Socio-economic spatial structures and administrative changes in Estonia throughout the history Dr. Garri Raagma University of Tart <garri@ut.ee LG population size and municipal spendings in GDP (W-Europe) Source: Local Finance in the Fifteen, 2002, North? South EST 1
LG population size and municipal spendings in GDP (E-Europe) LV 2009 North South/East Source: Local Finance in the Fifteen, 2002 From manors to communities Historical parishes (kihelkond) and counties (maakond) 1816/19 over thousand manor-estates based communes 1867 communal law 1881-1893 reduction to about 400 communes & municipalities (in current national borders 366) 1920 New Valga & Petseri counties created 1921-387 communes, 19 boroughs, 13 towns Christallerian territorial reform 1938/9 from 365 (398 with towns and boroughs) to 248 central place based communes + 33 towns (total 281 units) 2
Estonian Die Centralecentral places Orte in Estland 1934 (Kant 1934) (Kant 1934) 1. City; 2. Small town; 3. Country town; 4. Borrough; 5. Elementary services Distance from main centres 1935 (Kant 1935 ) 1. Suur-Tallinn; 2. Tartu; 3. Narva; 4. Pärnu; 5. Viljandi; 6. Rakvere; 7. Valga; 8. Võru; 9. Petseri; 10. Haapsalu 3
Estonian administrative divison after 1938 reform Soviet administrative changes 1950 From 13 counties (maakond) 39 rayons Instead of 233 communes 636(+4) village soviets 1952-53 Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu oblasts 1954 from 651 village soviets down to 320 1959 ja 1961-62 amalgamation of rayons to 15 units (most more-less in pre-war borders) 1975-76 about 7000 rural settlements were amalgamated to about 3500 villages Rapid urbanization! 4
39 rayons in 1955 A Frequencies: 1-50 2-52 3-52 4-52 5-49 Population change in village soviets Max: 263% Min: 0% 1959-1979 1 2 3 4 5 68 80 91 125 5
Demographic potential * 1 j i Ri, j Q F P * i * i * i Economic potential 6
Die Centrale Orte in Estland (Nõmmik 1970) Regional = Local Soviet system focussed on the optimization of production systems No democracy Social relations were not analysed Local level was the question of enterprises micro-level studies Thus, local level in economic geography was rayon (county) Economic activities were planned on the rayon level 7
1990s administrative changes 1990 rayons renamed to maakond (county) 1990-1993 village soviets became communes 1993 boroughs became either rural or urban communes 1994 new law introduces ONE-tier LG counties became state administrative units 1996 hidden administrative reform starts The functions of counties were gradually reduced Since 1999 several attemts to carry out territorial reforms Now: 226 LG & 15 counties (state units) LG reform attempts of 2000s 1997-9 governmental experts prepared the concept of Basics of the public administration development 1999 University of Tartu 1999/2000 Prime Minister Mart Laar & Mof Interior Tarmo Loodus initiate the (parich-principle) reform of LG trashed by the coalition partners 2004 onwards promotion of LG (voluntary) amalgamation 2009 Minister of Regional Affairs proposes to transform counties + 5 larger urban centres to municipalities and current LG to sub-lg 8
Results 1996-2009 51 LG amalgamated voluntarily to 22 (-29) Some now territories are far from brilliant Territorial administrative-reform has became a political question Next window of opportunity would be spring 2011 after parliamentary elections However, no preparations so far History matters: 1920-1940 municipal reform was prepared almost 20 years and done 1938/9 Examples of voluntary amalgamation Türi Kuusalu Loksa town Võhma town Jõhvi Kohtla- Järve town 9
Estonian administrative structure Rural LG 193 Towns, cities 33 Regional government (counties) Total number of local governments 15 226 Total population 2013 1 286 540 Restructuring of rural peripheries 10
Primary sector employment % 40 Empoyment in peripheries 20 0-20 -40 Primary sector Tertiary sector Secundary sector Employed total -60-80 -100 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 11
KIBS, transit trade, real estate, software development (Skype, Tehnopol etc.) University colleges Main local industries/knowledge base Manufacturing, transit trade TALLINN Rakvere Construction materials, food Mining and chemical industry Kohtla-Järve Oil-shale & mining techonogy Narva Oil shale energy rare metals Hiiumaa: Plastics industry Shipping and fisheries, resorts Haapsalu: Health and rehabilitation Kuressaare Small craft building, Spa Pärnu Spa, tourism, social services Hospitality industry, health and social services, maritime sector, manufacturing subcontracting Paide/Türi: Agrotechnology Food, construction materials, recreation Viljandi Folk-culture ja handicraft Wood and food industry, organic farming, recreation Agriculture, foresty TARTU Valga: Latvian co-operation Otepää sports ja recreation industy Luua School of Forestry Mining, chemicals, metal processing Higher education and reserach, medicine, biotech and software development (Playtech, Regio etc.) Räpina School of Horticulture Võru: Wood processing technology, mechatronics New and Old specialisation of Estonian regions FUR! Why not? Estonia was already in the 1970 enough mobile and urbanised to manage and plan territory on current county (functional urban region) level There have been made several studies showing benefits of this level administration Nevertheless, counties have been released from any power 12
Core-periphery, Christallerian & Network models Source: EURREG/Jauhiainen 2002 Estonian urban regions Source: EURREG/Jauhiainen 2002 13
Cuommuting areas 2007-9 Allikas: Ahas jt. 2010 Allikas: Eesti 2030+ 14
Towards the city state Tallinn Regional differences have been well increased, like most CEE countries One reason is weak regional (FUR) level administrative and strategic management capacity Subsidiarity has different meaning here ~50% of the national territory is depopulating schools and other social services are far below average standard they are not able to absorb EU assistance there is limited accessibility to regional centres Peripheral communes Source: Estonian statistics / Roose & Kliimask 2010 15
Personal income tax revenues per capita 2008 Registered unemployed 2011 jan-sept 16
Population change 1989-2000 Population change 2000-2011 17
GDP 1996-2009 Allikas: Statistikaamet Regional dispersion in EU NUTS III OECD 1995-2007 Allikas: Eurostat Allikas: OECD 18