What is the difference between town and municipality?

When we talk about locality and municipality, the terms are often confused and it is not really known what the difference is between them. In this article, we are going to analyze each of these terms and discover the characteristics that differentiate them.

What is a locality?

A locality is an inhabited place that can have different sizes and populations. It can be a village, a town or a city and is established based on the number of its inhabitants. That is, any place that has a certain number of people and some structures that provide basic services such as shops and schools, can be considered a locality.

Characteristics of a locality

• Small population
• It has basic services
• Does not have its own government
• May belong to a municipality

Localities may have their own characteristics such as history and culture, however, they are not governed by their own government, since their administration depends on another level of government, in this case, the municipality.

What is a municipality?

A municipality, on the other hand, is a political and administrative unit that groups several localities in its territory. It is governed by a mayor or municipal president and a city council, who are responsible for ensuring the well-being of its citizens.

Characteristics of a municipality

• Groups several localities in a territory
• has its own government
• Has political and administrative power
• Responsible for providing basic services to its inhabitants

The municipality is responsible for providing basic services such as security, cleaning, public lighting and urban sanitation, among others. It also has the power to create and modify the rules that govern coexistence in its territory.

Conclusion

In summary, we can say that the main difference between a locality and a municipality lies in its size and its political and administrative power. While a locality is an inhabited place that may have basic services, but does not have its own government, a municipality is a political and administrative unit that groups several localities in its territory and has political and administrative power over them.

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