Arecibo is a municipality of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is divided into 18 neighborhoods and Arecibo Pueblo which is the administrative center of the municipality. Arecibo is also known as the Villa Del Capitán Correa by the Puerto Rican hero Antonio de los Reyes Correa who, as a member of the Navy, defended Arecibo from a British attack on August 5,1702. Arecibo is located on the north coast of the island about 80 km west of San Juan. In the vicinity of Arecibo is an astronomical observatory that has the largest radio telescope in the world.
It limits to the north with the Atlantic Ocean, to the south with the Municipality of Utuado, to the east with Barceloneta and Florida, to the southeast with Ciales and to the west with Hatillo.