Järva County

County of Estonia

County in Estonia

Järva County

Järvamaa

County

Flag

Coat of arms

Country| Estonia
Capital| Paide
Government

• Governor| [1]
Area

• Total

| 2,459.58 km2 (949.65 sq mi)
Population

(2022[2])

• Total

| 29,693
• Rank| 12th
• Density| 12/km2 (31/sq mi)
Ethnicity (2023)

• Estonians| 92.7%
• Ukrainians| 3.1%
• Russians| 2.3%
• Other| 2.0%
GDP

[3]

• Total| €610 million (2022)
• Per capita| €20,405 (2022)
ISO 3166 code| EE-52
Vehicle registration| P

Järva County (Estonian: Järva maakond or Järvamaa; German: Jerwen; Latin: Jervia) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County to the south-west, Rapla County to the west, and Harju County to the north. In January 2009, Järva County had a population of 29,940 – constituting 2.7% of the total population in Estonia.[2]

## History

[edit]

In the first centuries AD political and administrative subdivisions began to emerge. Two larger subdivisions appeared: the parish (kihelkond) and the county (maakond). The parish consisted of several villages. Nearly all parishes had at least one fortress. The defense of the local area was directed by the highest official, the parish elder. The county was composed of several parishes, also headed by an elder. By the 13th century the following major districts had developed in Estonia: Saaremaa (Osilia), Läänemaa (Rotalia or Maritima), Harjumaa (Harria), Rävala (Revalia), Virumaa (Vironia), Järvamaa (Jervia), Sakala (Saccala), and Ugandi (Ugaunia).[4]

## County government

[edit]

The County Government (Estonian: Maavalitsus) is led by Governor (Estonian: maavanem), who is appointed by the Government of Estonia for a term of five years. Currently the Governor position is held by Alo Aasma.[1]

## Municipalities

[edit]

The county is subdivided into municipalities. There are two rural municipalities (Estonian: vallad – parishes) and one urban municipality (Estonian: linnad – towns) in Järva County. There are 217 villages in Järvamaa.

Municipalities of Järva County Rank | Municipality | Type | Population
(2018)[5] | Area
km2[5] | Density[5]

|
|
|
|
|

1 | Järva Parish | Rural | 9,121 | 1,223 | 7.5
2 | Paide | Urban | 10,898 | 443 | 24.6
3 | Türi Parish | Rural | 11,063 | 1,009 | 11.0

## Religion

[edit]

The Lutheran congregations in the county are under the Järva Deanery of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.[6]

Orthodox congregations in the county are predominantly under the administration of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church[7] but also one of them is under the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.[8]

Catholic masses are also held regularly in Paide.[9]

Other Christian congregations such as Baptists,[10] Methodists,[11] Jehovah's Witnesses, and other Christian congregations operate in the county.

Religious affiliations in Järva County, census 2000–2021*[12] Religion  | 2000  | 2011  | 2021

|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Christianity | 5,647 | 18.3 | 3,774 | 14.6 | 3,250 | 12.9
—Orthodox Christians | 542 | 1.7 | 584 | 2.2 | 530 | 2.1
—Lutherans | 4,544 | 14.7 | 2,655 | 10.2 | 1,960 | 7.8
—Catholics | 64 | 0.2 | 40 | 0.1 | 270 | 1.1
—Baptists | 174 | 0.5 | 90 | 0.3 | 120 | 0.4
—Jehovah's Witnesses | 172 | 0.5 | 164 | 0.6 | 110 | 0.4
—Pentecostals | 47 | 0.1 | 28 | 0.1 | 50 | 0.2
—Old Believers | 3 | 0.01 | 6 | 0.02 | - | \-
—Methodists | 37 | 0.1 | 22 | 0.08 | 20 | 0.08
—Adventists | 64 | 0.2 | 44 | 0.1 | 30 | 0.1
—Other Christians | - | - | 153 | 0.6 | 160 | 0.6
Islam | 8 | 0.02 | 4 | 0.01 | - | \-
Buddhism | - | - | 10 | 0.03 | 20 | 0.08
Other religions** | 201 | 0.6 | 160 | 0.6 | 340 | 1.3
No religion | 14,796 | 48.0 | 18,694 | 72.2 | 18,890 | 74.9
Not stated*** | 10,166 | 33.0 | 3,165 | 12.2 | 2,610 | 10.3
Total population* | 30,818 | 25,865 | 25,210
*The censuses of Estonia count the religious affiliations of the population older than 15 years of age.[12]
".[12]

## Images

[edit]

* The northern part of the county

*   * Seidla windmills

* Tarvasjõgi river in Kõrvemaa Nature Park

* Albu manor stone bridge on Ambla River, built in 1879

* Järva-Peetri church

* Lake Väinjärv

* Laupa manor

* Paide Town Hall

* Paide Castle

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Maavanem". Jarva Maavalitsus. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
2. ^ a b "Population by sex, ethnic nationality and County, 1 January". stat.ee. Statistics Estonia. 1 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
3. ^ "GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY COUNTY". stat.ee.
4. ^ Estonia and the Estonians (Studies of Nationalities) Toivo U. Raun p.11 ISBN 0-8179-2852-9
5. ^ a b c "Elanike demograafiline jaotus maakonniti". Kohaliku omavalitsuse portaal. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
6. ^ "The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Congregations". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
7. ^ "Eesti Apostlik-Õigeusu Kirik. Kogudused". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
8. ^ "Moskva Patriarhaadi Eesti Õigeusu Kirik. Kontaktid". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
9. ^ "Rooma-katoliku Kirik. Tallinna Piiskopkond. Missade ajad". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
10. ^ "Union of Free Evangelical and Baptist Churches of Estonia. Kogudused". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
11. ^ "Eesti Metodisti Kirik. Kogudused". Retrieved 16 February 2025.
12. ^ a b c Official census data from Statistics Estonia:
* 2000 Census:
* "2000 Census: RL229: Population by religion".
* "2000 Census: RL231: Population by religion and ethnicity".
* 2011 Census:
* "2011 Census: RL0451: Population by religion".
* "2011 Census: RL0454: Population by religion and ethnicity".
* 2021 Census:
* "2021 Census: RL21451: Population by religion".
* "2021 Census: RL21454: Population by religion and ethnicity".

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Järva County.

* Järvamaa Tourist Information

Geographic locale

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities of Järva County

Urban municipality|

* Paide

Rural municipalities|

* Järva
* Türi

Former municipalities|

* Albu
* Ambla
* Imavere
* Kabala
* Kareda
* Koeru
* Koigi
* Lehtse
* Oisu
* Roosna-Alliku
* Väätsa

* v
* t
* e

Counties of Estonia

* Harjumaa
* Hiiumaa
* Ida-Virumaa
* Järvamaa
* Jõgevamaa
* Läänemaa
* Lääne-Virumaa
* Pärnumaa
* Põlvamaa
* Raplamaa
* Saaremaa
* Tartumaa
* Valgamaa
* Viljandimaa
* Võrumaa

* v
* t
* e

Cities and towns of Estonia

* Abja-Paluoja
* Antsla
* Elva
* Haapsalu
* Jõgeva
* Jõhvi
* Kallaste
* Kärdla
* Karksi-Nuia
* Kehra
* Keila
* Kilingi-Nõmme
* Kiviõli
* Kohtla-Järve
* Kunda
* Kuressaare
* Lihula
* Loksa
* Maardu
* Mõisaküla
* Mustvee
* Narva
* Narva-Jõesuu
* Otepää
* Paide
* Paldiski
* Pärnu
* Põltsamaa
* Põlva
* Püssi
* Rakvere
* Räpina
* Rapla
* Saue
* Sillamäe
* Sindi
* Suure-Jaani
* Tallinn
* Tamsalu
* Tapa
* Tartu
* Tõrva
* Türi
* Valga
* Viljandi
* Võhma
* Võru

Jaanilinn (Ivangorod) and Petseri (Pechory) were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945 and are currently part of Russia.

* v
* t
* e

Ancient counties of Estonia

* Alempois
* Harju
* Järva
* Jogentagana
* Lääne
* Mõhu
* Nurmekund
* Revala
* Saare
* Sakala
* Soopoolitse
* Ugandi
* Vaiga
* Viru

58°53′N 25°33′E﻿ / ﻿58.883°N 25.550°E﻿ / 58.883; 25.550

Authority control databases

National|

* Germany
* United States

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

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