Voru County

Võrumaa or Võru maakond officially, is a county in Southern Estonia. It is bordered to the north by the Põlva County and the Lake Pihkva; to the west by Valga County; to the south by Latvia; and to the east by the Russian Federation.

The territory of Võrumaa covers 2,305 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. In January 2013 Võru County had a population of 32,806 – constituting 2.5% of the total population in Estonia.

History

Võrumaa in its historical borders (Võro: Vana Võromaa) included eight parishes: Karula, Hargla, Urvaste, Rõuge, Kanepi, Põlva, Räpina and Vastseliina. These parishes are currently centered (due to redistricting) in Võru and Põlva Counties with parts extending into Valga and Tartu Counties. From 1944 to 1953, the Estonian Forest Brothers (anti-Soviet partisans) were most active in Võru County.

County Government

The County Government (Maavalitsus) is led by Governor (maavanem), 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: 95.3%. Russian: 3.4%