Arecibo

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 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.

Geography

Arecibo is located in the Northern Coastal Plain region of Puerto Rico, extending inland into the Northern Karst Belt. 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. The Río Grande de Arecibo is the main river in the municipality, running through the middle of it. South of the municipality, in the karst region, it forms the Dos Bocas Lake, a primary source of water for northern Puerto Rico. Several rivers feed the Río Grande, including the Tanamá River. Caño Santiago is an artificial canal created in the 19th century by partially diverting the Tanama River's waters tobarrios a small temporary stream, to supply water to poor neighborhoods in Arecibo, discharging into the Arecibo River near its mouth. In the 1950s it was modified to pass slightly more south of the city center. Poor maintenance, sediment and pollution has again turned the canal into a temporary stream. East of the river lies Caño Tiburones, a vital marshland area providing habitat for many birds and wildlife. Arecibo has two forest reserves. Cambalache Forest Reserve is located along Barceloneta's municipal limits while Río Abajo State Forest is located between Arecibo and Utuado. Caves include Cueva Ventana, which overlooks the valley formed by the Rio Grande de Arecibo, and Cueva del Indio (Cave of the Indian), where paintings made by prehistoric indigenous peoples have been seen. Environmental impact studies have been done to consider remedies for flooding that often occurs in Arecibo. Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Arecibo is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a small barrio referred…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Bananaquit

  Coereba flaveola (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,997
• Gray Kingbird

  Tyrannus dominicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  6,971
• White-winged Dove

  Zenaida asiatica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,223
• Greater Antillean Grackle

  Quiscalus niger (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  5,187
• Puerto Rican Woodpecker

  Melanerpes portoricensis (Daudin, 1803) · Aves
  4,477
• Puerto Rican Bullfinch

  Melopyrrha portoricensis (Daudin, 1800) · Aves
  4,027
• Adelaide's Warbler

  Setophaga adelaidae (S.F.Baird, 1865) · Aves
  4,004
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,907

Largest nearby schools

• SUPERIOR VOCACIONAL (ANTONIO LUCHETTI)
  High · ARECIBO · 1,228 students · 13.3:1 ratio
• SU BARRIO SABANA HOYOS (NUEVA)
  Elementary · ARECIBO · 599 students · 9.1:1 ratio
• DR. CAYETANO COLL Y TOSTE
  Elementary · ARECIBO · 518 students · 9.6:1 ratio
• SU MANUEL RUIZ GANDIA
  Elementary · ARECIBO · 455 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• SU FEDERICO DEGETAU ARECIBO
  Elementary · ARECIBO · 411 students · 10.3:1 ratio
• ABELARDO MARTINEZ OTERO
  High · ARECIBO · 380 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• FACTOR 5
  Elementary · ARECIBO · 334 students · 9.3:1 ratio
• TRINA PADILLA DE SANZ ARECIBO
  High · ARECIBO · 331 students · 7.7:1 ratio