Saaremaa Parish, also known as Saaremaa Municipality (), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

Saare County Saare County ( or ''Saaremaa''; ; ; ; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It consists of Saaremaa, the largest island of Estonia, and several smaller islands near it, most notably Muhu, Ruhnu, Abruka and Vilsandi. The county borders Lääne Count ...

in western

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

. It is the largest municipality by land area and largest rural municipality – or parish – by population in Estonia. The administrative centre of the municipality is its only town

Kuressaare Kuressaare () is a populated places in Estonia, town on the island of Saaremaa in Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Municipality and the seat of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded popul ...

. It is one of three parishes comprising the county, along with

Muhu Muhu (also called Muhumaa in Estonian) is an island in the West Estonian archipelago of the Baltic Sea. With an area of , it is the third largest island belonging to Estonia, after Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. Together with neighbouring smaller i ...

and

Ruhnu Parish Ruhnu Parish (Estonian language, Estonian: ''Ruhnu vald'') is a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Saare County, Estonia. It encompasses the island of Ruhnu in the Gulf of Riga, together with a number of uninhabited islets. Its population ...

. It was formed following the 2017 Estonian municipal reform on 21 October 2017 on the basis of all twelve former

Saaremaa Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hi ...

municipalities:

town and

Kihelkonna Kihelkonna () is a small borough () in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia. It was the administrative centre of Kihelkonna Parish (until 2017). Gallery File:Kihelkonna Mihkli kirik 2009.jpg, Kihelkonna St. Michael's Church File:Ki ...

, Laimjala, Leisi, Lääne-Saare,

Mustjala Mustjala is a village in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the ...

, Orissaare, Pihtla, Pöide, Salme, Torgu and

Valjala Valjala () is a Populated places in Estonia, small borough () in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia. As of the 2011 Estonian census, 2011 census, the settlement's population was 410. The Valjala Church, Valjala St. Martin's Church l ...

parishes.

History

Saaremaa Municipality was formed following the 2017 Estonian municipal reform on 21 October 2017 on the basis of all twelve former

municipalities:

town and

, Laimjala, Leisi, Lääne-Saare,

, Orissaare, Pihtla, Pöide, Salme, Torgu and

parishes. Previously, in 2014, the municipalities of Kaarma,

Kärla Kärla () is a small borough () in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the we ...

, and Lümanda had already merged, and initially wanted to use the name Saaremaa municipality for the merged municipality, but later decided in favour of the name of Lääne-Saare municipality. In 2014 it became clear at a meeting of the heads of Saaremaa municipalities that other county municipalities would also not be against a merger, and the respective merger committees began their work as early as 2015. Although Pöide municipality did not initially join the merger agreement signed on 1 December 2016, the

Government of Estonia The Government of the Republic of Estonia (''Estonian language, Estonian: Vabariigi Valitsus'') is the cabinet (government), cabinet of Estonia. Under the Constitution of Estonia, Constitution, it exercises executive power pursuant to the Cons ...

, based on the proposal of the regional committee, decided to forcibly merge Pöide municipality with the upcoming Saaremaa municipality. As a result, the Pöide municipality council also decided to join the merger negotiations. File:Saare municipalities 1992–1999.png, 1992–1999 File:Saare municipalities 1999–2014.png, 1999–2014 File:Saare municipalities 2014–2017.png, 2014–2017 File:Saare municipalities 2017.png, 2017–...

Government

The municipality is governed by the Saaremaa Municipality Council which consists of 31 members elected to four year terms via party list. The mayor and its cabinet is elected by the municipality council. The current mayor is

Mikk Tuisk Mikk is an Estonian masculine given name, a version of Nicholas. People named Mikk include: * Mikk-Mihkel Arro (born 1984), decathlete *Mikk Jürjens (born 1987), actor, singer and TV presenter * Mikk Jurkatamm (born 2000), basketball player *M ...

. The current chairman of the municipality council is

Jaanus Tamkivi Jaanus Tamkivi (born 17 November 1959 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian politician of the Estonian Reform Party. He was Mayor of Kuressaare from 1996 to 2005, a member of the Riigikogu from 2005 to 2015, and the Minister of the Environment from 2007 t ...

Districts

Saaremaa municipality is divided into thirteen (rural) districts – ''osavallad''. The aim of the districts is to maintain local initiative and identity, to involve residents in deciding local issues and to represent local interests. The town of Kuressaare is a separate territorial unit, not being part of any district. Service centres have been established in every district to provide and manage public services.

Settlements

Town

Boroughs

Aste,

Kudjape Kudjape () is a small borough () in Saaremaa Parish, Saare County in western Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...

, Leisi, Nasva, Orissaare, Salme,

Villages

References

{{Saaremaa Municipalities of Estonia