The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has a total area of 723,185-12-50 hectars, which is divided into two main areas, together both main areas make a total of 248,260-50-00; when including the buffer zone the total is 474,924-62-50 hectars.

The protected area was established by a Presidential decree published in the Official Diary of the Federation in 1989; in 1993 it became part of the UNESCO International Network for Man and Biosphere. It is included in the Biodiversity programme for conservation as a protected natural area in Mexico.

The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve represents the largest tropical forest reseve in Mexico, it has very special climate and vegetation characteristics, a mix of high, medium and low jungle which can become flooded ion areas during the rainy season. Calakmul is very important for it's resident mammels, and is home to six of the seven marsupials found in Mexico, two of the three types of monkey found in Mexico, spider monkeys and howler monkeys, also five of the six wild cat species that are found in Mexico including the Jaguar.

Calakmul has a considerable number of rare species that are in danger of extinction. It has ecosystems of rich biological value. For itīs size and location it represents one of few possibilities to conserve genetically healthy populations of species that are in danger of extinction. The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has an important amount of prehispanic structures, and was the most important Mayan urban areas during the Classic period. The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has aproximamente 525 achaeological sites.

There are still complete prehispanic buildings constructed inside of more recent ones. Cities like La Muñeca, located 35 km. to the northeast of Calakmul, was an important tribute center, as was Uxul to the south east of Calakmul and close to the Guatemala border. Oxpemul was also important for it's location and the size of it's constructions, these constructions were of the same size as archaeological sites constructed to the north of Oxpemul and to the east outside of the Petén tropical forest, the same size as sites such as El Hormiguero, Becan, Chicanná and others from the Río Bec with their iconic towers, tunneled stairways. Also in the area of Chenes, highly decorated facades can be seen, as in the case of Hochob.