It was created along with the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region by the Autonomy Statute of 7 September 1987 through a division of the former Zelaya Department.

According to the IV National Agricultural Census prepared by the National Development Information Institute (INIDE) and, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAGFOR), products with greater production potential in the Caribbean Coast are: oil palm, coconut, pineapple, sesame seeds, irrigated rice, rainfed rice, onion cultivation, chia, chilli pepper, red bean of apante, premium red bean, premium black bean, corn, malanga, quequisque, cassava, dry land banana, sugar cane, higuerilla, cacao and robusta coffee.

Although its participation in the international market has been modest due to historical factors, the mining sector has been growing since 2010, exporting 357 million dollars in 2016.

Around 380 hectares in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region have been awarded under metallic and non-metallic mining concessions, most of which are located in the municipalities of Rosita, Bonanza and Siuna.

[citation needed] The region represents an estimate of 37,394 km² of land with potential for timber production of high commercial value such as mahogany, laurel, and teak.

It currently offers daily flights to Puerto Cabezas, Bluefields, Corn Island, Siuna, Bonanza, Río San Juan and Waspam.

Likewise, the Caribbean Coast has three main cargo terminals located in Puerto Cabezas (Bilwi), Bluefields and Corn Island.