Counties
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Estonia is a unitary country with a single-tier local government system. Local affairs are managed autonomously by local governments.
Since administrative reform in 2017, there are in total 79 local governments, including 15 towns and 64 rural municipalities. All municipalities have equal legal status and form part of a county, which is a state administrative unit. [1] Representative body of local authorities is municipal council, elected at general direct elections for a four-year term. The council appoints local government, headed by a mayor. For additional decentralization the local authorities may form municipal districts with limited authority, currently those have been formed in Tallinn and Hiiumaa. [2]
Separately from administrative units there are also settlement units: village, small borough, borough, and town. Generally villages have less than 300, small borough have between 300 and 1000, borough and town have over 1000 inhabitants. [2]
Database which consists of info about Estonian administrative units and settlements, is called EHAK (abbreviation for Estonian Eesti haldus- ja asustusjaotuse klassifikaator). [3]
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A municipality 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.
Kohtla-Järve is a city and municipality in northeastern Estonia, founded in 1924 and incorporated as a town in 1946. The city is highly industrial, and is both a processor of oil shales and is a large producer of various petrochemical products. During the 1944–1991 Soviet occupation, large numbers of immigrant workers from Russia and other parts of the former USSR were brought in to populate the rapidly growing city. The population in the Kohtla-Järve area which had been, as of 1934 census, over 90% ethnic Estonian, became overwhelmingly non-Estonian in the second half of the 20th century. According to more recent data 21% of the city's population are ethnic Estonians; most of the rest are Russians. Kohtla-Järve is the fifth-largest city in Estonia in terms of population.
Kunda is a town in the Viru-Nigula Parish of Estonia, located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Kunda is most famous for its cement factory, port and archaeological heritage.
Kihelkonna is a small borough in Saare County, on the western part of Saaremaa Island, Estonia. It was the administrative centre of Kihelkonna Parish.
The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) is a geocode standard for referencing the subdivisions of Estonia for statistical purposes. The standard is developed and regulated by the European Union. The NUTS standard is instrumental in delivering the European Union's Structural Funds. The NUTS code for Estonia is EE and a hierarchy of three levels is established by Eurostat. Below these is a further levels of geographic organisation - the local administrative unit (LAU). In Estonia, the LAU 1 is counties and the LAU 2 are municipalities.
Taebla is a small borough in Lääne County, Estonia, the administrative centre of Lääne-Nigula Parish. It has a population of 929.
Järva-Jaani is a borough in Järva County, in Järva Parish, central Estonia. It was the administrative center of Järva-Jaani Parish.
Käru is a small borough in Türi Parish, Järva County, Estonia. Before the administrative reform in 2017, Käru was the administrative centre of Käru Parish.
Eidapere is a small borough in Kehtna Parish, Rapla County, Estonia.
Kaiu is a small borough in Rapla Parish, Rapla County, Estonia.
Juuru is a small borough in Rapla Parish, Rapla County, Estonia. From 1991 until 2017, Juuru was the administrative center of Juuru Parish.
Habaja is a small borough in Kose Parish, Harju County, northern Estonia.
Varinurme is a village in Lüganuse Parish, Ida-Viru County in northeastern Estonia. It is located between Sonda, the centre of the parish, and the town of Kiviõli.
Ellakvere is a village in Jõgeva Parish, Jõgeva County in eastern Estonia. The village is known for the garlic grown there.
Aasuvälja is a village in Vinni Parish, Lääne-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia. Prior to the 2017 administrative reform of Estonian local governments, the village was located in Rägavere Parish.
Rahkla is a village in Rakvere Parish, Lääne-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia.
Vana-Sonda is a village in Lüganuse Parish, Ida-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia. It's located about 1.5 km east of Sonda. Vana-Sonda has a population of 15
Lääne-Harju Parish is a rural municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 12,865 and covers an area of 645.71 km². The population density is 19.9238/km2 (51.6024/sq mi).
Administrative reform in Estonia was administrative reform which took place in 2017 and resulting in new administrative units in Estonia. In general, old units incorporated voluntarily, but in some cases incorporations were forced by state powers. After the reform, there are 79 administrative units : 15 urban and 64 rural municipalities. 185 municipalities merged to form 51 new ones, and 28 municipalities did not merge.
