In Khmer it is called sla: ta 'aôn[7] The species is known from inland, lower salinity waters, near mangrove swamps of southern Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, in Southeast Asia.

It is endangered in some areas due to deforestation, and it is invasive to a few tropical islands in the Western Hemisphere where it has been planted as an ornamental.

In Singapore, A cluster of Nibong palms survive near the entrance of the Istana, located at the end of Orchard Road.

"[8] The species is a close relative of Oncosperma horridum and shares with it properties of seawater-resistance in its stems, making it useful in the construction of kelongs, wooden structures used in shallow seas for the catching or cultivation of fish.

[citation needed] In Cambodia, the black, very hard wood is used for pickets in dams, the manufacture of boards and as ribs in umbrellas.