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Mulgi Parish
Mulgi vald
Municipality of Estonia
Flag of Mulgi Parish
Flag
Coat of arms of Mulgi Parish
Coat of arms
Mulgi Parish within Mulgi County.
Mulgi Parish within Mulgi County.
Country Estonia
County Viljandi County
Administrative centreAbja-Paluoja
Government
 • MayorImre Jugomäe
Area
 • Total881 km2 (340 sq mi)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total7,436
 • Density8.4/km2 (22/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeEE-480

Mulgi Parish (Estonian: Mulgi vald) is a rural municipality in southern Estonia. It is a part of Viljandi County.[1] As of 2021, the municipality has a population of 7,372,[2] and covers 881 km2 (340 sq mi).

Geography

The administrative centre of the Mulgi municipality is the town of Abja-Paluoja. The municipality itself consists of 3 towns (Abja-Paluoja, Karksi-Nuia, Mõisaküla); 2 small boroughs (Estonian: alevikud) (Halliste, Õisu); and 58 villages: Abja-Vanamõisa, Abjaku, Ainja, Allaste, Äriküla, Atika, Ereste, Hirmuküla, Hõbemäe, Kaarli, Kalvre, Kamara, Karksi, Kõvaküla, Kulla, Laatre, Lasari, Leeli, Lilli, Mäeküla, Maru, Metsaküla, Mõõnaste, Morna, Mulgi, Muri, Naistevalla, Niguli, Oti, Päidre, Päigiste, Pärsi, Penuja, Põlde, Polli, Pöögle, Pornuse, Räägu, Raamatu, Raja, Rimmu, Saate, Saksaküla, Sammaste, Sarja, Sudiste, Suuga, Tilla, Toosi, Tuhalaane, Ülemõisa, Umbsoo, Univere, Uue-Kariste, Vabamatsi, Vana-Kariste, Veelikse, and Veskimäe.

Religion

Religion in Mulgi Parish (2021) [1]

  Unaffiliated (85.4%)
  Lutheran (8.8%)
  Orthodox (2.4%)
  Others Christians (0.3%)
  Others Religions (0.1%)
  Unknown (3.0%)

History

The municipality was formed on the 24th October, 2017, by merging of the town of Mõisaküla with the neighbouring municipalities of Karksi, Abja, and Halliste.[3]

There were many discrepancies in the past based on the naming of the Mulgi municipality; the naming council found Mulgi to be a misleading name both culturally and geographically,[4] as the municipality only covers a third of the historical Mulgimaa – the municipalities of Halliste and Karks, to be more specific. Suggested names in its place included Lääne-Mulgi, Abja-Mulgi, and Halliste-Karksi.

Concerns have also been raised about the loss of the name Abja. This stems from the history of the area; before the expansion of the Viljandi county (Raion) borders in 1962, the raion of Abja also existed in about the same area.[5]

The area has been a developed flax growing region and was one of the most prosperous in Estonia in the 19th century. Flax cultivation is also the reason why flax flowers are depicted on regional symbols.

References

  1. ^ https://mulgivald.ee/ (accessed 7 March 2020)
  2. ^ https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/rahvastik__rahvastikunaitajad-ja-koosseis__rahvaarv-ja-rahvastiku-koosseis/RV0240 (accessed 4 August 2022)
  3. ^ https://mulgivald.ee/
  4. ^ Jaak Pihlak: "Mulgi vald – kas nimi rikub meest?" Sakala, 17. november 2016
  5. ^ Märt Lond: "Kas ikka Mulgi vald?" Sakala, 23. november 2016
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