Väike-Maarja Vald

Väike-Maarja Vald / Beskrivning

Väike-Maarja municipality is situated on the Pandivere Heights in the southern part of Lääne-Viru County and borders on Vinni, Laekvere, Avanduse, Rakke, Koeru (Järva County) and Tamsalu municipalities. 3 km to the west of Väike-Maarja lies the 100m-wide Vao valley. It is flanked by a chain of hills and eskers, the highest peak of which is Ebavere Hill (146m). Geologically Väike-Maarja is located in the centre of the vault of the heights, the base rock of it being Tamsalu limestone stratum. The central part of the Pandivere Heights is the largest area in Estonia for forming ground water.
The municipality was formed on the territory of the former Väike-Maarja village council (soviet) in December 1991. It is approximately of the same size as the former Vao municipality. The villages of Aavere, Pikevere, Varangu, Raigu and Pudivere were added to the present-day municipality, but Põdrangu, Metskaevu, Sauevälja and Loksa do not belong to it any more.