Municipalities of Estonia
A municipality (Estonian: omavalitsus, plural omavalitsused) 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 (linnad, singular linn) and rural municipalities or parishes (vallad, singular vald). There is no other status distinction between them.
Municipality may contain one or several populated places. Some urban municipalities are divided into districts (linnaosad, singular 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.
Currently, since 12 December 2014,[2] there are total of 213 municipalities, 30 of which are urban and 183 rural. By county, these are:
Contents
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Harju County 1
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Hiiu County 2
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Ida-Viru County 3
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Järva County 4
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Jõgeva County 5
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Lääne County 6
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Lääne-Viru County 7
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Pärnu County 8
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Põlva County 9
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Rapla County 10
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Saare County 11
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Tartu County 12
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Valga County 13
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Viljandi County 14
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Võru County 15
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Structure of local authorities 16
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Former municipalities 17
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See also 18
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References 19
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External links 20
23 municipalities (6 urban, 17 rural)
Municipalities of Harju County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
4 rural municipalities
Municipalities of Hiiu County
Rural municipalities:
20 municipalities (5 urban, 15 rural)
Municipalities of Ida-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
12 municipalities (1 urban, 11 rural)
Municipalities of Järva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
13 municipalities (3 urban, 10 rural)
Municipalities of Jõgeva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
10 municipalities (1 urban, 9 rural)
Municipalities of Lääne County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
15 municipalities (2 urban, 13 rural)
Municipalities of Lääne-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
19 municipalities (2 urban, 17 rural)
Municipalities of Pärnu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
13 rural municipalities
Municipalities of Põlva County
Rural municipalities:
10 rural municipalities
Municipalities of Rapla County
Rural municipalities:
14 municipalities (1 urban, 13 rural)
Municipalities of Saare County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
22 municipalities (3 urban, 19 rural)
Municipalities of Tartu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
13 municipalities (2 urban, 11 rural)
Municipalities of Valga County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
12 municipalities (3 urban, 9 rural)
Municipalities of Viljandi County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
13 municipalities (1 urban, 12 rural)
Municipalities of Võru County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Structure of local authorities
In each municipality there is a local government as well as a council.
The council (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 (volikogu esimees), who organises the council’s work and represents the municipality.
The government (valitsus) is an executive body formed by the council. It is headed by a mayor (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.
Former municipalities
See also
References
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^ http://www.einst.ee/factsheets/factsheets_uus_kuju/local_government_reform.htm
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^ "Täna tõmmati esmakordselt lehvima uue Lääne-Saare valla lipp" (in Estonian).
External links
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