A ''località'' is an inhabited place in Italy that is not accorded a more significant distinction in administrative law such as a ''
frazione
A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a '' comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate terri ...
'', ''
comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'', ''
municipio
' (, ) and ' () are country subdivisions in Italy and several Hispanophone and Lusophone nations, respectively. They are often translated as "municipality". In the English language, a municipality often is defined as relating to a single city or ...
'', ''
circoscrizione
''Circoscrizione'' (; plural: ''circoscrizioni'') can refer to two different administrative units of Italy. One is an electoral district approximating to the English ''constituency'' but typically the size of a province or region, depending on the ...
'', or ''
quartiere
A (; plural: ) is a territorial subdivision of certain Italian towns. The word derives from (‘fourth’) and was thus properly used only for towns divided into four neighborhoods by the two main roads. It has been later used as a synonymous ...
''. The word is
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical ef ...
to English ''locality''. The
Italian National Institute of Statistics
The Italian National Institute of Statistics ( it, Istituto nazionale di statistica; Istat) is the main producer of official statistics in Italy. Its activities include the census of population, economic censuses and a number of social, economic ...
defines ''località abitata'' (inhabited locality) as an "area of more or less size, normally known by its own name, on which are situated either grouped or scattered houses."
Three types of inhabited locality are distinguished:
*''centro abitato'' – a group of houses with roads, squares or other small gaps between them, and public services or establishments where residents congregate for religious, educational or business purposes or for obtaining provisions
*''nucleo abitato'' – a group of houses with at least five households, but without the type of place where residents gather, as in a ''centro abitato''
*''case sparse'' – houses spread over the countryside or along roads with such a distance between them that they do not form a residential nucleus
[ ]
Most ''comuni'' or municipalities have several ''località'', occasionally several dozens, while some have none. The subdivision is optional. In practice, most ''località'' are small habitations, hamlets, and occasionally a mere clump of houses.
See also
*
Contrada
*
Rione
A (; plural: ) is a neighbourhood in several Italian cities. A is a territorial subdivision. The larger administrative subdivisions in Rome are the , with the being used only in the historic centre. The word derives from the Latin , the 14 su ...
*
Sestiere
A (plural: ) is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from (‘sixth’), so it is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example is the ''sestieri'' of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, Mi ...
*
Terziere
A (plural: ) is a subdivision of several towns in Italy. The word derives from (‘third’) and is thus used only for towns divided into three neighborhoods. ''Terzieri'' are most commonly met with in Umbria, as for example at Trevi, Spello, ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Localita
Subdivisions of Italy
Types of administrative division