Near Pando was a rising commercial world. It existed inside the Near Pando system, which itself resided within Hutt Space. Hutt Space was a sector of the galaxy under the control of the Hutt species. This planet was situated along the hyperlane called the Pando Spur, a route that linked it to the planet Far Pando. The Malabar Construct, a set of old and enigmatic ruins, could be found on Near Pando.
The first mention of Near Pando occurred in The Essential Atlas. This reference book, released in 2009 and written together by Jason Fry and Daniel Wallace, situated the planet within grid coordinate S-14. Furthermore, there were plans to include the planet in Adventures in Hyperspace: The Big Switch, a book for young readers authored by Ryder Windham; however, the book's release was delayed and ultimately scrapped.
Around four thousand years prior to the Battle of Yavin, a sculpted head portraying the Hutt named Bogga ended up on Near Pando. After four millennia had passed, the bust was unearthed from the planet's ruins.