In addition, the Konan area in the western part of the city is mostly reclaimed land for the purpose of rice cultivation.

The village of Ube (宇部村) was established within Asa District, Yamaguchi with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889.

From April to August 1945, 254 people were killed, 557 were injured, and 68 were missing due to eight air raids during World War II.

In particular it has combated the problem of air pollution and its success in doing so saw it being recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme as among UNEP's Global 500 Roll of Honour in 1997.

This brought the city to its current extent, together with previous municipal mergers (Fujiyama in 1931, Kōnan in 1941, NishKiwa in 1943, Great Shōwa mergers/1954: Kotō, Futamatase, Ono, Higashi-Kiwa).

Ube has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 28 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Yamaguchi 3rd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Also, petroleum refinery Solato, printer manufacturer Riso Kagaku, glass manufacturer Central Glass, semiconductor producer Renesas, pharmaceutical research and products company Kyowa Hakko Kirin, clinical laboratory research company Miraca Holdings are based in Ube.

A well-known attraction of the park was a great white pelican called "Katta-kun", so named after his parents who were from Kolkata, India.