As early as 1852, there was a village called San Francisco de Yocon, which was burned by guerrillas under the command of General José María Medina, who became President of Honduras in 1868.
Marale is bordered on the north by the municipality of Yoro, south by the municipalities of El Porvenir and San Ignacio, to the east by the municipalities of Mangulile, Yocón and Orica, and west by the municipalities of Sulaco, Yorito and San José del Potrero.