Government at the level of a city (as opposed to provincial government for states and federal governments for countries.) Becoming a municipality has its pros and cons of possible services offered and responsibilities, including things like road maintenance, post, having fire and police stations. A smaller-scale form of a municipality is the corporation.
Four Chinese cities (as of 2001) are designated as municipalities: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing (Chun King), and Tianjin (Tientsin). In essence, these cities are treated as provinces, something like Washington, D. C., and answer directly to the central government. These are in addition to the provinces proper, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong. The central government can more easily adminster the profitable foreign trade that goes on in these hubs.
Mu*nic`i*pal"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Municipalities (#). [Cf. F. municipalit'e.]
A municipal district; a borough, city, or incorporated town or village.
© Webster 1913.
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