Deforestation has had dramatic effects on the local environment, with howler monkeys occasionally seen in the city as they seek food.

While most of the municipality's population is economically marginalized, working in agriculture, the Palenque archeological site is one of the most important tourist attractions for the area and the state of Chiapas.

The largest are (with 2010 populations in parentheses) were: Río Chancalá (2,156), Doctor Samuel León Brindis (1,320), Agua Blanca Serranía (1,263), Arimatea (1,251), and Profresor Roberto Barrios (1,173), classified as rural.

[5] Although it is a city, it is surrounded by jungle vegetation only 60 meters above sea level, which contains many of Chiapas’ emblematic species such as the howler monkey.

These monkeys have been seen within the city of Palenque, since the lack of range forces them to seek food near human settlements.

Aside from the municipal seat, other important communities include Río Chancala, Bajadas Grandes.

Agua Blanca Serranía, Dr. Samuel León Brindis, Nueva Esperanza Primera Sección, Lázaro Cárdenas, Emilio Rabasa and El Naranjo.

However, the birth rate is 3.53 per woman of reproductive age versus 4.26 for the region and about average for the state.

It was founded to congregate the Ch’ol indigenous families that were dispersed in this part of the Lacadon rainforest.

In 1768, the state of Chiapas was divided into “alcaldía mayores” with Palenque belonging to that of Ciudad Real (San Cristóbal de las Casas).

A railroad connecting the town with the Gulf of Mexico was constructed at this time, with the Pakalna station, which still exists.

Since its discovery in 1740 by Father Antonio Solís, it has been culturally and economically important to the city and municipality.

The ruins were visited in 1773 by Ramon Ordóñez de Aguilar representing the province of Guatemala, to which Chiapas belonged.

Among its rivers are the Usumacinta, with tributaries Chamacax, Chancalá, Chocoljaito along with Bascán, Michol, San Simón and Trapiche.

[4] The municipality is home to the Palenque National Park and the Metzabok Flora and Fauna Protection Area.

[4] The national park is home to a number of emblematic Chiapan species including the howler monkey, which is endangered due to deforestation.

[6] Metzabok was established in 1996 in the Montañas de Oriente extending from Palenque into neighboring Ocosingo.

It has an area of 3337.8 hectares of highly diverse and fragile ecosystems of both perennial and deciduous rainforest as well as some mesophyll forest.

[10] The main tourist attraction is the archeological site of Palenque, located 7 km from the city.

[4] Palenque is one of the sites in Mexico which receives large numbers of visitors for the spring equinox, along with Teotihuacan, and Chichén Itzá.

[11] Each year, the municipality, along with other government agencies, put in place extra security measures during Holy Week, as this is a major vacation period in Mexico, bringing large numbers of visitors to the area.

It is the site of the tomb of King Pakal, discovered in the 1950s, one of the most important Mayan discoveries of the 20th century.

The site has a museum in the National Park area in a modern building, with an addition made in 1995.

It focuses on the ancient city's importance in Mayan world and the history of its excavation, including work as recent as the mid 1990s.

[12] One of the most recent ecotourism parks to be created include the “Ecoparque los Aluxes” near the city of Palenque.

One of the institution's goals is to release 50 macaws per year into the surrounding Palenque National Park.

[15] The Palenque National Park surrounds the archeological site of the same name and includes dense tropical rainforest and streams with blue waters.