Võrumaa or Võru maakond (Võru County, ) officially, is a county

County

A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...

 in Southern Estonia

Estonia

Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...

. It is bordered to the north by the Põlva County

Põlva County

Põlva County , or Põlvamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in south-eastern part of the country and borders Tartu, Valga and Võru counties. The county also shares a common border with Russia...

 and the Lake Pihkva

Lake Peipus

Lake Peipus, ) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia and Russia.The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St...

; to the west by Valga County

Valga County

Valga County , or Valgamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. Its capital is Valga, which is located on the Estonian-Latvian border. It is situated in southern part of the country and borders Põlva County and Võru County to the east, Latvia to the south and to the west, Viljandi County and Tartu...

; to the south by Latvia

Latvia

Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...

; and to the east by the Russian Federation

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

.

The territory of Võrumaa covers 2,305 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. 37,693 people live in Võru County – constituting 2.8% of the total population in Estonia (as of January 2010).

History

Võrumaa in its historical borders included eight parishes: Karula

Karula

Karula is a village in Saarepeedi Parish, Viljandi County, Estonia. It has a population of 197 ....

, Hargla, Urvaste

Urvaste

Urvaste is a village in Urvaste Parish, Võru County, in southeastern Estonia. It has a population of 147 .Tamme-Lauri oak, the thickest and oldest tree in Estonia, is located in Urvaste....

, Rõuge

Rõuge

Rõuge is a small borough in Rõuge Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia.- External links :*...

, Kanepi

Kanepi

Kanepi is a small borough in Kanepi Parish, Põlva County in southeastern Estonia.The name Kanep means "cannabis" in Estonian.- External links :*...

, Põlva

Põlva

Põlva , is the capital of Põlva County , one of 15 counties of Estonia. The county is situated in south-eastern part of the country and borders Tartu, Valga and Võru counties...

, Räpina

Räpina

Räpina is a town in Põlva County, Estonia. The administrative centre of Räpina Parish, it has a population of 2,867 .-External links:*...

 and Vastseliina

Vastseliina

Vastseliina is a small borough in Vastseliina Parish, Võru County in southeastern Estonia.Vastseliina is the birthplace of wrestler and 1924 Olympic Gold Medalist Eduard Pütsep....

. These parishes are currently centered (due to redistricting) in Võru and Põlva

Põlva County

Põlva County , or Põlvamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in south-eastern part of the country and borders Tartu, Valga and Võru counties. The county also shares a common border with Russia...

 Counties with parts extending into Valga

Valga County

Valga County , or Valgamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. Its capital is Valga, which is located on the Estonian-Latvian border. It is situated in southern part of the country and borders Põlva County and Võru County to the east, Latvia to the south and to the west, Viljandi County and Tartu...

 and Tartu

Tartu County

Tartu County , or Tartumaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia.It is located in eastern Estonia bordering Põlva County, Valga County, Viljandi County and Jõgeva County....

 Counties. From 1944 to 1953, the Estonian Forest Brothers

Forest Brothers

The Forest Brothers were Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian partisans who waged a guerrilla war against Soviet rule during the Soviet invasion and occupation of the three Baltic states during, and after, World War II...

 (anti-Soviet partisans) were most active in Võru County.

County Government

The County Government  is led by Governor

County Governors of Estonia

The Governor is the leader of a county in Estonia.-List of governers of Estonian counties:Harju County:*Johannes Reinthal *Oskar Suursööt *Martin Kruusimaa *Rudolf Kuris...

 , who is appointed by the Government of Estonia for a term of five years. Since 2010 the Governor position is taken by Andres Kõiv.
Estonian: 94,5%.
Russian: 4,1%

Municipalities

The county is subdivided into municipalities

Municipalities of Estonia

A Municipality 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....

. There is 1 urban municipality ( – town) and 12 rural municipalities ( – parishes) in Võru County.

Urban municipality:

• Võru
  Võru
  Võru is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.-History:Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress Catherine II of Russia, by the order of Riga Governor general count George Browne, on the...
  
  

Image:Võrumaa vallad.svg|thumb|350px|Municipalities of Võru County

poly 61 57 4 56 13 18 51 7 96 30 76 53 72 70 61 70 Urvaste Parish

Urvaste Parish

Urvaste Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,413 and an area of 139.62 km².There are two main tourist attractions: Tamme-Lauri oak and Pokuland.-Settlements:Villages...

poly 83 21 97 35 77 70 89 101 147 70 150 50 149 23 Sõmerpalu Parish

Sõmerpalu Parish

Sõmerpalu Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,874 and an area of 181.93 km².-Settlements:Small boroughSõmerpaluVillages...

poly 17 54 22 104 40 97 40 122 29 129 43 159 96 143 121 104 116 88 88 102 77 70 61 71 59 56 Antsla Parish

Antsla Parish

Antsla Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 4,190 and an area of .-Settlements:TownAntslaSmall boroughsKobela - Vana-AntslaVillages...

poly 33 162 71 155 91 215 112 214 113 221 85 233 78 250 51 250 35 221 Mõniste Parish

Mõniste Parish

-Settlements:VillagesHürova - Hüti - Kallaste - Karisöödi - Koemetsa - Kuutsi - Mõniste - Parmupalu - Peebu - Sakurgi - Saru - Singa - Tiitsa - Tundu - Tursa - Vastse-Roosa - Villike-External links:...

poly 72 151 91 214 149 211 153 186 141 173 124 178 119 121 103 123 97 147 Varstu Parish

Varstu Parish

Varstu Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,272 and an area of 170.63 km².-Settlements:Small boroughVarstuVillages...

poly 118 85 123 177 152 181 170 183 197 160 192 108 166 106 146 68 Rõuge Parish

Rõuge Parish

Rõuge Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. In 2006, it had a population of 2,045 and an area of 263.7 km².-Settlements:small boroughRõugeVillages...

poly 170 184 212 209 240 200 239 164 229 151 238 134 220 108 192 107 199 160 Haanja Parish

Haanja Parish

Haanja Parish is a rural municipality in Võru County, southeastern Estonia.-Settlements:VillagesAla-Palo - Ala-Suhka - Ala-Tilga - Andsumäe - Haanja - Haavistu - Hämkoti - Hanija - Holdi - Horoski - Hulaku - Hurda - Ihatsi - Jaanimäe - Käänu - Kääraku - Kaaratautsa - Kaldemäe - Kallaste - Kaloga -...

poly 237 161 272 148 302 157 308 171 306 192 287 206 297 235 216 211 239 200 Misso Parish

Misso Parish

Misso Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 780 and an area of 189.35 km².-Settlements:Small boroughMissoVillages...

poly 220 109 245 94 244 73 286 64 305 141 291 160 271 147 235 163 229 152 241 134 Vastseliina Parish

Vastseliina Parish

Vastseliina Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 2,165 and an area of 222.8 km².-Settlements:Small boroughVastseliinaVillages...

poly 290 74 305 144 332 123 341 130 347 115 334 87 342 84 350 64 300 60 Meremäe Parish

Meremäe Parish

Meremäe Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,140 and an area of 131.97 km².Meremäe is a part of the historical region of Setomaa.-Settlements:Villages...

poly 202 28 211 48 193 52 210 71 230 67 222 86 233 100 243 92 243 74 278 65 265 57 283 28 238 23 221 2 196 9 210 26 Lasva Parish

Lasva Parish

Lasva Parish is a rural municipality in southeastern Estonia. It is a part of Võru County. The municipality has a population of 1,811 and covers an area of 172.14 km², giving it a population density of 10.52 inhabitants/km²....

poly 177 50 172 67 185 72 186 84 196 76 195 60 Võru

Võru

Võru is a town and a municipality in south-eastern Estonia. It is the capital of Võru County and the centre of Võru Parish.-History:Võru was founded on 21 August 1784, according to the wish of the Empress Catherine II of Russia, by the order of Riga Governor general count George Browne, on the...

poly 148 22 147 69 170 109 234 103 227 71 211 71 195 52 211 47 202 25 175 20 172 10 Võru Parish

Võru Parish

Võru Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 4,770 and an area of 202.23 km².-Settlements:Small boroughsKose - Parksepa - VäimelaVillages...

desc bottom-left

Rural municipalities:

• Antsla Parish
  Antsla Parish
  Antsla Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 4,190 and an area of .-Settlements:TownAntslaSmall boroughsKobela - Vana-AntslaVillages...
  
   (includes the town of Antsla
  Antsla
  Antsla is a town in Võru County, southern Estonia, it's the administrative centre of Antsla Parish. Town has a population of 1,650 ....
  
  )
• Haanja Parish
  Haanja Parish
  Haanja Parish is a rural municipality in Võru County, southeastern Estonia.-Settlements:VillagesAla-Palo - Ala-Suhka - Ala-Tilga - Andsumäe - Haanja - Haavistu - Hämkoti - Hanija - Holdi - Horoski - Hulaku - Hurda - Ihatsi - Jaanimäe - Käänu - Kääraku - Kaaratautsa - Kaldemäe - Kallaste - Kaloga -...
  
  
• Lasva Parish
  Lasva Parish
  Lasva Parish is a rural municipality in southeastern Estonia. It is a part of Võru County. The municipality has a population of 1,811 and covers an area of 172.14 km², giving it a population density of 10.52 inhabitants/km²....
  
  
• Meremäe Parish
  Meremäe Parish
  Meremäe Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,140 and an area of 131.97 km².Meremäe is a part of the historical region of Setomaa.-Settlements:Villages...
  
  
• Misso Parish
  Misso Parish
  Misso Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 780 and an area of 189.35 km².-Settlements:Small boroughMissoVillages...
  
  
• Mõniste Parish
  Mõniste Parish
  -Settlements:VillagesHürova - Hüti - Kallaste - Karisöödi - Koemetsa - Kuutsi - Mõniste - Parmupalu - Peebu - Sakurgi - Saru - Singa - Tiitsa - Tundu - Tursa - Vastse-Roosa - Villike-External links:...
  
  
• Rõuge Parish
  Rõuge Parish
  Rõuge Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. In 2006, it had a population of 2,045 and an area of 263.7 km².-Settlements:small boroughRõugeVillages...
  
  
• Sõmerpalu Parish
  Sõmerpalu Parish
  Sõmerpalu Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,874 and an area of 181.93 km².-Settlements:Small boroughSõmerpaluVillages...
  
  
• Urvaste Parish
  Urvaste Parish
  Urvaste Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,413 and an area of 139.62 km².There are two main tourist attractions: Tamme-Lauri oak and Pokuland.-Settlements:Villages...
  
  
• Varstu Parish
  Varstu Parish
  Varstu Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 1,272 and an area of 170.63 km².-Settlements:Small boroughVarstuVillages...
  
  
• Vastseliina Parish
  Vastseliina Parish
  Vastseliina Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 2,165 and an area of 222.8 km².-Settlements:Small boroughVastseliinaVillages...
  
  
• Võru Parish
  Võru Parish
  Võru Parish is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County. It has a population of 4,770 and an area of 202.23 km².-Settlements:Small boroughsKose - Parksepa - VäimelaVillages...
  
  

External links

• Võrumaa – Official site
• Võru Maavalitsus – Võru County Government site
• Võro Institute
• Võrumaa Kutsehariduskeskus – Võru County Vocational Training Centre