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Municipalities of Estonia
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Municipalities of Estonia
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:
Municipalities of Harju County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Hiiu County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Ida-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Järva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Jõgeva County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Lääne County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Lääne-Viru County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Pärnu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Põlva County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Rapla County
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Saare County
Urban municipality:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Tartu County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Valga County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
Municipalities of Viljandi County
Urban municipalities:
Rural municipalities:
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 (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 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
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