Minor local entity

In some communities of Spain, minor local entity (Entidad de Ámbito Territorial Inferior al Municipio EATIM) is a territorial entity of scope smaller than municipality defined and regulated by the regional governments.

Some examples are caseríos, parroquias, aldeas, barrios, anteiglesias, concejos, pedanías, lugares anejos, decentralised municipal entity (entidad municipal descentralizada EMD in Catalonia, autonomous local entity (entidad local autónoma) in Andalucía, rural parish (parroquia rural) in Asturias.

The administration of these entities have various names including an concejo abierto, a single person mayor called Alcalde pedáneo and a rural council (junta vecinal) and councils of Álava.

There are almost 4000 minor local entites; most of them (2,226) are to be found in the autonomous community of Castilla y Leon.