Municipalities of Estonia
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A Municipality (Estonian: omavalitsus) is the smallest administrative subdivision of Estonia. Each municipality is a unit of self-government with its representative and executive bodies. The municipalities in Estonia cover the entire territory of the country.
Municipalities in Estonia are of two types: urban municipalities, or towns (Est.: linnad, sg. – linn) and rural municipalities, or parishes (Est.: vallad, sg. – vald). There is no other status distinction between them.
Municipality may contain one or several populated places. Some urban municipalities are divided into districts (Est.: linnaosad, sg. – linnaosa) with limited self-government, e.g. Tallinn consists of 8 districts (Haabersti, Kesklinn, Kristiine, Lasnamäe, Mustamäe, Nõmme, Pirita, Põhja-Tallinn).
Municipalities range in population from Tallinn with 427,500 inhabitants to Ruhnu with 68.[1] As over two-thirds of the municipalities have a population of under 3,000, many of them have found it advantageous to co-operate in providing services and carrying out administrative functions.
Since 2009 there are total of 226 municipalities in Estonia, 34 of them are urban and 193 are rural. The municipalities are listed below, by county:
Harju County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Aegviidu (borough)
- Anija Parish (includes the town of Kehra)
- Harku Parish
- Jõelähtme Parish
- Keila Parish
- Kernu Parish
- Kiili Parish (includes the borough of Kiili)
- Kose Parish
- Kuusalu Parish
- Kõue Parish
- Nissi Parish
- Padise Parish
- Raasiku Parish
- Rae Parish
- Saku Parish
- Saue Parish
- Vasalemma Parish
- Viimsi Parish
Hiiu County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Ida-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Järva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Albu Parish
- Ambla Parish
- Imavere Parish
- Järva-Jaani Parish (includes the borough of Järva-Jaani)
- Kareda Parish
- Koeru Parish
- Koigi Parish
- Paide Parish
- Roosna-Alliku Parish
- Türi Parish (includes the town of Türi)
- Väätsa Parish
Jõgeva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Lääne County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Lääne-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Haljala Parish
- Kadrina Parish
- Laekvere Parish
- Rakke Parish
- Rakvere Parish
- Rägavere Parish
- Sõmeru Parish
- Tamsalu Parish (includes the town of Tamsalu)
- Tapa Parish (includes the town of Tapa)
- Vihula Parish
- Vinni Parish
- Viru-Nigula Parish
- Väike-Maarja Parish
Pärnu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Are Parish
- Audru Parish
- Halinga Parish (includes the borough of Pärnu-Jaagupi)
- Häädemeeste Parish
- Kihnu Parish
- Koonga Parish
- Lavassaare (borough)
- Paikuse Parish (includes the borough of Paikuse)
- Saarde Parish (includes the town of Kilingi-Nõmme)
- Sauga Parish
- Surju Parish
- Tahkuranna Parish
- Tootsi (borough)
- Tori Parish
- Tõstamaa Parish
- Varbla Parish
- Vändra Parish
- Vändra (borough)
Põlva County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Rapla County
Rural municipalities:
- Juuru Parish
- Järvakandi (borough)
- Kaiu Parish
- Kehtna Parish
- Kohila Parish (includes the borough of Kohila)
- Käru Parish
- Märjamaa Parish (includes the borough of Märjamaa)
- Raikküla Parish
- Rapla Parish (includes the town of Rapla)
- Vigala Parish
Saare County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Tartu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Valga County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Viljandi County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Abja Parish (includes the town of Abja-Paluoja)
- Halliste Parish
- Karksi Parish (includes the town of Karksi-Nuia)
- Kolga-Jaani Parish
- Kõo Parish
- Kõpu Parish
- Paistu Parish
- Pärsti Parish
- Saarepeedi Parish
- Suure-Jaani Parish (includes the town of Suure-Jaani)
- Tarvastu Parish
- Viiratsi Parish
Võru County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
In each municipality there is a local government as well as a council.
The council (Estonian: volikogu) is a representative body elected by the residents of a municipality for a term of three years. The members of the council elect a chairman (Estonian: volikogu esimees), who organises the council’s work and represents the municipality.
The government (Estonian: valitsus) is an executive body formed by the council. It is headed by a mayor (Estonian: linnapea in towns, vallavanem in parishes), who is appointed for a four-year term. The mayor cannot be the chairman of the council. Other members of the government are chosen by the mayor with the approval of the council.
References
↑Jump back a sectionExternal links
- Local Government Reform an Estonian Institute publication
- Local Government Reform an Institute of Baltic Studies publication
- Administrative Division of Estonia Institute of the Estonian Language website
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