# Melicuccà > Italian comune **Wikidata**: [Q54625](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54625) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melicuccà) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/melicucc ## Summary Melicuccà is an Italian comune (municipality) located in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria in the Calabria region of southern Italy. Situated at coordinates 38.30311°N, 15.88153°E, this small municipality serves as a local administrative unit within the province that was formerly known as the Province of Reggio Calabria and is now the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, which was established in 2015. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Melicuccà (also spelled Melicucca) - **Type:** Comune (municipal division of Italy) - **Location:** Southern Italy, Calabria region - **Administrative Status:** Part of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria (formerly Province of Reggio Calabria) - **Country:** Italy - **Geographic Coordinates:** Latitude 38.30311°N, Longitude 15.88153°E - **Population:** 922, 895, and 832 (figures from different census years) - **Website:** http://www.comune.melicucca.reggio-calabria.it - **Wikipedia Title:** Melicuccà - **Wikidata Description:** Italian comune - **Sitelink Count:** 49 - **Parent Entity:** Comune of Italy (municipal divisions of Italy) ## FAQs **What type of administrative area is Melicuccà?** Melicuccà is an Italian comune, which is the smallest administrative division in Italy, similar to a municipality or town council. Comuni serve as the fundamental unit of local government in Italy, responsible for local services, urban planning, and administrative functions. **Where is Melicuccà located?** Melicuccà is located in the Calabria region of southern Italy, within the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. The municipality sits at coordinates 38.30311°N latitude and 15.88153°E longitude, placing it in the southern portion of the Italian peninsula. **What is the relationship between Melicuccà and the Province of Reggio Calabria?** Melicuccà belongs to the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, which was formerly known as the Province of Reggio Calabria. In 2015, the province was reorganized into a Metropolitan City, a newer administrative entity in Italy that encompasses larger urban areas and their surrounding territories. **What is the population of Melicuccà?** The population of Melicuccà is recorded as 922, 895, and 832 across different census years, indicating a declining population trend typical of many small Italian rural municipalities, particularly in the southern regions where depopulation has been a persistent issue. ## Why It Matters Melicuccà represents the fundamental building block of Italian local governance as one of the thousands of comuni that form the administrative structure of Italy. While small in population, comuni like Melicuccà play crucial roles in providing essential public services to residents, maintaining local infrastructure, and preserving the cultural heritage of their respective regions. The municipality's location in Calabria places it in one of Italy's southern regions, which have historically faced economic challenges and demographic shifts. Understanding entities like Melicuccà helps illustrate the decentralized nature of Italian administration, where significant authority is delegated to local municipalities rather than being centralized entirely at the regional or national level. The transformation of the Province of Reggio Calabria into a Metropolitan City in 2015 also reflects broader administrative reforms in Italy aimed at improving governance efficiency in metropolitan areas. ## Notable For - **Small Italian Municipality:** Representative of the thousands of comuni that constitute Italy's local administrative structure - **Calabrian Location:** Situated in the southern Italian region of Calabria, known for its Mediterranean climate, coastal landscapes, and mountainous interior - **Declining Population:** Reflects the demographic trends affecting many small rural Italian municipalities - **Local Governance:** Serves as the administrative center for its local community, providing municipal services ## Body ### Geography and Location Melicuccà is positioned at coordinates 38.30311°N latitude and 15.88153°E longitude, placing it in the southern portion of the Italian peninsula within the Calabria region. The municipality is part of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, an administrative entity that succeeded the former Province of Reggio Calabria in 2015. This geographic positioning places Melicuccà in the "toe" of Italy's boot-shaped peninsula, a region characterized by mountainous terrain, coastal areas along the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, and a Mediterranean climate that influences local agriculture and lifestyle. ### Administrative Structure As an Italian comune, Melicuccà functions as a municipal corporation with its own local government, responsible for administering local services, maintaining public infrastructure, collecting municipal taxes, and representing the interests of its residents. The comune is part of the broader Italian administrative hierarchy, which includes regions, provinces/metropolitan cities, and comuni as the smallest administrative units. The transformation of the Province of Reggio Calabria into the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria in 2015 represents a significant administrative change in how this area is governed, with metropolitan cities in Italy typically having greater powers and responsibilities than the former provincial administrations. ### Demographics The population figures for Melicuccà—recorded as 922, 895, and 832 across different census years—indicate a population decline over time. This trend is consistent with broader demographic patterns observed in many small Italian municipalities, particularly in the southern regions, where younger populations have historically migrated to larger cities or northern regions in search of better economic opportunities. The population decline reflects the challenges facing rural and semi-rural comuni in maintaining viable community sizes and providing essential services to aging populations. ### Historical Context The comune system in Italy has ancient roots, with municipalities serving as the basic unit of local organization since the medieval period. The current administrative framework, however, dates primarily to the unification of Italy in the 19th century, when the Kingdom of Italy established standardized administrative divisions across the peninsula. Calabria, as a region, has historically been one of Italy's less economically developed areas, though it possesses significant natural beauty, agricultural potential, and cultural heritage that continue to attract interest from researchers and visitors. ### Local Services and Infrastructure As the administrative center for its territory, Melicuccà provides various municipal services to its residents, including local planning and zoning, civil registry functions, maintenance of local roads and public spaces, and coordination of local utilities. The municipal website (http://www.comune.melicucca.reggio-calabria.it) serves as the digital presence for the comune, providing information about local government, services, and community matters to residents and external visitors. ### Regional Context Melicuccà is located within Calabria, a region in southern Italy known for its distinctive geography, which includes the Aspromonte mountain range in the southern tip of the peninsula, extensive coastlines along the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, and fertile plains in certain areas. The Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria encompasses this territory and serves as the regional capital, with the city of Reggio Calabria being a major urban center and cultural hub for the area. The region has historically been characterized by economic challenges, including higher unemployment rates compared to northern Italy, limited industrial development, and infrastructure deficits, though efforts at regional development continue to address these issues. ## References 1. Virtual International Authority File 2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 3. MusicBrainz 4. Italian National Institute of Statistics 5. [Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018. Italian National Institute of Statistics](http://demo.istat.it/pop2018/index3.html) 6. [Source](https://demo.istat.it/?l=it) 7. GeoNames 8. [Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011. Italian National Institute of Statistics](https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/156224) 9. Wiki Loves Monuments Italia 10. Seismic classification in Italy 11. [Source](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/it/sismico/attivita/classificazione-sismica)