# Platania > Italian comune **Wikidata**: [Q53681](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q53681) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platania) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/platania ## Summary Platania is an Italian comune (municipality) located in the Province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region of southern Italy. Situated at coordinates 39°N, 16.316666667°E, the comune serves as a local administrative unit within Italy's municipal division system. With a population of approximately 2,134 residents, Platania represents one of the smaller rural municipalities in the Catanzaro province. ## Key Facts - **Classification:** Italian comune (municipal division of Italy) - **Administrative Location:** Province of Catanzaro, Calabria region, southern Italy - **Country:** Italy - **Population:** 2,134 (most recent); 2,115; 1,973 (earlier census figures) - **Geographic Coordinates:** Latitude 39°N, Longitude 16.316666667°E - **Official Website:** http://www.comune.platania.cz.it/ - **Wikipedia Title:** Platania - **Wikidata Description:** Italian comune - **Sitelink Count:** 49 (Wikipedia connections) - **Related Settlement:** Mercuri Tedesco (human settlement in Italy, sitelink count: 5) - **Administrative Category:** Comune of Italy (municipal divisions of Italy, country: Q38, ; sitelink count: 60) ## FAQs **What region of Italy is Platania located in?** Platania is located in the Calabria region, which forms the southernmost "toe" of the Italian peninsula. It falls within the Province of Catanzaro, one of five provinces in the Calabria region. **How large is Platania?** Platania has a population of approximately 2,134 residents, making it a small to medium-sized Italian comune. Population figures from different census years show 2,134, 2,115, and 1,973 residents, indicating relative stability in population size. **What type of administrative unit is a comune in Italy?** A comune is the smallest administrative division in Italy, similar to a municipality or commune. Each comune is governed by a mayor (sindaco) and a council (consiglio comunale), and is responsible for local services, urban planning, civil registration, and local administration. **What are the geographic coordinates of Platania?** Platania is situated at latitude 39° North and longitude 16.316666667° East, placing it in the central-eastern part of the Calabria region, inland from the Ionian Sea coast. **Are there any notable nearby settlements?** Mercuri Tedesco is a related human settlement in Italy, connected to the Platania area within the broader administrative context of the Province of Catanzaro and the Calabria region. ## Why It Matters Platania matters as a functioning local government unit that serves its residents' needs within the Italian administrative system. Comuni like Platania form the foundational layer of Italy's governance structure, responsible for essential public services including waste management, local road maintenance, civil status records, building permits, and local economic development. The existence of approximately 7,904 comuni throughout Italy demonstrates this system's importance in maintaining democratic representation and local autonomy at the community level. The Province of Catanzaro, where Platania is located, serves as a critical administrative intermediary between the regional government of Calabria and the individual comuni. This hierarchical structure allows for coordinated regional planning while preserving local governance traditions that date back centuries in Italian civic life. From a demographic perspective, small comuni like Platania represent the reality of rural Italian life outside major urban centers. These municipalities often face challenges related to population retention, economic development, and service provision that are distinct from those encountered in larger Italian cities. The population figures of around 2,000 residents are typical of many inland Calabrian comuni that maintain agricultural traditions and close-knit community structures. ## Notable For - **Administrative Function:** Serves as a local government center for approximately 2,134 residents within the Italian municipal system - **Geographic Position:** Located at 39°N, 16.316666667°E in the Calabria region of southern Italy - **Digital Presence:** Maintains an official municipal website at http://www.comune.platania.cz.it/ - **Provincial Connection:** Part of the Province of Catanzaro, which has 81 Wikipedia connections indicating significant regional information coverage - **Part of Italian Comune Network:** Connected to the broader system of Italian comuni, which has 60 Wikipedia connections as an administrative category ## Body ### Geographic and Administrative Context Platania is situated in the Province of Catanzaro, one of the five provinces of the Calabria region in southern Italy. The comune occupies coordinates 39°N latitude and 16.316666667°E longitude, positioning it in the central portion of the Catanzaro province, inland from the Ionian Sea coastline that characterizes much of eastern Calabria. The Province of Catanzaro itself is a significant administrative unit within the Italian provincial system, with 81 Wikipedia connections indicating substantial information coverage. This province encompasses diverse terrain ranging from coastal areas to mountainous interior regions, with comuni like Platania contributing to the administrative fabric that governs daily life for residents throughout the territory. Calabria, the region containing Platania, represents the southernmost portion of the Italian peninsula, commonly referred to as the "toe" of Italy's boot-shaped geography. The region is characterized by its rugged terrain, which includes the Sila, Pollino, and Aspromonte mountain ranges, as well as its extensive coastline along both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. ### Population and Demographics The population of Platania stands at approximately 2,134 residents according to the most recent census data. Earlier population figures of 2,115 and 1,973 residents from previous surveys indicate a relatively stable population trend, which is characteristic of many small rural comuni in the Calabrian interior. This population size is typical for smaller Italian municipalities that maintain agricultural economies and traditional community structures. Italian comuni are responsible for maintaining civil registration records, which include births, deaths, marriages, and residency changes. For a comune of Platania's size, these administrative functions are typically handled by a small municipal staff overseen by an elected mayor (sindaco) and council (consiglio comunale). ### Administrative Structure As an Italian comune, Platania operates within Italy's decentralized administrative system. Comuni represent the third level of Italian administrative governance, below the national government and regional authorities, but above the provincial level in many practical matters. Each comune has statutory authority over local affairs, including urban planning, local taxation, public works, and community services. The comune structure in Italy traces its origins to the unification of Italy in the 19th century, though municipal governance traditions in the Italian peninsula predate the modern state by centuries. The current legal framework for comuni is established by Italian constitutional law and local government legislation that defines their powers, responsibilities, and organizational structures. ### Digital and Information Infrastructure Platania maintains an official municipal website at http://www.comune.platania.cz.it/, providing residents and visitors with access to municipal services, administrative information, and local government resources. This digital presence reflects the broader modernization of Italian local government services that has occurred since the widespread adoption of the internet in the late 20th century. The comune has a Wikipedia presence with 49 sitelink connections, indicating its integration within the broader knowledge ecosystem of online information resources. The Wikipedia article titled "Platania" provides encyclopedic coverage of the municipality, while the Wikidata entry includes the description "Italian comune" along with geographic and administrative properties. ### Regional Connections Platania is connected to Mercuri Tedesco, another human settlement within the Italian administrative framework. This connection reflects the network of smaller settlements that exist within and around larger comuni throughout Italy, particularly in rural regions like Calabria where dispersed settlement patterns are common. The broader category of "comune of Italy" encompasses approximately 7,904 municipalities throughout the Italian territory, with 60 Wikipedia connections indicating substantial information coverage of this administrative category. This system represents one of the densest municipal networks in Europe, reflecting Italy's tradition of localized governance. ### Geographic Coordinates and Location The precise geographic coordinates of Platania (39°N, 16.316666667°E) place it in the central-eastern portion of the Calabria region. The latitude of approximately 39 degrees North positions the comune at a similar latitude to other Mediterranean locations, while the longitude of approximately 16.3 degrees East places it well within the Central European time zone (UTC+1 standard, UTC+2 during daylight saving time). This location in inland Calabria places Platania away from the major coastal tourism centers that characterize much of the region's economy. The inland positioning suggests an economy potentially oriented toward agriculture, forestry, or local services rather than tourism or maritime activities. ### Province of Catanzaro Context The Province of Catanzaro serves as the administrative framework within which Platania operates. The province encompasses diverse territories ranging from the Ionian coastline to mountainous interior areas, with comuni like Platania contributing to the provincial economy and administrative structure. The province capital, Catanzaro, is a significant urban center in Calabria, serving as a hub for regional administration, education, and services. Residents of smaller comuni like Platania typically access specialized services, healthcare facilities, and higher education institutions in the provincial capital or larger regional centers. Italy's provincial system has undergone administrative reforms in recent decades, with some provinces having their powers reduced in favor of regional and municipal authority. However, provinces continue to serve important coordination functions for transportation, education planning, and inter-municipal cooperation throughout the country. ## References 1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 2. Italian National Institute of Statistics 3. [Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018. Italian National Institute of Statistics](http://demo.istat.it/pop2018/index3.html) 4. [Source](https://demo.istat.it/?l=it) 5. GeoNames 6. [Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011. Italian National Institute of Statistics](https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/156224) 7. Wiki Loves Monuments Italia 8. Seismic classification in Italy 9. [Source](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/it/sismico/attivita/classificazione-sismica)