Arecibo (; ) is a city and municipality on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. It is about west of San Juan, the capital city. Arecibo is the largest municipality in Puerto Rico by area, and it is the core city of the Arecibo Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the greater San Juan Combined Statistical Area. It is spread over 18 barrios and Arecibo Pueblo (the downtown area and the administrative center of the city). Its population in 2020 was 87,754.
The Arecibo Observatory, which housed the Arecibo telescope, the world's largest radio telescope until July 2016, is located in the municipality. The Arecibo telescope collapsed on December 1, 2020. Arecibo is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arecibo.
Etymology and nicknames
The name Arecibo comes from the Taíno chief Xamaica Arasibo, cacique of the yucayeque (Taíno settlement) of Abacoa where the Spanish town of Arecibo was settled in 1556. The word Arasibo itself most likely comes from the Taíno words ara, possibly meaning or related to "people", and siba, most likely meaning "rock" or "stone". This name also lends itself to the name of the river which flows through the municipality into the Atlantic Ocean.
Some of the city's nicknames are: Villa del Capitán Correa ("Villa of Captain Correa"), after Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa, a Spanish soldier who famously and successfully defended the city from a British invasion; La Muy Leal ("the very loyal [one]") after the title often granted to Spanish colonial cities; and Diamante del Norte ("Diamond of the North") due to the city's location in the northern coast of the island.
History
When the Spanish arrived, they found the area occupied by the indigenous Taíno, led by Xamaica Arasibo, Cacique (chief) of the yucayeque (town) then named Abacoa.
Spanish colonists settled Arecibo in 1556, which they named for the cacique. It was their fourth settlement on the island, after Caparra (which later became San Juan), San German, and Coamo. Arecibo was officially founded as a town<ref>[https://enciclopediapr.org/en/encyclopedia/arecibo-municipality/#1465331233922-61915a4b-ef14 "Arecibo: Founding and History.] Accessed 11 September 2019.</ref> by the Spanish crown on May 1, 1616, under the governorship of Captain Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra, when the King of Spain granted the land (and the Taino living there) to Lope Conchillos.
For some time the island was competed for by other European powers. On August 5, 1702, Captain Antonio de los Reyes Correa, a member of the Spanish Army, successfully defended Arecibo from a British Navy invasion led by rear-admiral William Whetstone. Commanding two British Navy ships and 40 men, Whetstone tried to take control of the city. Correa ambushed his forces, killing 22 British seamen and driving them off. The Spanish defenders suffered only one death and three wounded soldiers. This gave the city its nickname The Village of Captain Correa (La Villa del Capitan Correa)
In 1778, Arecibo, by royal decree, was awarded the "Villa" status, though it was not integrated as such until 1802. In 1850 it was awarded the "Muy Leal" (very loyal) title. Over time, large part of its territory became separate municipalities. These include Manati, Barceloneta, Florida, Utuado, Jayuya, Hatillo, Camuy, Quebradillas and Isabela. In 1982, it was promoted to city status, though it continued to be known by its previous nickname.
Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017, triggered extensive flooding, and damage to infrastructure with over 3,000 people losing their homes. Two hospitals were damaged and the hurricane caused deaths as well.
Geography
Arecibo is located in the Northern Coastal Plain region of Puerto Rico, extending inland into the Northern Karst region. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean; north of Utuado; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta and Florida. The city occupies an area of 127 square miles (330 km2), of which, , is water.
