I hate "it" here

[Jannie]

I know the general use of this phrase is to express general dislike of a given place, but can someone please advise me as to the syntax, specifically, of the word "it"? I'm not refering to, for example, "I moved my painting to this wall and I hate it here," but rather "I just moved to this town, and I hate it here."

Thanks in advance...

[Julie]

"Hate" is an active verb that would like a direct object. So to simply say "I hate." could leave a listener wondering if the speaker was referring to his mental state. It would make most people uncomfortable.
"It" is a pronoun that for brevity replaces a noun or noun phrase. Generally, the successful use of a somewhat less specific pronoun requires that everyone in the "conversation" knows what "it" is. Test the use or generally agreed upon meaning of the "it" in "I hate it here." by replacing it with the noun that gives it meaning. In the expression "I hate it here.", I can replace "it" with "being" here. I hate being here. I would have NEARLY the same generally agreed upon meaning.

I think of communication as shared meaning in context. The use of any pronoun requires clarity and surety that everyone understands what noun has been replaced in its use.