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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 are ranging in size from Tallinn with 400,000 inhabitants to Ruhnu with as few as 60. 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 October 2005 there are total of 227 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
- Anija Parish (includes Kehra)
- Harku Parish
- Jõelähtme Parish
- Keila Parish
- Kernu Parish
- Kiili Parish
- 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:
- Alajõe Parish
- Aseri Parish
- Avinurme Parish
- Iisaku Parish
- Illuka Parish
- Jõhvi Parish (includes Jõhvi)
- Kohtla Parish
- Kohtla-Nõmme
- Lohusuu Parish
- Lüganuse Parish
- Maidla Parish
- Mäetaguse Parish
- Sonda Parish
- Toila Parish
- Tudulinna Parish
- Vaivara Parish
Järva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Albu Parish
- Ambla Parish
- Imavere Parish
- Järva-Jaani Parish
- Kareda Parish
- Koeru Parish
- Koigi Parish
- Paide Parish
- Roosna-Alliku Parish
- Türi Parish (includes Türi)
- Väätsa Parish
Jõgeva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Jõgeva Parish
- Kasepää Parish
- Pajusi Parish
- Pala Parish
- Palamuse Parish
- Puurmani Parish
- Põltsamaa Parish
- Saare Parish
- Tabivere Parish
- Torma Parish
Lääne County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Hanila Parish
- Kullamaa Parish
- Lihula Parish (includes Lihula)
- Martna Parish
- Noarootsi Parish
- Nõva Parish
- Oru Parish
- Ridala Parish
- Risti Parish
- Taebla Parish
- Vormsi Parish
Lääne-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Haljala Parish
- Kadrina Parish
- Laekvere Parish
- Rakke Parish
- Rakvere Parish
- Rägavere Parish
- Sõmeru Parish
- Tamsalu Parish (includes Tamsalu)
- Tapa Parish (includes Tapa)
- Vihula Parish
- Vinni Parish
- Viru-Nigula Parish
- Väike-Maarja Parish
Pärnu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Are Parish
- Audru Parish
- Halinga Parish
- Häädemeeste Parish
- Kaisma Parish
- Kihnu Parish
- Koonga Parish
- Lavassaare Parish
- Paikuse Parish
- Saarde Parish (includes Kilingi-Nõmme)
- Sauga Parish
- Surju Parish
- Tahkuranna Parish
- Tootsi Parish
- Tori Parish
- Tõstamaa Parish
- Varbla Parish
- Vändra Parish
- Vändra
Põlva County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Ahja Parish
- Kanepi Parish
- Kõlleste Parish
- Laheda Parish
- Mikitamäe Parish
- Mooste Parish
- Orava Parish
- Põlva Parish
- Räpina Parish (includes Räpina)
- Valgjärve Parish
- Vastse-Kuuste Parish
- Veriora Parish
- Värska Parish
Rapla County
Rural municipalities:
- Juuru Parish
- Järvakandi Parish
- Kaiu Parish
- Kehtna Parish
- Kohila Parish
- Käru Parish
- Märjamaa Parish
- Raikküla Parish
- Rapla Parish (includes Rapla)
- Vigala Parish
Saare County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Kaarma Parish
- Kihelkonna Parish
- Kärla Parish
- Laimjala Parish
- Leisi Parish
- Lümanda Parish
- Muhu Parish
- Mustjala Parish
- Orissaare Parish
- Pihtla Parish
- Pöide Parish
- Ruhnu Parish
- Salme Parish
- Torgu Parish
- Valjala Parish
Tartu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Alatskivi Parish
- Haaslava Parish
- Kambja Parish
- Konguta Parish
- Laeva Parish
- Luunja Parish
- Meeksi Parish
- Mäksa Parish
- Nõo Parish
- Peipsiääre Parish
- Piirissaare Parish
- Puhja Parish
- Rannu Parish
- Rõngu Parish
- Tartu Parish
- Tähtvere Parish
- Vara Parish
- Võnnu Parish
- Ülenurme Parish
Valga County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Helme Parish
- Hummuli Parish
- Karula Parish
- Otepää Parish (includes Otepää)
- Palupera Parish
- Puka Parish
- Põdrala Parish
- Sangaste Parish
- Taheva Parish
- Tõlliste Parish
- Õru Parish
Viljandi County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Abja Parish (includes Abja-Paluoja)
- Halliste Parish
- Karksi Parish (includes Karksi-Nuia)
- Kolga-Jaani Parish
- Kõo Parish
- Kõpu Parish
- Paistu Parish
- Pärsti Parish
- Saarepeedi Parish
- Suure-Jaani Parish (includes Suure-Jaani)
- Tarvastu Parish
- Viiratsi Parish
Võru County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Antsla Parish (includes Antsla)
- Haanja Parish
- Lasva Parish
- Meremäe Parish
- Misso Parish
- Mõniste Parish
- Rõuge Parish
- Sõmerpalu Parish
- Urvaste Parish
- Varstu Parish
- Vastseliina Parish
- Võru Parish
Structure of local authorities
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.
See also
External 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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