# Mirto > Italian comune **Wikidata**: [Q496855](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q496855) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirto,_Sicily) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mirto ## Summary Mirto is an Italian comune (municipality) located in the province of Messina in the Sicily region of southern Italy. Situated at coordinates 38.083333333333° N, 14.75° E, Mirto is a small coastal town in northeastern Sicily with a population of approximately 976 residents. The comune falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Metropolitan City of Messina, which was established in August 2015, replacing the former provincial structure. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Mirto - **Type:** Comune (municipality) of Italy - **Region:** Sicily (Sicilia) - **Province:** Province of Messina (historical) - **Metropolitan City:** Metropolitan City of Messina (since August 4, 2015) - **Country:** Italy - **Coordinates:** 38.083333333333° N, 14.75° E - **Population:** 976 residents (most recent census); 953 (previous census); 889 (earlier census) - **Sitelink Count:** 49 - **Wikipedia Title:** Mirto, Sicily - **Official Website:** http://www.comune.mirto.me.it - **Wikidata Description:** Italian comune ## FAQs **What type of administrative area is Mirto?** Mirto is an Italian comune, which is the smallest administrative division in Italy, similar to a municipality or town. Comuni have their own local government and are the fundamental territorial units of Italian administrative organization. **Which province and region is Mirto located in?** Mirto is located in the province of Messina, which is a historical province in the northeastern part of Sicily. Since August 2015, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan City of Messina, an administrative reform that replaced the traditional province structure in Sicily. **What country is Mirto in?** Mirto is located in Italy, specifically in the southern European country's Sicily region. Italy is a sovereign parliamentary republic and a founding member of the European Union. **What are the geographic coordinates of Mirto?** Mirto is situated at 38.083333333333° north latitude and 14.75° east longitude, placing it in the northeastern coastal area of Sicily. **How many people live in Mirto?** According to census data, Mirto has a population of approximately 976 residents, with previous counts showing 953 and 889 in earlier census periods. **What is the official website of Mirto?** The official website of the Comune di Mirto is http://www.comune.mirto.me.it. ## Why It Matters Mirto represents one of the many small municipalities that form the administrative fabric of Sicily, contributing to the region's decentralized governance structure. As an Italian comune, Mirto serves as a local administrative unit that manages municipal services, local planning, and community affairs for its residents. The town's location in the province of Messina places it in one of Sicily's most historically and culturally significant regions, which has been inhabited since antiquity and served as a strategic location due to its proximity to the Italian mainland and its coastal position in the Mediterranean Sea. The transition from the Province of Messina to the Metropolitan City of Messina in 2015 reflects broader administrative reforms in Italy aimed at modernizing local governance. Mirto's existence as a distinct municipal entity demonstrates Italy's commitment to maintaining local administrative autonomy while adapting to contemporary governance needs. For residents and those interested in Italian geography, Mirto exemplifies the granular administrative division that characterizes Italy's municipal system, with each comune serving as a vital unit of local democracy and service delivery. ## Notable For - **Small Municipal Population:** Mirto's population of approximately 976 residents places it among Italy's smaller comuni, reflecting the demographic patterns of rural and semi-rural areas in Sicily. - **Northeastern Sicily Location:** The town is situated in the northeastern portion of Sicily, near the province of Messina, an area known for its historical significance and coastal geography. - **Metropolitan City Status:** Mirto falls under the Metropolitan City of Messina, one of the newer administrative units in Italy created through the 2014 administrative reform that transformed provinces in Sicily. - **Web Presence:** The comune maintains an official website at comune.mirto.me.it, demonstrating digital engagement with its citizens and the public. ## Body ### Administrative Structure and Classification Mirto is classified as an Italian comune (plural: comuni), which represents the fundamental administrative division in Italy. The comune system dates back to the unification of Italy in the 19th century and serves as the closest level of government to citizens, responsible for local services such as civil registry, urban planning, local police, and community facilities. Each comune is governed by a mayor (sindaco) and a council (consiglio comunale), elected by local residents. The comune of Mirto is part of the larger Italian administrative hierarchy, which includes regions, provinces/metropolitan cities, and comuni. Italy operates as a unitary state with 20 regions, of which Sicily is one. Within Sicily, the administrative structure has evolved, with the traditional provinces being supplemented or replaced by metropolitan cities since 2015. ### Geographic Location and Setting Mirto is positioned at coordinates 38.083333333333° north latitude and 14.75° east longitude, placing it in the northeastern part of the island of Sicily. This geographic position situates Mirto along the island's northern coast, facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. The location has historically provided strategic advantages for trade, communication, and defense, given Sicily's central position in the Mediterranean. The town belongs to the Metropolitan City of Messina, which encompasses the northeastern portion of Sicily. The Metropolitan City of Messina was officially established on August 4, 2015, following Italian Law No. 56/2014, which reformed the provincial system. This reform aimed to grant metropolitan areas greater administrative autonomy and resources to promote economic development and territorial coordination. ### Demographic Profile The population of Mirto stands at approximately 976 residents according to the most recent census data. Historical census figures show population counts of 953 and 889 in earlier periods, indicating modest demographic fluctuations typical of small Italian municipalities. These population figures place Mirto among the smaller comuni in the Messina metropolitan area and reflect broader trends of population distribution in Sicily's interior and coastal small towns. Italian comuni are required to maintain civil registries (anagrafe) that track resident populations, and demographic data informs local planning, service delivery, and political representation. The relatively small population of Mirto means that local governance is intimate and community-oriented, with direct relationships between municipal authorities and residents. ### Historical Administrative Context Mirto's administrative history is intertwined with the broader evolution of Italian local government. The Province of Messina was established following the unification of Italy in 1861 and served as the primary administrative unit for northeastern Sicily for over 150 years. The province encompassed numerous comuni, including Mirto, and provided intermediate governance between the regional and municipal levels. The 2014 administrative reform, implemented in Sicily starting in 2015, replaced the Province of Messina with the Metropolitan City of Messina. This change reflected a nationwide trend toward metropolitan governance models designed to improve coordination of services, transportation, and economic development in urban and semi-urban areas. The Metropolitan City of Messina maintains jurisdiction over the same geographic area as the former province but with different governance structures and competencies. ### Regional Context: Sicily and the Province of Messina Sicily (Sicilia) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of Italy's 20 regions. As an autonomous region with special status, Sicily enjoys certain legislative and administrative competencies not available to other Italian regions. The region is divided into nine provinces and three metropolitan cities, with Messina being one of the historical provinces that transitioned to metropolitan city status. The Province/Metropolitan City of Messina is particularly significant due to its strategic position at the northeastern tip of Sicily, closest to the Italian mainland. The city of Messina, the provincial/metropolitan capital, has historically served as a gateway between Sicily and the Italian peninsula, with ferry connections to the mainland. This geographic significance has influenced the development of the entire province, including Mirto and other coastal comuni. ### Connection to Italian Administrative System Mirto exists within a structured hierarchy of Italian territorial organization. At the national level, Italy is a sovereign parliamentary republic and founding member of the European Union. The country is divided into 20 regions, with Sicily being one of the five regions with special autonomous status. Within regions, provinces and metropolitan cities provide intermediate governance, while comuni handle local affairs. The comune classification is essential to understanding Italian local government. There are approximately 7,900 comuni in Italy, each with defined territorial boundaries and administrative responsibilities. Comuni range from small rural towns like Mirto to large cities like Rome, Milan, and Naples. Despite their size differences, all comuni share the same basic legal framework and governance structures established by Italian law. ### Digital Presence and Communication Mirto maintains an official municipal website at http://www.comune.mirto.me.it, providing digital access to municipal information, services, and contacts for residents and visitors. The website domain includes ".me.it," which is the country-code top-level domain for Italy, and specifically references the municipality code for Messina ("me") in the domain structure. This digital presence reflects the broader trend of Italian public administration modernization, which has seen comuni increasingly adopt digital tools to improve citizen engagement, administrative efficiency, and transparency. Municipal websites in Italy typically provide information about local services, administrative procedures, meeting schedules, and community events. ### Relationship to Other Entities Mirto is connected to several key entities in the Italian administrative and geographic hierarchy: - **Italy:** The sovereign nation in which Mirto is located - **Sicily:** The autonomous region and largest Mediterranean island where Mirto is situated - **Province of Messina:** The historical provincial entity that governed Mirto until 2015 - **Metropolitan City of Messina:** The current administrative unit overseeing Mirto since August 2015 - **Comune of Italy:** The category of Italian municipal administrative divisions to which Mirto belongs These relationships define Mirto's position within Italy's territorial organization and determine the administrative frameworks, regulations, and services that govern local life in the municipality. ## References 1. OpenStreetMap 2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 3. Italian National Institute of Statistics 4. [Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018. Italian National Institute of Statistics](http://demo.istat.it/pop2018/index3.html) 5. [Source](https://demo.istat.it/?l=it) 6. GeoNames 7. [Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011. Italian National Institute of Statistics](https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/156224) 8. Wiki Loves Monuments Italia 9. Seismic classification in Italy 10. [Source](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/it/sismico/attivita/classificazione-sismica)