Estonia is a unitary country with a single-tier local government system. Local affairs are managed autonomously by local governments. There are 78 municipalities from 28 November 2025. Two rural municipalities merged in Ida-Virumaa County to form (the new) Jõhvi Parish.
Since administrative reform in 2017, there were in total 79 local governments, including 15 towns and 64 rural municipalities. From 28 November 2025 there are 63 rural municipalities and 15 towns. All municipalities have equal legal status and form part of a county, which is a state administrative unit. 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.
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.
Database which consists of info about Estonian administrative units and settlements, is called EHAK (abbreviation for Estonian Eesti haldus- ja asustusjaotuse klassifikaator).
Counties
Harju County Hiiu County Ida-Viru County Jõgeva County Järva County Lääne County Lääne-Viru County Põlva County Pärnu County Rapla County Saare County Tartu County Valga County Viljandi County Võru County
Parishes or municipalities
Harju County
Anija Parish Harku Parish Jõelähtme Parish Keila (urban municipality) Kiili Parish Kose Parish Kuusalu Parish Loksa (urban municipality) Lääne-Harju Parish Maardu (urban municipality) Raasiku Parish Rae Parish Saku Parish Saue Parish Tallinn (urban municipality, capital) Viimsi Parish
Hiiu County
Hiiumaa Parish
Ida-Viru County
Alutaguse Parish Jõhvi Parish Kohtla-Järve (urban municipality) Lüganuse Parish Narva (urban municipality) Narva-Jõesuu (urban municipality) Sillamäe (urban municipality)
Jõgeva County
Jõgeva Parish Mustvee Parish Põltsamaa Parish Järva County
Järva Parish Paide (urban municipality) Türi Parish
Lääne County
Haapsalu (urban municipality) Lääne-Nigula Parish Vormsi Parish
Lääne-Viru County
Haljala Parish Kadrina Parish Rakvere (urban municipality) Rakvere Parish Tapa Parish Vinni Parish Viru-Nigula Parish Väike-Maarja Parish
Põlva County
Kanepi Parish Põlva Parish Räpina Parish
Pärnu County
Häädemeeste Parish Kihnu Parish Lääneranna Parish Põhja-Pärnumaa Parish Pärnu (urban municipality) Saarde Parish Tori Parish Rapla County
Kehtna Parish Kohila Parish Märjamaa Parish Rapla Parish
Saare County
Saaremaa Parish Muhu Parish Ruhnu Parish
Tartu County
Elva Parish Kambja Parish Kastre Parish Luunja Parish Nõo Parish Peipsiääre Parish Tartu (urban municipality) Tartu Parish
Valga County
Otepää Parish Tõrva Parish Valga Parish
Viljandi County
Mulgi Parish Põhja-Sakala Parish Viljandi (urban municipality) Viljandi Parish
Võru County
Antsla Parish Rõuge Parish Setomaa Parish Võru (urban municipality) Võru Parish
See also Boroughs of Estonia Populated places in Estonia
References