A municipality (, plural ) 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 (, singular ) Rural municipalities or parishes (, singular ).
There is no other status distinction between them.
Municipalities may contain one or several settlements. All but 5 urban municipalities (Haapsalu, Narva-Jõesuu, Paide, Pärnu and Tartu) plus 1 rural municipality (Ruhnu) contain only one settlement. As of 2017, there are no longer any "borough-parishes", i.e. rural municipalities with only one borough-type settlement. Ruhnu Parish contains only one village and is therefore a "village-parish".
Some municipalities are divided into districts. The 8 urban districts (, singular ) of Tallinn have limited self-government, while other urban districts are formed for administrative purposes. Some rural districts () have limited self-government, while other types of rural districts do not.
Municipalities range in population from Tallinn with 427,500 inhabitants to Ruhnu with 68. Previously, as over two-thirds of the municipalities had a population of under 3,000, many of them found it advantageous to co-operate in providing services and carrying out administrative functions.
After the administrative reform was completed in October 2017 and a single merger in 2025, there are total of 78 municipalities, 15 of which are urban and 63 rural. 50 of the present municipalities were the result of mergers, 28 remain unchanged. After the reform small municipalities with under 5,000 inhabitants have been reduced from a number of 169 to 15. The number of councillors was reduced from 2,026 to 1,019. In 2022, 36 municipalities (45.56%) had falling population numbers.
List
Name Capital Area (km2) Population Type County Flag Coat ofArms MapAlutaguseIisaku1,439.614,176Rural Ida-Viru CountyAnijaKehra520.946,456Rural Harju CountyAntslaAntsla4114,200Rural Võru CountyElvaElva73214,863 Rural Tartu CountyHäädemeesteUulu4944,677Rural Pärnu CountyHaapsaluHaapsalu27213,435Urban Lääne CountyHaljalaVõsu183.024,072Rural Lääne-Viru CountyHarkuTabasalu159.7717,294Rural Harju CountyHiiumaaKärdla1,0238,474Rural Hiiu CountyJärvaJärva-Jaani1,2238,725Rural Järva CountyJõelähtmeJõelähtme210.867,305Rural Harju CountyJõgevaJõgeva45813,122Rural Jõgeva CountyJõhviJõhvi39016,748Rural Ida-Viru CountyKadrinaKadrina329.364,799Rural Lääne-Viru CountyKambjaÜlenurme27513,705Rural Tartu CountyKanepiKanepi524.684,453Rural Põlva CountyKastreKurepalu4935,718Rural Tartu CountyKehtnaJärvakandi5125,454Rural Rapla CountyKeilaKeila11.2510,905Urban Harju CountyKihnuSääre16.88529Rural Pärnu CountyKiiliKiili100.46,391Rural Harju CountyKohilaKohila230.27,726Rural Rapla CountyKohtla-JärveKohtla-Järve68.7733,675Urban Ida-Viru CountyKoseKose532.857,754Rural Harju CountyKuusaluKuusalu707.976,380Rural Harju CountyLääne-HarjuPaldiski645.7113,462Rural Harju CountyLääne-NigulaTaebla1,4496,961Rural Lääne CountyLäänerannaLihula1,3525,092Rural Pärnu CountyLoksaLoksa3.812,603Urban Harju CountyLüganuseKiviõli5998,250Rural Ida-Viru CountyLuunjaLuunja1345,612Rural Tartu CountyMaarduMaardu22.7616,750Urban Harju CountyMärjamaaMärjamaa1,1647,405Rural Rapla CountyMuhuLiiva2081,640Rural Saare CountyMulgiAbja-Paluoja8817,086Rural Viljandi CountyMustveeMustvee6154,952Rural Jõgeva CountyNarvaNarva84.5453,875Urban Ida-Viru CountyNarva-JõesuuNarva-Jõesuu4054,269Urban Ida-Viru CountyNõoNõo1704,289Rural Tartu CountyOtepääOtepää5206,388Rural Valga CountyPaidePaide44310,664Urban Järva CountyPärnuPärnu85852,362Urban Pärnu CountyPeipsiääreAlatskivi6525,059Rural Tartu CountyPõhja-PärnumaaVändra1,0138,088Rural Pärnu CountyPõhja-SakalaSuure-Jaani1,1537,748Rural Viljandi CountyPõltsamaaPõltsamaa889.569,665Rural Jõgeva CountyPõlvaPõlva70613,534Rural Põlva CountyRaasikuAruküla158.865,284Rural Harju CountyRaeJüri206.724,276Rural Harju CountyRakvere (parish)Sõmeru2955,859Rural Lääne-Viru CountyRakvere (town)Rakvere10.6415,614Urban Lääne-Viru CountyRäpinaRäpina265.936,049Rural Põlva CountyRaplaRapla85913,453Rural Rapla CountyRõugeRõuge9334,865Rural Võru CountyRuhnuRuhnu11.988Rural Saare CountySaardeKilingi-Nõmme706.94,393Rural Pärnu CountySaaremaaKuressaare2,70530,191Rural Saare CountySakuSaku171.1311,510Rural Harju CountySaueSaue62825,370Rural Harju CountySetomaaVärska 463.182,823Rural Võru CountySillamäeSillamäe10.5412,452Urban Ida-Viru CountyTallinnTallinn159.2453,864Urban Harju CountyTapaTapa48011,082Rural Lääne-Viru CountyTartu (parish)Kõrveküla74212,420Rural Tartu CountyTartu (city)Tartu154100,724Urban Tartu CountyToriSindi61112,203Rural Pärnu CountyTõrvaTõrva6475,862Rural Valga CountyTüriTüri1,00810,683Rural Järva CountyVäike-MaarjaVäike-Maarja457.395,653Rural Lääne-Viru CountyValgaValga75015,864Rural Valga CountyViimsiViimsi72.8422,472Rural Harju CountyViljandi (parish)Viljandi65113,450Rural Viljandi CountyViljandi (town)Viljandi14.6217,353Urban Viljandi CountyVinniPajusti486.656,716Rural Lääne-Viru CountyViru-NigulaKunda3125,813Rural Lääne-Viru CountyVormsiHullo92.93292Rural Lääne CountyVõru (parish)Võru95210,374Rural Võru CountyVõru (town)Võru13.2412,055Urban Võru County
Gallery of Maps
Structure of local authorities In each municipality there is a local government as well as a council.
The council () 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 (), who organises the council's work and represents the municipality.
The government () is an executive body formed by the council. It is headed by a mayor ( in towns, 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 The list of municipalities that have merged or lost existence between 1995 and 2025.
1996 Pärnu-Jaagupi borough was merged into Halinga Parish 1998 Abja-Paluoja town was merged into Abja Parish 1999 Otepää town and Pühajärve Parish formed Otepää Parish Lihula town was merged into Lihula Parish Võsu borough was merged into Vihula Parish Karksi-Nuia town was merged into Karksi Parish Kaarma Parish and Kuressaare Parish formed Kaarma Parish Antsla town was merged into Antsla Parish 2002 Kehra town was merged into Anija Parish Rapla town was merged into Rapla Parish Räpina town was merged into Räpina Parish Kohila borough was merged into Kohila Parish Märjamaa borough, Märjamaa Parish and Loodna Parish formed Märjamaa Parish 2005 Tapa town, Saksi Parish and Lehtse Parish formed Tapa Parish Jõhvi town was merged into Jõhvi Parish Kuusalu Parish and Loksa Parish formed Kuusalu Parish Kilingi-Nõmme town, Saarde Parish and Tali Parish formed Saarde Parish Suure-Jaani town, Olustvere Parish, Suure-Jaani Parish and Vastemõisa Parish formed Suure-Jaani Parish Türi town, Türi Parish, Oisu Parish and Kabala Parish formed Türi Parish Tamsalu town was merged into Tamsalu Parish 2009 Kaisma Parish and Vändra Parish formed Vändra Parish 2013 Pärsti Parish, Paistu Parish, Viiratsi Parish and Saarepeedi Parish formed Viljandi Parish Põlva town was merged into Põlva Parish Kose Parish and Kõue Parish formed Kose Parish Lavassaare borough was merged into Audru Parish Kärdla town and Kõrgessaare Parish formed Hiiu Parish Oru Parish, Risti Parish and Taebla Parish formed Lääne-Nigula Parish Püssi town, Maidla Parish and Lüganuse Parish formed Lüganuse Parish 2014 Kaarma Parish, Kärla Parish and Lümanda Parish formed Lääne-Saare Parish 2017 Aegviidu borough was merged into Anija Parish Keila Parish, Padise Parish, Vasalemma Parish and Paldiski town formed Lääne-Harju Parish Saue town, Saue Parish, Kernu Parish and Nissi Parish formed Saue Parish Hiiu Parish, Emmaste Parish, Käina Parish and Pühalepa Parish formed Hiiumaa Parish Kiviõli town, Lüganuse Parish and Sonda Parish formed Lüganuse Parish Alajõe Parish, Iisaku Parish, Illuka Parish, Mäetaguse Parish and Tudulinna Parish formed Alutaguse Parish Toila Parish, Kohtla Parish and Kohtla-Nõmme borough formed Toila Parish Narva-Jõesuu town and Vaivara Parish formed Narva-Jõesuu (urban municipality) Albu Parish, Ambla Parish, Imavere Parish, Järva-Jaani, Kareda Parish, Koeru Parish and Koigi Parish formed Järva Parish Türi Parish, Väätsa Parish and Käru Parish formed Türi Parish Paide town, Paide Parish and Roosna-Alliku Parish formed Paide (urban municipality) Jõgeva town, Jõgeva Parish, Palamuse Parish, most of Torma Parish and some parts of Puurmani Parish formed Jõgeva Parish Põltsamaa town, Põltsamaa Parish, Pajusi Parish and most of Puurmani Parish formed Põltsamaa Parish Mustvee town, Kasepää Parish, Saare Parish, Lohusuu Parish, Avinurme Parish and some parts of Torma Parish formed Mustvee Parish Haapsalu town and Ridala Parish formed Haapsalu (urban municipality) Lääne-Nigula Parish, Martna Parish, Kullamaa Parish, Nõva Parish and Noarootsi Parish formed Lääne-Nigula Parish Viru-Nigula Parish, Aseri Parish and Kunda town formed Viru-Nigula Parish Haljala Parish and Vihula Parish formed Haljala Parish Rakvere Parish and Sõmeru Parish formed Rakvere Parish Tapa Parish and Tamsalu Parish formed Tapa Parish Väike-Maarja Parish and Rakke Parish formed Väike-Maarja Parish Vinni Parish, Laekvere Parish and Rägavere Parish formed Vinni Parish Pärnu town, Audru Parish, Tõstamaa Parish and Paikuse Parish formed Pärnu (urban municipality) Lihula Parish, Hanila Parish, Koonga Parish and Varbla Parish formed Lääneranna Parish Halinga Parish, Vändra Parish, Vändra borough and Tootsi borough formed Põhja-Pärnumaa Parish Tori Parish, Are Parish, Sauga Parish and Sindi town formed Tori Parish Häädemeeste Parish and Tahkuranna Parish formed Häädemeeste Parish Saarde Parish and Surju Parish formed Saarde Parish Põlva Parish, Laheda Parish, Ahja Parish, Mooste Parish and Vastse-Kuuste Parish formed Põlva Parish Kanepi Parish, Valgjärve Parish and Kõlleste Parish formed Kanepi Parish Räpina Parish, Veriora Parish and Meeksi Parish formed Räpina Parishˇ Rapla Parish, Juuru Parish, Kaiu Parish and most of Raikküla Parish formed Rapla Parish Märjamaa Parish, Vigala Parish and some parts of Raikküla Parish formed Märjamaa Parish Kehtna Parish and Järvakandi borough formed Kehtna Parish Kuressaare town, Lääne-Saare Parish, Salme Parish, Torgu Parish, Kihelkonna Parish, Mustjala Parish, Leisi Parish, Pihtla Parish, Valjala Parish, Orissaare Parish, Pöide Parish and Laimjala Parish formed Saaremaa Parish Tartu town and Tähtvere Parish formed Tartu (urban municipality) Elva town, Konguta Parish, Rannu Parish, Rõngu Parish, Puhja Parish and parts of Puka Parish and Palupera Parish formed Elva Parish Tartu Parish, Laeva Parish, Piirissaare Parish and Tabivere Parish formed Tartu Parish Kallaste town, Peipsiääre Parish, Alatskivi Parish, Vara Parish and Pala Parish formed Peipsiääre Parish Kambja Parish and Ülenurme Parish formed Kambja Parish Haaslava Parish, Mäksa Parish and Võnnu Parish formed Kastre Parish Valga town, Karula Parish, Taheva Parish, Tõlliste Parish and Õru Parish formed Valga Parish Otepää Parish, Sangaste Parish and parts of Puka Parish and Palupera Parish formed Otepää Parish Tõrva town, Helme Parish, Hummuli Parish and Põdrala Parish formed Tõrva Parish Viljandi Parish, Tarvastu Parish and Kolga-Jaani Parish formed Viljandi Parish Suure-Jaani Parish, Kõpu Parish, Kõo Parish and Võhma town formed Põhja-Sakala Parish Abja Parish, Karksi Parish, Halliste Parish and Mõisaküla town formed Mulgi Parish Võru Parish, Lasva Parish, Sõmerpalu Parish, Vastseliina Parish and Orava Parish formed Võru Parish Antsla Parish and Urvaste Parish formed Antsla Parish Rõuge Parish, Haanja Parish, Varstu Parish, Mõniste Parish and most of Misso Parish formed Rõuge Parish