Municipalities of Estonia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Estonia |
 This article is part of the series: |
|
|
|
|
Other countries · Politics Portal |
A Municipality (est: 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 communes (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:
[edit] Harju County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Aegviidu
- Anija Commune (includes Kehra)
- Harku Commune
- Jõelähtme Commune
- Keila Commune
- Kernu Commune
- Kiili Commune
- Kose Commune
- Kuusalu Commune
- Kõue Commune
- Nissi Commune
- Padise Commune
- Raasiku Commune
- Rae Commune
- Saku Commune
- Saue Commune
- Vasalemma Commune
- Viimsi Commune
[edit] Hiiu County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
[edit] Ida-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Alajõe Commune
- Aseri Commune
- Avinurme Commune
- Iisaku Commune
- Illuka Commune
- Jõhvi Commune (includes Jõhvi)
- Kohtla Commune
- Kohtla-Nõmme
- Lohusuu Commune
- Lüganuse Commune
- Maidla Commune
- Mäetaguse Commune
- Sonda Commune
- Toila Commune
- Tudulinna Commune
- Vaivara Commune
[edit] Järva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Albu Commune
- Ambla Commune
- Imavere Commune
- Järva-Jaani Commune
- Kareda Commune
- Koeru Commune
- Koigi Commune
- Paide Commune
- Roosna-Alliku Commune
- Türi Commune (includes Türi)
- Väätsa Commune
[edit] Jõgeva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Jõgeva Commune
- Kasepää Commune
- Pajusi Commune
- Pala Commune
- Palamuse Commune
- Puurmani Commune
- Põltsamaa Commune
- Saare Commune
- Tabivere Commune
- Torma Commune
[edit] Lääne County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Hanila Commune
- Kullamaa Commune
- Lihula Commune (includes Lihula)
- Martna Commune
- Noarootsi Commune
- Nõva Commune
- Oru Commune
- Ridala Commune
- Risti Commune
- Taebla Commune
- Vormsi Commune
[edit] Lääne-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Haljala Commune
- Kadrina Commune
- Laekvere Commune
- Rakke Commune
- Rakvere Commune
- Rägavere Commune
- Sõmeru Commune
- Tamsalu Commune (includes Tamsalu)
- Tapa Commune (includes Tapa)
- Vihula Commune
- Vinni Commune
- Viru-Nigula Commune
- Väike-Maarja Commune
[edit] Põlva County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Ahja Commune
- Kanepi Commune
- Kõlleste Commune
- Laheda Commune
- Mikitamäe Commune
- Mooste Commune
- Orava Commune
- Põlva Commune
- Räpina Commune (includes Räpina)
- Valgjärve Commune
- Vastse-Kuuste Commune
- Veriora Commune
- Värska Commune
[edit] Pärnu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Are Commune
- Audru Commune
- Halinga Commune
- Häädemeeste Commune
- Kaisma Commune
- Kihnu Commune
- Koonga Commune
- Lavassaare Commune
- Paikuse Commune
- Saarde Commune (includes Kilingi-Nõmme)
- Sauga Commune
- Surju Commune
- Tahkuranna Commune
- Tootsi Commune
- Tori Commune
- Tõstamaa Commune
- Varbla Commune
- Vändra Commune
- Vändra
[edit] Rapla County
Rural municipalities:
- Juuru Commune
- Järvakandi Commune
- Kaiu Commune
- Kehtna Commune
- Kohila Commune
- Käru Commune
- Märjamaa Commune
- Raikküla Commune
- Rapla Commune (includes Rapla)
- Vigala Commune
[edit] Saare County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Kaarma Commune
- Kihelkonna Commune
- Kärla Commune
- Laimjala Commune
- Leisi Commune
- Lümanda Commune
- Muhu Commune
- Mustjala Commune
- Orissaare Commune
- Pihtla Commune
- Pöide Commune
- Ruhnu Commune
- Salme Commune
- Torgu Commune
- Valjala Commune
[edit] Tartu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Alatskivi Commune
- Haaslava Commune
- Kambja Commune
- Konguta Commune
- Laeva Commune
- Luunja Commune
- Meeksi Commune
- Mäksa Commune
- Nõo Commune
- Peipsiääre Commune
- Piirissaare Commune
- Puhja Commune
- Rannu Commune
- Rõngu Commune
- Tartu Commune
- Tähtvere Commune
- Vara Commune
- Võnnu Commune
- Ülenurme Commune
[edit] Valga County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Helme Commune
- Hummuli Commune
- Karula Commune
- Otepää Commune (includes Otepää)
- Palupera Commune
- Puka Commune
- Põdrala Commune
- Sangaste Commune
- Taheva Commune
- Tõlliste Commune
- Õru Commune
[edit] Viljandi County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
- Abja Commune (includes Abja-Paluoja)
- Halliste Commune
- Karksi Commune (includes Karksi-Nuia)
- Kolga-Jaani Commune
- Kõo Commune
- Kõpu Commune
- Paistu Commune
- Pärsti Commune
- Saarepeedi Commune
- Suure-Jaani Commune (includes Suure-Jaani)
- Tarvastu Commune
- Viiratsi Commune
[edit] Võru County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
- Antsla Commune (includes Antsla)
- Haanja Commune
- Lasva Commune
- Meremäe Commune
- Misso Commune
- Mõniste Commune
- Rõuge Commune
- Sõmerpalu Commune
- Urvaste Commune
- Varstu Commune
- Vastseliina Commune
- Võru Commune
[edit] Structure of local authorities
In each municipality there is a local government as well as a council.
The council (est: 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 (est: volikogu esimees) , who organises the council’s work and represents the municipality.
The government (est: valitsus) is an executive body formed by the council. It is headed by a mayor (est: linnapea in towns, vallavanem in communes), who is appointed for a three-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.
[edit] See also
[edit] 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
