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Aereal view of Naval Base Roosevelt Road

The territory of the municipality of Ceiba covers approximately 27 square miles. According to the 2000 census, the municipality had 18,004 residents, who are called ceibeños. The municipality is divided into eight sectors: Pueblo, Chupacallos, Daguao, Guayacán, Machos, Quebrada Seca, Río Abajo and Saco.

Ceiba has several manufacturing businesses, most of which are dedicated to manufacturing clothing. The Roosevelt Roads naval base was an important factor in the business development of the municipality during the 60 years it was in operation. In the previous century, rice, tobacco and sugar cane were grown in Ceiba, and fruits are still cultivated. There was also iron mining in the past. In substitution of sugar cane, the Puerto Rico Land Authority implemented programs for farming minor fruits and domestic livestock, including beef and dairy cattle, as well as swine.

The residents are known as "soup eaters" and the "Marlins" and the towntown, founding: A group of vecinos that wanted to found a town had to grant a power of attorney to one or more other vecinos to represent them before the governor and viceroy. This person could authorize the founding of the town and the establishment of a parish. The grantors of the power of attorney had to be a majority in the given territory and more than ten in number. Once the case had been made, the governor appointed a capitán poblador or settlement official to represent the vecinos and one or more delegates, who usually lived in nearby cabildos vecinos to receive the necessary documentation. Proof was required that the settlement was so far from a church that it was very difficult for the settlers to partake of sacraments and municipal services. In general, proof was provided of the absence or bad condition of roads and bridges. If the petition was approved, it was required that the vecinos mark off the new municipality and build public works such as a church, a parish house, a government house (Casa del Rey), a slaughterhouse, and a cemetery, and to set aside land for the town square or plaza and the commons (ejidos). The vecinos were expected to cover the cost of building these works by levying special assessments. Usually one of the land owners donated some land for the founding. Once the requirements had been met, the governor authorized the founding of the town and the parish, and he appointed a Lieutenant at War who usually was the same capitán poblador. is known as the "Marlin City." The patron saint is San Antonio de Padua.

Geography

Ceiba is bordered on the north by the municipality of Fajardo, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea and on the west by the municipality of Naguabo. Topographically, Ceiba is part of the region known as the eastern coastal valleys. Its soil, mostly alluvial, was formed by the materials washed down from the mountains by water. It has fertile land on the plains and stony soil in the higher elevations.

To the west, Ceiba has mountains that make up part of the Luquillo Range. Between the Río Abajo sector of Ceiba and the Río Blanco sector of Naguabo are the Picos del Este, which have an elevation of 1,051 meters (3,448 feet), and the Picos del Oeste, at 1,020 meters (3,346 feet). In the center of the municipality, the elevation ranges from 100 meters (328 feet) to 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level. The Ceiba ridge, which ranges in elevation from 100 to 500 meters, rises on the border of the Quebrada Seca, Daguao and Chupacallos sectors. The Corozal peak, in the Saco sector, reaches 304 meters in elevation.

The municipality's hydrology consists of the following bodies of water: the Fajardo River, which forms in the Río Abajo sector and whose tributaries include the Sonadora and Rincón streams; the Demajagua River, which forms the border with the municipality of Fajardo; the Daguao River, which forms the border with Naguabo; and the Aguas Claras and Seca streams.

In the extreme northeast of Ceiba is Demajagua Bay and to the south of it are six points: Figueras, Medio Mundo, Puerca, Cabra de Tierra, Cascajo and Algodones. Between the first two is the Medio Mundo port and between Puerca and Cabra de Tierra points are the Medio Mundo Passage, Puerca Bay and Cabras Island.

Across from the Medio Mundo Passage are various keys and islets, including ones called Piñeros, Piñerito and Cabeza de Perro. Between the Cabra de Tierra and Cascajo points is Ensenada Honda, considered one of the best ports on the island.

The municipality has two forests: the Ceiba State Forest and the Caribbean National Forest, also known as the Luquillo Range. The Ceiba State Forest is divided into two segments and is part of the municipalities of Ceiba and Fajardo. It covers 143 hectares. The forest ranges from 5 meters (15 feet) to 15 meters (49 feet) above sea level. It receives an average of 900 millimeters (55 inches) of rain annually. It provides a habitat for a huge number of bird species. The vegetation is characterized by an abundance of mangroves. In fact, 800 hectares of the Ceiba coastal zone is composed of mangrove swamps.