coconut, papaya, lemons, mangos, prunes and a type of yam (camote).

[1][5] Most homes in the municipality (just under 90%) have cement foundations, brick or block walls and asbestos or zinc laminate roofs.

[1] The main natural resource for the municipality is petroleum which is managed by the state-owned oil company PEMEX.

The two fields produce over nineteen million barrels of oil and over 52 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year.

[4] Most other industry is from family concerns and small workshops making furniture, piloncillo, brooms, bread and decorating clothing.

The main tourist attraction of the area is the handcraft workshops in Olcuatitán, Mazateupa and Tapotzingo, along with the municipality's colorful churches with Chontal influence.

[1] The Arroyo Ranch, five km from the city of Nacajuca, creates dresses, blouses, shirts, tablecloths and napkins, all with colorful embroidery mostly on the borders.

These are particularly prevalent on traditional women's dress with colors such as red, green, yellow, orange, blue and brown over a black background.