Founded by the Ancient Greeks as Rhegion, meaning it breaks away, it was a well established settlement of Magna Graecia, later becoming part of the Roman Republic and Byzantine Empire. Reggio emerged as the capital of the Duchy of Calabria for a period until it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sicily. It was then part of the Kingdom of Naples, later known as Two Sicilies, from 1282 to 1860, until the Italian unification.
Located on the toe of the Italian peninsula boot, Reggio retains a somewhat rural feel despite its sizable population. There are approximately 180,000 people within the city and the local population are known as Reggians. Industry in the city revolves primarily around agriculture and the exportation of fruits and tobacco, also as Reggio is a port city, it has a fishing industry. The beaches of the city have helped make it a popular tourist destination. The municipality of Reggio Calabria contains the frazioni (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Catona, Gallico, Archi, Pentimele, Gallina, Mosorrofa (Greek: Messorofè), Ortì (Greek: Orthioi), Pellaro (Greek: Pèllaros), Saracinello.
