Arrecife (/ˌærəˈsiːfeɪ/; Spanish pronunciation: [areˈsife]) is a city and municipality in the Canary Islands (Spain) situated in the centre-east of the island of Lanzarote, of which it has been the capital since 1852. The city owes its name to the rock reef ('Arrecife' is Spanish for 'reef') which covers the beach located in the city. The city also gives its name to the nearby Arrecife Airport.The population of the municipality is 55,673 (2013), its area is 22.72 km².