[2] Cape Muroto is made up of Oligocene to Pleistocene-aged sedimentary rocks and loose Holocene-aged alluvial deposits.

The rocks belong to the Shimanto Supergroup, represented in the peninsula as mudstone, and the Tonohama Group made up of chiefly of sandstone and gravel.

[3] Several active, WNW-dipping, thrust faults are exposed at the western coast and southern tip of the peninsula.

During the Edo period, the area was part of the holdings of Tosa Domain ruled by the Yamauchi clan from their seat at Kōchi Castle.

Following the Meiji restoration, the village of Muroto was established within Aki District, Kōchi with the creation of the modern municipalities system on October 1, 1889.

Muroto merged with the towns of Murotomisaki, Kiragawa, Sakihama and Hane and was elevated to city status on March 1, 1951.

Muroto has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 12 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of Kōchi 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.