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Harju County ( or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen
counties of Estonia The counties of Estonia () are the state administrative subdivisions of Estonia. Estonian territory is composed of 15 counties, including 13 on the mainland and 2 on islands. County governments () were abolished at the end of 2017, with their ...
. It is situated in northern
Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
, on the southern coast of the
Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
, and borders
Lääne-Viru County Lääne-Viru County ( or ''Lääne-Virumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland. In Estonian, ''lääne'' means western and ''ida'' means east or eastern. Lääne-Viru borders Id ...
to the east,
Järva County Järva County ( or ''Järvamaa''; ; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County t ...
to the southeast,
Rapla County Rapla County ( or ''Raplamaa'') is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in the north-western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to ...
to the south, and
Lääne County Lääne County ( or ''Läänemaa'', literally "Western land"; ; ) is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in western Estonia and borders the Baltic Sea to the north, Harju County to the north-east, Rapla County to the east, Pärnu Cou ...
to the southwest. The
capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...
and largest city of Estonia,
Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
, is situated in Harju County. Harju is the largest county in Estonia in terms of population, as almost half (45%) of Estonia's population lives in Harju County.


History


Ancient history

The territory of modern Harju County consists mostly of two
ancient Estonia Ancient Estonia refers to a period covering History of Estonia from the middle of the 8th millennium BC until the conquest and subjugation of the local Finnic tribes in the first quarter of the 13th century during the Teutonic and Danish Nort ...
n counties:
Revala Revala (also ''Rävälä'', , by Henry of Livonia ''Revele'', by Danish Census Book ''Revælæ'') was an Ancient Estonian county. It was located in northern Estonia, by the Gulf of Finland and corresponded roughly to the present territory of H ...
, around what is now Tallinn, and
Harjumaa Harju County ( or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the southeast, Rapla Count ...
, which was situated south of Revala and presently rests mostly in
Rapla County Rapla County ( or ''Raplamaa'') is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in the north-western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to ...
. Lindanise, then a small trading post at the
Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
, served as the capital of Revala. It eventually grew into the mostly German-populated
Hanseatic The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
town of ''Reval'' and later into the
Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
n capital, Tallinn.


Conquest

In 1219, the Danish King,
Valdemar II Valdemar II Valdemarsen (28 June 1170 – 28 March 1241), later remembered as Valdemar the Victorious () and Valdemar the Conqueror, was King of Denmark from 1202 until his death in 1241. In 1207, Valdemar invaded and conquered Lybeck and Hol ...
, landed in Lindanise ( Danish: ''Lyndanisse'') and conquered both Revala and Harju counties, while the inhabitants were forced into
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
. At the end of the
Livonian Crusade The Livonian crusade consists of the various military Crusade, Christianisation campaigns in medieval Livonia – modern Latvia and Estonia – during the Pope, Papal-sanctioned Northern Crusades in the 12th–13th century. Overview Historic ...
(1208–1227 in Estonia), both counties were captured by the
Order of the Sword Brothers The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (; ) was a Catholic military order established in 1202 during the Livonian Crusade by Albert, the third bishop of Riga (or possibly by Theoderich von Treydend). Pope Innocent III sanctioned the establishment ...
until given back to Denmark with the Treaty of Stensby in 1238. The Danes built the
Toompea Castle Toompea castle () is a medieval castle on Toompea hill in the central part of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. In modern times, it houses the Parliament of Estonia (''Riigikogu''). History The Toompea castle's predecessor, an ancient Estoni ...
(''Castrum Danorum'') on
Toompea Toompea (from , "Cathedral Hill") is a hill in the central part of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. The hill has an area of and is about 20–30 metres higher than the surrounding areas. Toompea is part of the medieval Tallinn Old Town, a ...
Hill in Tallinn, which quickly became the biggest settlement in Estonia. In 1248, it was the first settlement in Estonia to receive its town rights, and in 1285 it became the northernmost member of the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. German dominance led to the
St. George's Night Uprising Saint George's Night Uprising in 1343–1345 (, ) was an unsuccessful attempt by the indigenous Estonian population in the Duchy of Estonia, the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek, and the insular territories of the State of the Teutonic Order to rid th ...
, which broke out in 1343 with the burning of
Padise Abbey Padise Abbey () was a former Cistercian monastery in Padise Parish, Padise in Harju County, Estonia, settled in 1310 by the dispossessed monks of Dünamünde Abbey in Latvia. It was converted into a fortress after its dissolution in 1559 and la ...
in modern Padise Parish. The uprising led Denmark to sell its possessions in Northern Estonia to the
Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order, formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation. History The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after thei ...
. In 1561, after the outbreak of the
Livonian War The Livonian War (1558–1583) concerned control of Terra Mariana, Old Livonia (in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of the Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian Realm, the Kingdom ...
, the nobility of North Estonia and the Tallinn Town Council declared loyalty to
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. Tallinn and other Swedish-occupied territories gained during warfare were secured by the Treaty of Plyussa. During the
Great Northern War In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, Harju was one of the few regions in Estonia untouched by warfare for a long time. Nonetheless, Harju County was greatly affected by the 1710-1713 Plague that killed more than eighty percent of the county's population. Russian forces finally arrived in 1710 and laid siege to Tallinn for a month until the Swedish garrison surrendered, thus ending the Great Northern War in Estonia. Russian rule was secured with the
Treaty of Nystad The Treaty of Nystad, or the Treaty of Uusikaupunki, was the last peace treaty of the Great Northern War of 1700–1721. It was concluded between the Tsardom of Russia and the Swedish Empire on in the then Swedish town of Nystad (, in th ...
in 1721. The plague raged on for several years, eventually leaving several parts of the county completely empty of human habitation.


Russian rule

Imperial Russian The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
rule started with the construction of naval harbours in Tallinn and
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
(
Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
: ''Rogerwiek''). Russian Tsar
Peter I Peter I may refer to: Religious hierarchs * Saint Peter (c. 1 AD – c. 64–68 AD), a.k.a. Simon Peter, Simeon, or Simon, apostle of Jesus * Pope Peter I of Alexandria (died 311), revered as a saint * Peter I of Armenia (died 1058), Catholicos ...
visited Tallinn at least nine times between 1711 and 1723. He personally opened the construction for Tallinn Naval Harbour in 1714 and Paldiski Naval Harbour in 1718. In 1870, the
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
-
Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
-
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
Railway was opened, after which several smaller settlements along the line - Paldiski,
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
,
Saue Saue is a town in north-western Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saue Parish in Harju County. The territory of Saue is and population about 5,800. Closest centres are Tallinn (), Keila (), Saku () and Laagri (). Geography Saue ...
,
Nõmme Nõmme ( Estonian for ' heath') is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 39,422 () and covers an area of , population density is . The district is largely a middle-class, suburban ...
,
Aruküla Aruküla () is a small borough () in Harju County, northern Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Raasiku Parish. Aruküla had a population of 2,113 on 1 January 2020. Aruküla has a station on the Elron's eastern route. Gallery File ...
,
Raasiku Raasiku () is a borough () in Raasiku Parish, Harju County, Estonia, with a population of 1,372 (2020). Although situated in a parish with the same name, Raasiku is not the official administrative centre of the municipality (which is Aruküla, l ...
,
Kehra Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, best known for its Kehra pulp and paper mill, pulp and paper mill. The town stands on the banks of the Jägala (river), Jägala River, and it has a station on the Tallinn–Narva railway. A ...
and
Aegviidu Aegviidu is a borough in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its picturesque surroundings and hiking trails. The borough is situated along the Tallinn-Narva railway and , housing both the Aegviidu TV Mast (107m) and the termi ...
(then in Viru County) - started to grow. Several elements of
Peter the Great's Naval Fortress Peter the Great's Naval Fortress or the Tallinn-Porkkala defence station was a Russian fortification line, which aimed to block access to the Russian capital Saint Petersburg via the sea. The plans for the fortress included heavy coastal artill ...
were built in Harju County and its headquarters were in Tallinn. During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
in 1914, the native population of
Naissaar Naissaar (; ) is an island in Estonia. It is located in the Gulf of Finland, northwest of the capital city Tallinn, and is administratively part of Viimsi Parish. The island has an area of . It is long and wide, and lies about from the main ...
island was expelled from the island and it was turned into a military base. A narrow-gauge railway network was built on the island. Tallinn was the site for the very beginning of the
October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...
when the Estonian
Bolshevik The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
Jaan Anvelt Jaan Anvelt (also known by the pseudonyms Eessaare Aadu, Jaan Holm, Jaan Hulmu, Kaarel Maatamees, Onkel Kaak; in Russian or ; 18 April 1884 – 11 December 1937), was an Estonian Bolshevik revolutionary and writer. He served the Russian SFSR, ...
took power in Tallinn on 5 November 1917, two days before the Revolution started in
Petrograd Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
. On 9 November 1917, the Bolsheviks took power from Governor
Jaan Poska Jaan Poska VR III/1 (; , Laiusevälja, near Jõgeva, Estonia – 7 March 1920, Tallinn, Estonia) was a lawyer, politician and the foreign minister of Estonia in 1918–1919. Early life Poska was born the fifth of 12 children of an Eastern O ...
. After the coup, refusing to cooperate with the Estonian Soviet Executive Committee, the
Estonian Provincial Assembly The Estonian Provincial Assembly or Estonian State Diet, also often called by its Estonian name ''Maapäev'', was elected in May–June 1917 during the Russian Revolution as the provincial parliament ('' diet'') of the Autonomous Governorate of ...
(
Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...
: ''Maanõukogu'') in Tallinn declared sovereignty from the Russian Empire on 28 November 1917. In December 1917, Russian sailors under the leadership of Stepan Maximovich Petrichenko declared the "Soviet Republic of Soldiers and Fortress-Builders of Naissaar". They were ousted by German forces on 26 February 1918.


Republic of Estonia

The Republic of Estonia was proclaimed in Tallinn on 24 February 1918 while German occupation followed on the next day. German rule ended with the November Revolution in Germany. During the
Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...
, Soviet troops were halted only 40 km east of Tallinn by the end of 1918. Tallinn was the site of a failed Communist coup d'état attempt of 1924.


Occupation era


Soviet rule

On 18 September 1939, after both
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
had
invaded Poland The invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign, Polish Campaign, and Polish Defensive War of 1939 (1 September – 6 October 1939), was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany, the Slovak Republic, and the Soviet ...
, the
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken * Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
submarine
ORP Orzeł Three boats of the Polish Navy have been named ORP ''Orzeł'' (meaning ''eagle'' in Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent * ...
escaped from
internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...
in Tallinn Harbor during the
Orzeł incident The ''Orzeł'' incident occurred at the beginning of World War II in September 1939, when the interned Polish submarine escaped from Tallinn, in neutral Estonia, to the United Kingdom. Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union used the incident as one of ...
. The submarine eventually made her way to the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, which led both the Soviet Union and Germany to question Estonia's
neutrality Neutral or neutrality may refer to: Mathematics and natural science Biology * Neutral organisms, in ecology, those that obey the unified neutral theory of biodiversity Chemistry and physics * Neutralization (chemistry), a chemical reaction in ...
. On 24 September 1939,
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
warships appeared in North Estonian waters and
Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
bombers patrolled above Tallinn and the nearby countryside. The Soviet Union demanded that Estonia allow the Soviet military bases and stationed 25,000 troops on Estonian soil for the duration of the European war. On 28 September 1939, the government of Estonia accepted the ultimatum and signed the mutual assistance treaty.
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
was made a Soviet Naval Base and its population was expelled from the town. With its new military bases in Northern Estonia, the Soviet Union invaded
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
on 30 November 1939, starting the
Winter War The Winter War was a war between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet invasion of Finland on 30 November 1939, three months after the outbreak of World War II, and ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peac ...
. During 1939–1940, most of the
Baltic German Baltic Germans ( or , later ) are Germans, ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950), their resettlement in 1945 after the end ...
population from Tallinn and the Harju County countryside fled to Germany ('' Umsiedlung''). On 14 June 1940, the Soviet Navy set up a naval blockade in the
Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
and the
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...
and stationed a navy squadron west of Naissaar island near Tallinn. Soviet bombers shot down the passenger airplane "
Kaleva Kaleva or Kalevi may refer to: * CWT Kaleva Travel, a travel management company based in Finland * Kalevi (mythology), the great king of Kainuu in Finnish, Karelian and Estonian mythology * ''Kaleva'' (wasp), a wasp genus in the subfamily Pteromal ...
" near
Keri ''Keri'' () is a Hebrew term which literally means "accident" or "mishap", and is used as a euphemism for seminal emission. The term is generally used in Jewish law to refer specifically to the regulations and rituals concerning the emission of ...
island, killing all nine on board, which had included foreign diplomats. On 16 June 1940, the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
invaded Estonia and organised a Soviet ''coup d'état'' in Tallinn. On 21 June 1940, the Independent Signal Battalion in Tallinn showed resistance to the Red Army, until it surrendered and was disarmed on the same day. The Soviet powers organised rigged parliamentary elections and the new parliament declared the
Estonian SSR The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, (abbreviated Estonian SSR, Soviet Estonia, or simply Estonia ) was an administrative subunit ( union republic) of the former Soviet Union (USSR), covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia ...
on 21 July 1940, which was annexed by the Soviet Union on 6 August 1940. Most county and municipal leaders were replaced and local assemblies were replaced with
Soviets The Soviet people () were the citizens and nationals of the Soviet Union. This demonym was presented in the ideology of the country as the "new historical unity of peoples of different nationalities" (). Nationality policy in the Soviet Union ...
. The native population of Naissaar island was expelled from the island (as in 1914) as the island was turned into a military base. During the 1940–41 Soviet Occupation, thousands were executed, imprisoned, mobilised into the Red Army
labour battalion Labour battalions have been a form of alternative service or unfree labour in various countries in lieu of or resembling regular military service. In some cases they were the result of some kind of discriminative segregation of the population, ...
s or deported to Siberia on 14 June 1941 (
June deportation The June deportation of 1941 (, , ) was a mass deportation of tens of thousands of people during World War II from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, present-day western Belarus and western Ukraine, and present-day Moldova – territories which had been ...
).


Summer War

Germany
invaded the Soviet Union Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along a ...
on 22 June 1941 and Finland declared the
Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet–Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union during World War II. It began with a Finnish declaration of war on 25 June 1941 and ended on 19 ...
with the Soviet Union on 25 June 1941. As the Soviet Union retreated, its
destruction battalions Extermination battalions or destruction battalions, colloquially istrebitels (истребители, "exterminators", "destroyers") abbreviated: istrebki (Russian), strybki (Ukrainian), stribai (Lithuanian), were paramilitary units under the ...
carried out the
scorched-earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...
tactics. The
Erna long-range reconnaissance group The Erna long-range reconnaissance group () was a Finnish Army unit of Estonian volunteers that fulfilled reconnaissance duties in Estonia behind Red Army lines during World War II. The unit was formed by Finnish military intelligence with the ass ...
was sent from Finland to Northern Estonia on 10 July 1941 to perform
reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
of the retreating Red Army, but it eventually engaged the destruction battalions near Kautla forest ( Battle of Kautla) on 31 July to 1 August 1941, allowing 2,000 civilians to flee. German forces started its Tallinn Offensive on 19 August 1941, capturing
Rapla Rapla ( (the name ''Rappel'' was also used in other languages in the past) is a Populated places in Estonia, town in north-central Estonia'','' the capital of Rapla County and the centre of Rapla Parish. History The oldest records date back ...
on 21 August 1941. They reached Tallinn outskirts in
Pirita Pirita is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Pirita occupies a relatively large area, but compared to other districts of Tallinn its population of 17,592 (as of 1 November 2014) is relatively small. ...
on 24 August 1941 and
Harku Harku () is a small borough () in Harku Parish, Harju County, northern Estonia. As of the 2011 census, the settlement's population was 868, of which the Estonians were 539 (62.1%). Harku was first mentioned probably in 1242 as ''Harkua''. Th ...
and
Lasnamäe Lasnamäe is the most populous administrative district of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The district's population is about 119,000, the majority of which is Russian-speaking. Local housing is mostly represented by 5–16 stories high panel b ...
on 26 August 1941. Ordinary citizens were ordered to build defenses around Tallinn. Soviet forces started evacuating by sea on 24 August 1941. Of the 195 ships, that left Tallinn and Paldiski, 55 were sunk by mines near
Juminda Juminda is a village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, on top of the Juminda Peninsula, on the territory of Lahemaa National Park. Juminda has a popu ...
Peninsula, killing around 15,000 evacuees. Evacuating Soviet forces destroyed much of the infrastructure and industry around Tallinn. German forces captured Paldiski and Tallinn on 28 August 1941, shooting down the
Soviet Flag The State Flag of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also simply known as the Soviet flag or the Red Banner, was a red flag with two communist symbols displayed in the canton: a gold hammer and sickle topped off by a red five-point sta ...
on Tallinn
Pikk Hermann Pikk Hermann (Estonian ; ) is a tower of the Toompea Castle, on Toompea (Domberg) hill in Tallinn (Reval), the capital of Estonia. The first part of the tower was built in 1360–1370. It was rebuilt (height brought to ) in the 16th century. A s ...
Tower. Estonians replaced it with the
Flag of Estonia The national flag of Estonia () is a tricolour (flag), tricolour featuring three equal horizontal triband (flag), bands of blue at the top, black in the centre, and white at the bottom. The flag is called () in Estonian. The tricolour was alrea ...
, but it was replaced with the
Flag of Germany The national flag of Germany () is a tricolour (flag), tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national colours of Germany: Sable (heraldry), black, Gules, red, and Or (heraldry), gold (). The flag was first sight ...
the next day. German forces were greeted as liberators in Tallinn. It was also the first time since 1219 that Tallinn had been captured following a military engagement.


German occupation

Northern Estonia was the site of several
concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...
s and massacres. In September 1942, up to three thousand foreign
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
and
Gypsies {{Infobox ethnic group , group = Romani people , image = , image_caption = , flag = Roma flag.svg , flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress , ...
were executed at
Kalevi-Liiva Kalevi-Liiva are sand dunes in Jõelähtme Parish in Harju County, Estonia. The site is located near the Baltic coast, north of the Jägala village and the former Jägala concentration camp. It is best known as the execution site of at least ...
in Jõelähtme Parish, while the rest were sent to the small
Jägala concentration camp Jägala concentration camp was a labour camp of the Estonian Security Police and SD during the German occupation of Estonia during World War II. The camp was established in August 1942 on a former artillery range of the Estonian Army near the vi ...
nearby, that never had more than 200 prisoners as their lifespan was short.
Klooga concentration camp Klooga concentration camp was a Nazism, Nazi forced labor subcamp of the Vaivara concentration camp complex established in September 1943 in Harju County, during World War II, in German-occupied Estonia near the village of Klooga, Estonia, Klooga ...
in Keila Parish was mostly evacuated before the Soviet takeover, however, 2,000 prisoners were executed before the German retreat. The Red Army liberated the few survivors on 22 September 1944. Tallinn was bombed by the
Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...
on 9 and 10 March 1944, killing 757 people and destroying 8,000 buildings (about one-third of the capital). Among others, Harju Street, St. Nicholas' Church, and
Estonia Theatre Estonia Theatre is an historic landmark building in central Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finl ...
were hit. 36-38 Soviet
bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft that utilizes air-to-ground weaponry to drop bombs, launch aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploy air-launched cruise missiles. There are two major classifications of bomber: strategic and tactical. Strateg ...
s were shot down during the bombardment. After the Red Army broke through the Tannenberg Line in Eastern Estonia and crossed the
Emajõgi The Emajõgi (; meaning 'mother river') is a river in Estonia which flows from Võrtsjärv, Lake Võrtsjärv through Tartu County into Lake Peipus, crossing the city of Tartu for . It has a length of . The Emajõgi is sometimes called the Suur E ...
river near Tartu, it launched the
Tallinn Offensive The Tallinn offensive () was a strategic offensive by the Red Army's 2nd Shock and 8th armies and the Baltic Fleet against the German Army Detachment ''Narwa'' and Estonian units in mainland Estonia on the Eastern Front of World War II on 17� ...
on 17 September 1944 when
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
had agreed to start abandoning Estonia on 16 September 1944. The
National Committee of the Republic of Estonia The National Committee of the Republic of Estonia (, EVRK) was a deliberative and legislative body, formed by Estonian politicians and members of the last government of Republic of Estonia before the Soviet occupation, to control the Anti-Soviet ...
was formed in Tallinn in March 1944 and the last
Prime Minister of Estonia The prime minister of Estonia () is the head of government of the Estonia, Republic of Estonia. The prime minister is nominated by the President of Estonia, president after appropriate consultations with the parliamentary factions and confirmed ...
Jüri Uluots Jüri Uluots (13 January 1890 – 9 January 1945) was an Estonian prime minister, journalist, prominent attorney and distinguished Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Tartu. Early life Uluots was born in Kirbla Pari ...
organized a new government under
Otto Tief Otto Tief ( – 5 March 1976) was an Estonian politician, military commander, and a lawyer. Tief was the acting prime minister of the last government of Estonia
on 18 September 1944, captured government offices in Tallinn on 20 September 1944, and put the Estonian flag on top of the Pikk Hermann Tower. German forces started
Operation Aster Aster or ASTER may refer to: Biology * ''Aster'' (genus), a genus of flowering plants ** List of ''Aster'' synonyms, other genera formerly included in ''Aster'' and still called asters in English * Aster (cell biology), a cellular structure shap ...
to evacuate its 50,000 soldiers and 20,000 civilians through Tallinn and
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
. On the way, the
hospital ship A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating healthcare, medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navy, navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or ...
"Moero" was attacked and sunk by the Soviet Air Force, killing 637 of its passengers. The retreating German forces avoided conflict with the Red Army in Tallinn and the invading army saw only little resistance by Estonian units led by Rear Admiral
Johan Pitka Johan Pitka, VR I/1, (also Juhan Pitka; 19 February 1872 – 22 November 1944) was an Estonian entrepreneur and sea captain who served as the Commander of the Estonian Navy during the Estonian War of Independence. Pitka was one of the main ...
. The Red Army entered Tallinn on 22 September and Paldiski on 24 September 1944. Before the Soviet reoccupation in 1944, thousands fled to
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
across the Baltic Sea, including the entire
Estonian Swedish Estonian Swedish (; ) are the eastern varieties of the Swedish language that were until the mid-20th century spoken in the ''Aiboland'', the coastal areas and islands of western and northern Estonia which had been inhabited since the Middle Age ...
population, who had been settling also on Pakri islands in Harju County.


Second Soviet rule

The
Forest Brothers The guerrilla war in the Baltic states was an insurgency waged by Baltic states, Baltic (Latvian partisans, Latvian, Lithuanian partisans, Lithuanian and Estonian partisans, Estonian) partisans against the Soviet Union from 1944 to 1956. Known ...
resistance movement was considered to be the weakest in Harju County, due to dense population, fewer forests and more Soviet military activity. New deportations followed in 1949. The Soviet era brought development of heavy industry, a massive influx of foreign workers from throughout the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
and construction of new districts (
Maardu Maardu (, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76  ...
,
Mustamäe Mustamäe (Estonian language, Estonian for 'black hill') is one of the 8 administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The smallest by area (it covers only 8.1 km2), it is at the same time the second largest district by po ...
,
Väike-Õismäe Väike-Õismäe (Estonian language, Estonian for ''"Lesser Õismäe, Blossom Hill"'') is a subdistrict () in the district of Haabersti, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 27,481 (). thus housing more than 60% of Haabersti's ...
and
Lasnamäe Lasnamäe is the most populous administrative district of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The district's population is about 119,000, the majority of which is Russian-speaking. Local housing is mostly represented by 5–16 stories high panel b ...
) for Tallinn. Hotel Viru in Tallinn was built in 1972 as the first modern highrise in Estonia. The 1980 Summer Olympics Sailing events were held in Tallinn. The event also brought major construction, such as the seaside road from Central Tallinn to
Pirita Pirita is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Pirita occupies a relatively large area, but compared to other districts of Tallinn its population of 17,592 (as of 1 November 2014) is relatively small. ...
, renovation projects in Tallinn Old Town and the iconic highrise Hotel Olümpia and
Tallinn TV Tower Tallinn TV Tower () is a free-standing structure with an observation deck, built to provide better telecommunication services for the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics regatta event (see Sailing at the 1980 Summer Olympics). It is located near the ...
. In 1962, Paldiski became a
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
nuclear submarine A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor, but not necessarily nuclear-armed. Nuclear submarines have considerable performance advantages over "conventional" (typically diesel-electric) submarines. Nuclear propulsion ...
training centre and had two land-based
nuclear reactor A nuclear reactor is a device used to initiate and control a Nuclear fission, fission nuclear chain reaction. They are used for Nuclear power, commercial electricity, nuclear marine propulsion, marine propulsion, Weapons-grade plutonium, weapons ...
s with 16,000 employees. It was a
closed town A closed city or town is a settlement where travel or residency restrictions are applied. Historically, the construction of closed cities became increasingly common after the beginning of the Cold War, particularly in the Soviet Union. Since t ...
until the last Russian warship left in August 1994. Until then it was the last Russian military base in Estonia. Russia relinquished control of the nuclear reactor facilities in September 1995.


Administrative history


Formation of the county

The ancient counties of
Harjumaa Harju County ( or ''Harjumaa''), is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the southeast, Rapla Count ...
and
Revala Revala (also ''Rävälä'', , by Henry of Livonia ''Revele'', by Danish Census Book ''Revælæ'') was an Ancient Estonian county. It was located in northern Estonia, by the Gulf of Finland and corresponded roughly to the present territory of H ...
were merged into Harju County in 1266. It remained within most of its borders until 1949 (with the exclusion of 1783–1796, when Paldiski County was separated). During the Soviet occupation, in 1940, Tallinn became a city of republic significance.
Loksa Loksa is a town and municipality in Harju County, Estonia, best known for its shipping industry. Loksa is the northernmost town in Estonia. The town is located on the estuary of the Valgejõgi River, which drains into Hara Bay, Gulf of Finlan ...
was transferred to Viru County in 1949. The rest of Harju County was replaced with four
raion A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is c ...
s during the Soviet occupation in 1950. Harju Raion around Tallinn gradually absorbed the former areas of Harju County as
Loksa Loksa is a town and municipality in Harju County, Estonia, best known for its shipping industry. Loksa is the northernmost town in Estonia. The town is located on the estuary of the Valgejõgi River, which drains into Hara Bay, Gulf of Finlan ...
Raion was abolished in 1957,
Kose Kose () is a small borough () in Harju County, 39 kilometers (24 miles) southeast of Tallinn, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Kose Parish and lies next to Pirita River. At the 2011 Census, the settlement's population was 2,097. ...
Raion in 1959 and
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
Raion in 1962 and most of their territories transferred to Harju Raion.
Aegviidu Aegviidu is a borough in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its picturesque surroundings and hiking trails. The borough is situated along the Tallinn-Narva railway and , housing both the Aegviidu TV Mast (107m) and the termi ...
, Aegviidu Village Council and
Kohila Kohila (formerly also Kapa-Kohila, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, borough () in Rapla County, northern Estonia. It is the administrative center of Kohila Parish. Kohila has a population of 3,505 (as of 1 January 2006). Kohila has a railway ...
Village Council were transferred to Harju Raion in 1962. Harju Raion and the remaining Rapla Raion became Harju County and
Rapla County Rapla County ( or ''Raplamaa'') is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in the north-western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to ...
in 1990. Tallinn was reincorporated into Harju County in 1993.


Municipal history


Urban municipalities

Tallinn was the first settlement in Harju County to receive town rights in 1248. Municipally, it consisted of the "upper town" of
Toompea Toompea (from , "Cathedral Hill") is a hill in the central part of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. The hill has an area of and is about 20–30 metres higher than the surrounding areas. Toompea is part of the medieval Tallinn Old Town, a ...
and the "lower town". The two municipalities were merged in 1877. The naval harbour town of Paldiski received its town rights in 1783.
Nõmme Nõmme ( Estonian for ' heath') is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It has a population of 39,422 () and covers an area of , population density is . The district is largely a middle-class, suburban ...
was given a town status in 1926 and
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
in 1938. Soviet powers merged Nõmme with Tallinn already in 1940. They also separated Tallinn from Harju County and it became a centrally administered town. The same was applied to Paldiski in 1941. The German occupation of 1941-1944 left only Tallinn separated from Harju County. The Soviet reoccupation brought Paldiski back to central administration. Tallinn was divided into four urban raions in 1945 and it gained several new territories from its surrounding parishes.
Aegviidu Aegviidu is a borough in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its picturesque surroundings and hiking trails. The borough is situated along the Tallinn-Narva railway and , housing both the Aegviidu TV Mast (107m) and the termi ...
(then in
Järva County Järva County ( or ''Järvamaa''; ; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County t ...
),
Järvakandi Järvakandi () is a borough () in central Estonia. Administratively it constituted Järvakandi Parish () until 2017 — a rural municipality within Rapla County. After the 2017 reforms of municipalities, it is now located in Kehtna Parish. The m ...
and
Kohila Kohila (formerly also Kapa-Kohila, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, borough () in Rapla County, northern Estonia. It is the administrative center of Kohila Parish. Kohila has a population of 3,505 (as of 1 January 2006). Kohila has a railway ...
(both now in Rapla County) and
Kehra Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, best known for its Kehra pulp and paper mill, pulp and paper mill. The town stands on the banks of the Jägala (river), Jägala River, and it has a station on the Tallinn–Narva railway. A ...
were named boroughs. The central administration of Paldiski was abolished in 1950 when Paldiski was merged with Keila Raion. Tallinn absorbed
Saue Saue is a town in north-western Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saue Parish in Harju County. The territory of Saue is and population about 5,800. Closest centres are Tallinn (), Keila (), Saku () and Laagri (). Geography Saue ...
in 1960 and
Maardu Maardu (, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76  ...
in 1962 and the latter became a town within the municipality of Tallinn in 1980. Maardu and Saue were separated from Tallinn in 1991 and Kehra,
Loksa Loksa is a town and municipality in Harju County, Estonia, best known for its shipping industry. Loksa is the northernmost town in Estonia. The town is located on the estuary of the Valgejõgi River, which drains into Hara Bay, Gulf of Finlan ...
and Saue were given town status in 1993. The central administration of Tallinn was abolished and the town was re-transferred into Harju County. Its urban raions were abolished in 1993 and replaced with eight modern districts.


Rural municipalities

Ancient Estonia Ancient Estonia refers to a period covering History of Estonia from the middle of the 8th millennium BC until the conquest and subjugation of the local Finnic tribes in the first quarter of the 13th century during the Teutonic and Danish Nort ...
n counties were divided into parishes (
Estonian language Estonian ( ) is a Finnic language and the official language of Estonia. It is written in the Latin script and is the first language of the majority of the country's population; it is also an official language of the European Union. Estonian is sp ...
: ''kihelkond''), that became centered on local churches from the 13th century. Modern municipal parishes (Estonian: ''vald'') were created in the 19th century. They were created within the old parishes, that were still centered on the local church. Soviet rule brought major changes in rural municipalities as local village councils were created throughout 1945. The parishes were abolished with the creation of raions in 1950. Naissaar Parish had been abolished and given to the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
already in 1940 and Pakri Parish had been abolished and merged with
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
in 1947. Village councils were renamed "parishes" in 1990–1993.
Kehra Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, best known for its Kehra pulp and paper mill, pulp and paper mill. The town stands on the banks of the Jägala (river), Jägala River, and it has a station on the Tallinn–Narva railway. A ...
merged into
Anija Parish Anija Parish is a rural municipality in the eastern part of Harju County, Estonia. The administrative center of the parish is the town of Kehra, while the borough of Aegviidu and the village of Alavere are also notable. In total, the parish c ...
in 2002,
Loksa Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
merged into
Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
in 2005 and Kõue Parish merged into
Kose Parish Kose Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 5,737 (as of 1 January 2004) and covers an area of . The population density is 24.2 inhabitants per km2. In October 20 ...
in 2013.


Demography


Population

On 31 December 2021, there were 614,567 people living permanently in Harju county, which was 11.2% more than at the same time ten years ago. Ethnic Estonians made up 60.57% (372,245) of the population, Russians 28.99% (178,169), Ukrainians 3.07% (18,886), Belarusians 1.22% (7,473), Finns 0.69% (4,226), Latvians 0.29% (1,812) and others 5.17% (31,756)


Religion

The following congregations of the
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC; Estonian: ''Eesti Evangeelne Luterlik Kirik'', abbreviated EELK) is a Lutheran church in Estonia. The EELC is member of the Lutheran World Federation and belongs to the Community of Protestant Ch ...
(EELC) operate in Harju County: Tallinn Deanery: Tallinn Episcopal Cathedral Congregation, Tallinn Harkujärve, Tallinn Lasnamäe, Tallinn Mustamäe, Tallinn Nõmme, Tallinn Rahu, Tallinn Jaani, Tallinn Bethel, Tallinn Holy Spirit congregation, Tallinn German Redeemer congregation, Tallinn Swedish Michael congregation, Tallinn Finnish Saint Peter congregation and Tallinn Toompea Kaarli congregation, as well as Viimsi Congregation. The EELC's East-Harju Deanery includes the congregations of Harju-Jaani, Jõelähtme, Jüri, Kose, Kuusalu, Leesi, Loksa, Prangli, Randvere, Rannamõisa and Tuhala. The EELC's West-Harju Deanery includes the congregations of Harju-Madise, Keila, Niss, Paldiski Nikolai, Harju-Risti, Rannamõisa, Saku and Saue from the congregations located in Harju County. The following congregations operate under the administration of the Tallinn Diocese of the
Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC; , officially the Orthodox Church of Estonia) is an Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox church in Estonia under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Under Estonian law i ...
: Aruküla Holy Trinity congregation, Paldiski St. George's congregation, Tallinn St. George's congregation, Tallinn St. Simeon and the Prophetess Hannah congregation, Tallinn Transfiguration Main Church congregation. The following Orthodox congregations operate under the jurisdiction of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate: Loksa Kronstad St. Righteous John the Baptist congregation, Maardu Archangel Michael congregation, Paldiski St. Great Martyr Panteleimon congregation, Paldiski St. Sergius of Radonezh congregation, Tallinn congregation of the Quick-Hearing Icon of the Mother of God, Tallinn Our Lady of Kazan congregation, Tallinn Nicholas congregation, Tallinn Nõmme congregation of John the Baptist, Tallinn Holy Bishop Nicholas congregation, Tallinn Alexander Nevski congregation. There is also one Old Believer congregation. The congregations belonging to the
Catholic Church in Estonia The Catholic Church in Estonia () is the national branch of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. History of Catholicism in Estonia At the beginning of the 13th century, Estonia was conquered by the ...
that operate in Harju County are: the Tallinn St. Apostles Peter and Paul congregation, Tallinn Ukrainian Catholic congregation, and Catholic masses are held in the chapel of the Birgittine Monastery, the chapel of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, and the St. Athanasius Chapel in the Dominican Monastery. Baptist congregations operating in Harju County: Tallinn St. Olaf's, Kehra, Keila, Loksa, Valkla, Laagri, Tallinn Allika, Tallinn Living Stone Free congegation, Tallinn Kalju, Tallinn Christian Mosaic, Tallinn Mähe, Tallinn Mustamäe, Viimasi, Nõmme and Tallinn Bible Church. There are also congregations of
Moravian Church The Moravian Church, or the Moravian Brethren ( or ), formally the (Latin: "Unity of the Brethren"), is one of the oldest Protestant denominations in Christianity, dating back to the Bohemian Reformation of the 15th century and the original ...
(or ''Unitas Fratrum'') in Harju County: Tallinn Endla, Harku, Kuusalu, Nabala, Nissi and Saku-Tõdva. Of the other Christian churches, there are 6 Methodist churches, 7 Pentecostal churches, 8 Jehovah's Witnesses congregations, 6 Adventist churches. Of the other religions, there is 1 Estonian Neopagan congregation and one Muslim congregation, one synagogue and one Buddhist association.


Geography

Harju County lies on the southern coast of the
Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...
. Its shores are dominated by the North-Estonian coastal plain and the North-Estonian Klint separates the plain from Harju plateau in central and southern Harju County. The forested Kõrvemaa area is situated in eastern Harju County and the West-Estonian plain in western Harju County.


Shoreline

The shoreline is mostly low, but is at some places close to the high North-Estonian Klint. The coastal cliff is the highest in
Rannamõisa Rannamõisa is a village in Harku Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by th ...
() and
Türisalu Türisalu is a village in Harku Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the ...
() in
Harku Parish Harku Parish () is a rural municipality in Harju County, northern Estonia, located west and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of and has a population of 16,973 (as of June 1, 2022). The population density is . The administra ...
, and in three points in Paldiski: Pakri Peninsula (), Leetse () and
Väike-Pakri Pakri islands (, ) are two Estonian islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea: Suur-Pakri and Väike-Pakri ( and ). Administratively the islands are part of the town of Paldiski. For centuries the two islands were inhabited by Estonian Swe ...
island (). There are also several long sand beaches, for example
Kakumäe Kakumäe (Estonian for ''"Owl Hill"'') is a subdistrict () in the district of Haabersti, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is located at the top of the Kakumäe Peninsula, which is part of the Baltic Klint in the Tallinn Bay Tallinn Bay ...
, Stroomi in
Pelguranna Pelguranna (Estonian for "Refuge Beach") is a subdistrict () in the district of Põhja-Tallinn (North Tallinn) in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is located between Pelgulinn, Kopli and Sitsi and is bordered with the Stroomi Beach by the ...
, Pikakari in
Paljassaare Paljassaare (Estonian for ''"Bare Island"'') is the name of the Paljassaare Peninsula in the Tallinn Bay, and the name of a subdistrict () in the district of Põhja-Tallinn (''Northern Tallinn'') in the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. T ...
and
Pirita Pirita is one of the eight administrative districts () of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Pirita occupies a relatively large area, but compared to other districts of Tallinn its population of 17,592 (as of 1 November 2014) is relatively small. ...
along the shoreline and
Lake Harku Harku Lake (; also known as ''Haabersti Lake'', ''Loodjärv'' and ''Argo Lake'') is a lake on the western border of Tallinn, Estonia. It has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . Lake's beach is the only lakeside beach in Tallinn. On t ...
in
Pikaliiva Pikaliiva (Estonian for ''"Long Sand"'') is a subdistrict of the district of Haabersti in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of ...
, all within Tallinn, and
Kloogaranna Kloogaranna is a village in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County, Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the B ...
and
Kaberneeme Kaberneeme is a village in Jõelähtme Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west ...
in the countryside. The shoreline is also characterized by many peninsulas, such as Pakri,
Lohusalu Lohusalu is a village in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County, Estonia. The village spans the Lohusalu peninsula. In 2000, it had a population of 221."Arengukava 2004-2014" (in Estonian). Keila Vald http://www.keilavald.ee. . Retrieved 11 Decemb ...
,
Suurupi Suurupi is a village in Harku Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Ba ...
,
Kakumäe Kakumäe (Estonian for ''"Owl Hill"'') is a subdistrict () in the district of Haabersti, Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is located at the top of the Kakumäe Peninsula, which is part of the Baltic Klint in the Tallinn Bay Tallinn Bay ...
,
Kopli Kopli (Estonian for ''"Paddock"'') is a subdistrict of the district of Põhja-Tallinn (Northern Tallinn) in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It is located on the Kopli Peninsula and is bordered by parts of the Tallinn Bay, the Kopli Bay to the ...
,
Paljassaare Paljassaare (Estonian for ''"Bare Island"'') is the name of the Paljassaare Peninsula in the Tallinn Bay, and the name of a subdistrict () in the district of Põhja-Tallinn (''Northern Tallinn'') in the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. T ...
,
Viimsi Viimsi () is a small borough () in Harju County, Estonia, about northeast of the centre of Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north ...
, Ihasalu,
Kaberneeme Kaberneeme is a village in Jõelähtme Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west ...
,
Juminda Juminda is a village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) It is located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, on top of the Juminda Peninsula, on the territory of Lahemaa National Park. Juminda has a popu ...
and
Pärispea Pärispea is a village in Kuusalu Parish in Harju County in northern Estonia. The village has a population of 109 (as of 1 January 2009).
.


Islands

The shoreline is dotted with several islands, with the largest ones being
Naissaar Naissaar (; ) is an island in Estonia. It is located in the Gulf of Finland, northwest of the capital city Tallinn, and is administratively part of Viimsi Parish. The island has an area of . It is long and wide, and lies about from the main ...
(),
Väike-Pakri Pakri islands (, ) are two Estonian islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea: Suur-Pakri and Väike-Pakri ( and ). Administratively the islands are part of the town of Paldiski. For centuries the two islands were inhabited by Estonian Swe ...
(),
Suur-Pakri Pakri islands (, ) are two Estonian islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea: Suur-Pakri and Väike-Pakri ( and ). Administratively the islands are part of the town of Paldiski. For centuries the two islands were inhabited by Estonian Swe ...
(),
Prangli Prangli () is an Estonian island in the Gulf of Finland. The earliest known written records of Prangli date from 1387, the island was then called Rango, and it had been settled by Swedes. The first Estonian-speaking inhabitants are known to hav ...
(),
Aegna Aegna is an Estonian island in the Bay of Tallinn in the Baltic Sea. Administratively it is part of the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia and is a sub district of the Kesklinn (City center) district. Geography Aegna island has an area ...
() and Rammu (). All of the larger islands and several of the smaller islands have had a considerable historical population.
Pakri Islands Pakri islands (, ) are two Estonian islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea: Suur-Pakri and Väike-Pakri ( and ). Administratively the islands are part of the town of Paldiski. For centuries the two islands were inhabited by Estonian Sw ...
, Naissaar and Prangli even formed separate municipalities. Their population diminished during Soviet occupation, either gradually or by force. Today, Prangli (73 inhabitants) and Naissaar (three inhabitants) both consist of three villages within
Viimsi Parish Viimsi Parish () is a rural municipality in Northern Estonia, located North-East and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of with a population of 20 580 (). The municipality contains the Viimsi Peninsula and several islands, in ...
. Aegna (eight inhabitants) is a subdistrict in Kesklinn (central) district of Tallinn. Pakri islands (six inhabitants) are part of Paldiski.
Koipsi Koipsi is an island and a village in Jõelähtme Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to ...
and Rammu form uninhabited villages within
Jõelähtme Parish Jõelähtme Parish () is a municipality in Estonia. It was established in 1992 and is administratively part of the Harju County, in northwestern Estonia. The parish has a population of 6,969 and an area of , the population density is The admini ...
.


Lakes and rivers

The largest lakes in Harju County are
Lake Ülemiste Lake Ülemiste () is the largest of the lakes surrounding Tallinn, Estonia. Ülemiste is the main part of the Tallinn water supply system, which supplies the city with most of its drinking water. The lake is fed mostly by Kurna stream and the P ...
() and
Lake Harku Harku Lake (; also known as ''Haabersti Lake'', ''Loodjärv'' and ''Argo Lake'') is a lake on the western border of Tallinn, Estonia. It has an average depth of and a maximum depth of . Lake's beach is the only lakeside beach in Tallinn. On t ...
() in Tallinn and
Lake Kahala Lake Kahala is a lake of Estonia. See also *List of lakes of Estonia ''This is a list of lakes (including reservoirs) in Estonia.'' Largest lakes All lakes ''List is incomplete'' See also * External links {{Europe topic, List of l ...
() in
Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
. The largest artificial lake is
Paunküla Reservoir Paunküla Reservoir is located in Kiruvere, Kiruvere Village, Kose Parish, Harju County, Estonia near Ardu, Estonia, Ardu. The reservoir is part of the Tallinn water supply system and is connected to upstream Jägala (river), Jägala river vi ...
() in
Kose Parish Kose Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 5,737 (as of 1 January 2004) and covers an area of . The population density is 24.2 inhabitants per km2. In October 20 ...
. The longest rivers are the
Keila River The Keila is a river in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, ...
( in total),
Pirita River The Pirita () is a long river in northern Estonia that drains into Tallinn Bay (part of the Gulf of Finland) in Pirita, Tallinn. The basin area of the Pirita is 799 km2. For the 1980 Summer Olympics held in Moscow, the estuary to the Gulf ...
(),
Jägala River Jägala may refer to: * Jägala, Estonia * Jägala (river), a river which runs through Jägala ** Jägala Falls, a waterfall along the river * Jägala concentration camp, a Nazi concentration camp ** Kalevi-Liiva killing fields outside the camp * J� ...
() and
Valgejõgi River Valgejõgi (lit. ''White River'') is a river in Northern Estonia. Its source is in Lake Porkuni in Pandivere (Lääne-Viru County) and it drains into Hara Bay (part of Finnish Gulf) at Loksa (Harju County). Geography Valgejõgi lacks any ma ...
(). The two largest permanently active waterfalls in Estonia,
Jägala Waterfall Jägala may refer to: *Jägala, Estonia *Jägala (river), a river which runs through Jägala **Jägala Falls, a waterfall along the river *Jägala concentration camp, a Nazi concentration camp **Kalevi-Liiva Kalevi-Liiva are sand dunes in Jõel ...
() and
Keila Falls Keila Falls () is a waterfall in northern Estonia on the Keila River. It is the third most powerful waterfall in Estonia after Narva Falls and Jägala Waterfall. It is high and wide. See also * List of waterfalls This list of notab ...
(), are situated on these rivers.


Geographical extremes

*Northernmost point:
Keri ''Keri'' () is a Hebrew term which literally means "accident" or "mishap", and is used as a euphemism for seminal emission. The term is generally used in Jewish law to refer specifically to the regulations and rituals concerning the emission of ...
island,
Kelnase Kelnase is a village in Viimsi Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) Its one of the three villages located on the island of Prangli, the others being Idaotsa and Lääneotsa. Kelnase is the location of the main har ...
village,
Viimsi Parish Viimsi Parish () is a rural municipality in Northern Estonia, located North-East and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of with a population of 20 580 (). The municipality contains the Viimsi Peninsula and several islands, in ...
**Mainland: Cape Purekkari,
Pärispea Pärispea is a village in Kuusalu Parish in Harju County in northern Estonia. The village has a population of 109 (as of 1 January 2009).
village,
Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
(Northernmost point of mainland Estonia) *Easternmost point: Kolgu village,
Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
*Southernmost point: Aela village,
Kose Parish Kose Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 5,737 (as of 1 January 2004) and covers an area of . The population density is 24.2 inhabitants per km2. In October 20 ...
*Westernmost point:
Keibu Keibu is a village in Lääne-Harju Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by ...
village,
Lääne-Harju Parish Lääne-Harju Parish () is a rural Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 12,865 (as of 1 January 2019) and covers an area of 645.71 km2. The population ...
*Highest point: - Määrasmägi, Vetla village,
Anija Parish Anija Parish is a rural municipality in the eastern part of Harju County, Estonia. The administrative center of the parish is the town of Kehra, while the borough of Aegviidu and the village of Alavere are also notable. In total, the parish c ...
*Lowest point: 0 m (
sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
) -
Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...


Protected areas

There are a number of protected areas in Harju County.
Lahemaa National Park Lahemaa National Park is a park in northern Estonia, 70 kilometers east from the capital Tallinn. The Gulf of Finland is to the north of the park and the Tallinn-Narva highway (E20) to the south. Its area covers 747 km2 (including 274.9  ...
was the first
national park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
in the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, when it was created in 1971. The park was intended for the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the coastal landscapes of Northern Estonia. There are 21
nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...
s and 25 landscape protection areas, that are at least partly situated in Harju County. The largest is the
Põhja-Kõrvemaa Nature Reserve Põhja-Kõrvemaa Nature Reserve () is a Protected areas of Estonia, protected area in Harju County, Northern Estonia, some 50 km east of Tallinn. With an area of 130.9 km2, it is the third largest List of protected areas of Estonia, na ...
in
Kuusalu Parish Kuusalu Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia, the largest in Harju County. After joining with the adjacent Loksa Parish in 2005, the municipality has now a population of 6,863 (as of 1 January 2009) and covers an area of . The po ...
and
Anija Parish Anija Parish is a rural municipality in the eastern part of Harju County, Estonia. The administrative center of the parish is the town of Kehra, while the borough of Aegviidu and the village of Alavere are also notable. In total, the parish c ...
.


Transportation


Highways

The Harju County highway system is determined by roads leading out from
Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
. * runs from Tallinn to
Lääne-Viru County Lääne-Viru County ( or ''Lääne-Virumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland. In Estonian, ''lääne'' means western and ''ida'' means east or eastern. Lääne-Viru borders Id ...
towards
Narva Narva is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in the Ida-Viru County, at the Extreme points of Estonia, eastern extreme point of Estonia, on the west bank of the Narva (river), Narva river which forms the Estonia–Russia border, E ...
. Expressway for 80 km out of Tallinn. * runs from Tallinn to
Järva County Järva County ( or ''Järvamaa''; ; ) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County t ...
towards
Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...
. Expressway for 26 km out of Tallinn. * runs from Tallinn to
Rapla County Rapla County ( or ''Raplamaa'') is one of the fifteen counties of Estonia. It is situated in the north-western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to ...
towards
Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth-largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second-largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of ...
. Expressway for 14 km out of Tallinn. * runs from Tallinn to
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
via
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
. *runs from
Ääsmäe Ääsmäe is a village in Saue Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. Ääsmäe manor The manor in Ääsmäe traces its origins to 1574, when king John III of Sweden presented the estate as a gift to his secretary Johann Berends. The present ...
,
Saue Parish Saue Parish ( Estonian: ''Saue vald'') is a rural municipality in Harju County, north-western Estonia. The administrative centre of Saue Parish is Saue. It is situated in the suburban area of Estonia's capital, Tallinn. After the administrat ...
to
Lääne County Lääne County ( or ''Läänemaa'', literally "Western land"; ; ) is one of the 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in western Estonia and borders the Baltic Sea to the north, Harju County to the north-east, Rapla County to the east, Pärnu Cou ...
towards
Haapsalu Haapsalu () is a seaside resort town located on the west coast of Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Lääne County, and on 1 January 2020 it had a population of 9,375. History The name ''Haapsalu'' derives from the Estonian words ' ...
. * runs from
Lasnamäe Lasnamäe is the most populous administrative district of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The district's population is about 119,000, the majority of which is Russian-speaking. Local housing is mostly represented by 5–16 stories high panel b ...
to Keila and forms the Tallinn ring road.


Rail

Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
-
Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
-
St Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
line was opened as the first line in Estonia in 1870. Today, Elron operates both
commuter rail Commuter rail or suburban rail is a Passenger train, passenger rail service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Central business district, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter town ...
in Harju County and inter-city rail from Tallinn. Important lines include Tallinn-
Narva Narva is a municipality and city in Estonia. It is located in the Ida-Viru County, at the Extreme points of Estonia, eastern extreme point of Estonia, on the west bank of the Narva (river), Narva river which forms the Estonia–Russia border, E ...
/
Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...
through
Kehra Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, best known for its Kehra pulp and paper mill, pulp and paper mill. The town stands on the banks of the Jägala (river), Jägala River, and it has a station on the Tallinn–Narva railway. A ...
and
Aegviidu Aegviidu is a borough in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its picturesque surroundings and hiking trails. The borough is situated along the Tallinn-Narva railway and , housing both the Aegviidu TV Mast (107m) and the termi ...
, Tallinn-
Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth-largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second-largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of ...
/
Viljandi Viljandi (, , , , ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,255 in 2024. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located between two major ...
through Saku and Tallinn-
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
through
Saue Saue is a town in north-western Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saue Parish in Harju County. The territory of Saue is and population about 5,800. Closest centres are Tallinn (), Keila (), Saku () and Laagri (). Geography Saue ...
and
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
. Tallinn- Riisipere line used to be extended to
Haapsalu Haapsalu () is a seaside resort town located on the west coast of Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Lääne County, and on 1 January 2020 it had a population of 9,375. History The name ''Haapsalu'' derives from the Estonian words ' ...
. The
Rail Baltic Rail Baltica is an under-construction rail infrastructure project that is intended to integrate the Baltic states in the European rail network. Its purpose is to provide passenger and freight service between participating countries and improve ra ...
Tallinn-
Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
-
Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...
line is estimated to become operational in 2024.


Air

Harju County and Estonia are serviced by
Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport Tallinn Airport () is the largest international airport in Estonia. The airport is also officially called Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport (') after the former president of Estonia Lennart Meri. The airport is located southeast of the city centre ...
, which is open to both domestic and international flights. The Tallinn Linnahall Heliport offers international flights to
Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
,
Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
.


Ports and harbours

Tallinn Passenger Port The Old City Harbour () is the main passenger harbour in Tallinn, Estonia. Regular lines serve routes to Helsinki (Finland) and Stockholm (Sweden) Overview Old City Harbour is one of the five ports within the state-owned company Port of Tallinn ...
or the Old City Harbour served 8.84 million passengers in 2012 on lines to
Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
,
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
and
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
. Transport to
Kelnase Kelnase is a village in Viimsi Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) Its one of the three villages located on the island of Prangli, the others being Idaotsa and Lääneotsa. Kelnase is the location of the main har ...
Harbour on
Prangli Prangli () is an Estonian island in the Gulf of Finland. The earliest known written records of Prangli date from 1387, the island was then called Rango, and it had been settled by Swedes. The first Estonian-speaking inhabitants are known to hav ...
Island is provided from
Leppneeme Leppneeme is a village in Viimsi Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. It is located about northeast of the centre of Tallinn, on the northeastern coast of the Viimsi peninsula by Muuga Bay. As of the 2011 census, the settlement's populat ...
Harbour in
Viimsi Parish Viimsi Parish () is a rural municipality in Northern Estonia, located North-East and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of with a population of 20 580 (). The municipality contains the Viimsi Peninsula and several islands, in ...
and to Naissaar Island from Tallinn Lennusadam Harbour. Seasonal transport to
Aegna Aegna is an Estonian island in the Bay of Tallinn in the Baltic Sea. Administratively it is part of the city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia and is a sub district of the Kesklinn (City center) district. Geography Aegna island has an area ...
Island is provided from Tallinn Kalasadam Harbour. The biggest cargo port is
Muuga Harbour Muuga Harbour () is the largest cargo port in Estonia, located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, northeast of the capital Tallinn, in Maardu. The harbour is administrated by Port of Tallinn, the biggest port authority in Estonia. Mu ...
in
Maardu Maardu (, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76  ...
and
Viimsi Parish Viimsi Parish () is a rural municipality in Northern Estonia, located North-East and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of with a population of 20 580 (). The municipality contains the Viimsi Peninsula and several islands, in ...
. Other large ports include Paldiski North Harbour and Paldiski South Harbour,
Miiduranna Miiduranna is a village in Viimsi Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. It is located about northeast of the centre of Tallinn, situated just northwest of Tallinn's subdistrict Merivälja, west of the settlement of Viimsi and south of Haabne ...
Harbour in Viimsi Parish and Bekkeri-Meeruse Port, Hundipea Harbour, Lennusadama Harbour, Paljassaare Harbour, Patarei Harbour, Peetri Harbour and Vene-Balti Port in Tallinn.


Media

The official newspaper of Harju County is ''
Harju Elu ''Harju Elu'' is the official weekly newspaper of Harju County, Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the ...
''.


County government

Until 2017 the
County Government A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) ''Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denotin ...
() was led by a
governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
(), who was appointed by the
Government of Estonia The Government of the Republic of Estonia (''Estonian language, Estonian: Vabariigi Valitsus'') is the cabinet (government), cabinet of Estonia. Under the Constitution of Estonia, Constitution, it exercises executive power pursuant to the Cons ...
for a term of five years. Since 2009 the governor position was held by
Ülle Rajasalu Ülle Rajasalu (born 6 May 1953) is an Estonian politician. From 1999 to 2004, she was an Elder of the Pirita District, Tallinn. She became the governor of Harju County in 2009. Sources
(Estonian) 1953 births Living people Estonian R ...
. Harju County received municipal functions on 30 March 1917. Members of the Harju County Council were elected by the delegates of county municipalities and the first meeting was held on 1 July 1917 in Tallinn's
Toompea Castle Toompea castle () is a medieval castle on Toompea hill in the central part of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. In modern times, it houses the Parliament of Estonia (''Riigikogu''). History The Toompea castle's predecessor, an ancient Estoni ...
. Johannes Reinthal won the election for the Chair of the Council. The language of the proceedings was decided to be Estonian. Harju County Government became the Executive Committee of Harju County Soviet in January 1941. The County Government was restored during the German occupation from autumn 1941 until autumn 1944. In 1950, the Executive Committee of Harju County Soviet became the Executive Committee of Harju District Labour Soviet. The Harju County Government was re-formed in 1990. The Chairs of Harju County Councils, the Heads of County Governments and the County Governors: * 1917–1920 Johannes Reinthal * 1920–1922 Oskar Suursööt * 1922–1927 Martin Kruusimaa (Krusemann) * 1927–1936 Rudolf Kuris * 1936–1940 Karl Robert Ruus * 1940–1941 Gustav Abel * 1940; 1941–1944 Paul Männik * 1990–1991 Anti Oidsalu * 1991–1994 Mati Zernand * 1994–1999 Mait Kornet * 1999–2004 Orm Valtson * 2005–2006 Jaan Mark * 2006–2009
Värner Lootsmann Värner Lootsmann (born August 18, 1945 in Kasispea) is an Estonian politician from Harju County. Political activity Lootsmann was a member of the Estonian Liberal Democratic Party in 199091 and has been a member of the Estonian Centre Party ...
* 2009–2017
Ülle Rajasalu Ülle Rajasalu (born 6 May 1953) is an Estonian politician. From 1999 to 2004, she was an Elder of the Pirita District, Tallinn. She became the governor of Harju County in 2009. Sources
(Estonian) 1953 births Living people Estonian R ...


Settlements

Harju County has seven
settlement Settlement may refer to: *Human settlement, a community where people live *Settlement (structural), downward movement of a structure's foundation *Settlement (finance), where securities are delivered against payment of money *Settlement (litigatio ...
s with town status:
Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...
,
Maardu Maardu (, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76  ...
,
Keila Keila () is a town and an Municipalities of Estonia, urban municipality in Harju County in north-western Estonia, southwest of Tallinn. As of 2021, the town has a population of 10,499 inhabitants. Keila is also the location of administrative b ...
,
Saue Saue is a town in north-western Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saue Parish in Harju County. The territory of Saue is and population about 5,800. Closest centres are Tallinn (), Keila (), Saku () and Laagri (). Geography Saue ...
,
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
,
Kehra Kehra is a town in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, best known for its Kehra pulp and paper mill, pulp and paper mill. The town stands on the banks of the Jägala (river), Jägala River, and it has a station on the Tallinn–Narva railway. A ...
and
Loksa Loksa is a town and municipality in Harju County, Estonia, best known for its shipping industry. Loksa is the northernmost town in Estonia. The town is located on the estuary of the Valgejõgi River, which drains into Hara Bay, Gulf of Finlan ...
. All but Kehra are municipal towns, the latter being part of the
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
of
Anija Parish Anija Parish is a rural municipality in the eastern part of Harju County, Estonia. The administrative center of the parish is the town of Kehra, while the borough of Aegviidu and the village of Alavere are also notable. In total, the parish c ...
since 2002. There are also two
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...
s:
Kiili Kiili (before 1977: ''Veneküla'') is a borough of Harju County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the w ...
and
Aegviidu Aegviidu is a borough in Anija Parish, Harju County, Estonia, most known for its picturesque surroundings and hiking trails. The borough is situated along the Tallinn-Narva railway and , housing both the Aegviidu TV Mast (107m) and the termi ...
, of which Aegviidu ( Aegviidu Parish) is one of the five
municipal borough A municipal borough was a type of local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of ...
s of Estonia. There are also 31 small boroughs in Harju County. There are plans to give a town status to
Haabneeme Haabneeme is a Populated places in Estonia, small borough () in Viimsi Parish, Harju County, in northern Estonia alongside Viimsi. It's located about northeast of the centre of Tallinn, on the eastern coast of Tallinn Bay. With a population of ...
in
Viimsi Parish Viimsi Parish () is a rural municipality in Northern Estonia, located North-East and neighbouring the capital Tallinn. It occupies an area of with a population of 20 580 (). The municipality contains the Viimsi Peninsula and several islands, in ...
and
Peetri Peetri () is a small borough (') in Järva Parish, Järva County in northern Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...
in
Rae Parish Rae Parish () is a rural municipality in northern Estonia. It is a part of Harju County. The municipality has a population of 23,145 (as of 31 December 2022) and covers an area of 206.7 km². The population density is . Settlements Administ ...
.
Postimees is an Estonian daily newspaper established on 5 June 1857, by Johann Voldemar Jannsen. In 1891, it became the first daily newspaper in Estonia. Its current editor-in-chief is Priit Hõbemägi. The paper has approximately 250 employees. ''P ...

Seadusemuudatus muudab kaks linna aleviks
27 November 2013.


Municipalities

Harju County is subdivided into 16
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
, of which 4 are urban ( — cities or towns) and 12 are rural ( —
parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...
).


Gallery

St. Olaf's church, Estonian Maritime Museum.jpg, Tallinn St. Olaf's Church and
Fat Margaret Fat Margaret (, ) is a tower in Tallinn, Estonia. Nowadays, the tower is home to Estonian Maritime Museum. The tower was built in the early 16th century (from 1511 to 1530) during the reconstruction of the medieval city gate system. The etymolo ...
tower Vanalinna tornid.JPG, Walltowers of Tallinn Püha Brigitta Klooster(Convent of St. Bridget).jpg,
Pirita Convent Pirita Convent () was a Bridgettine convent for both nuns and monks, located in the district of Pirita in Tallinn, Estonia. It functioned from 1407 to 1575. It was the largest convent in Livonia, and with a floor area of 1360 square meters, it ...
ruins in Tallinn EU-EE-Tallinn-LAS-Mustakivi and Laagna.jpg, Tallinn Lasnamäe district Maardu manor.jpg,
Maardu Maardu (, ) is a Populated places in Estonia, town and a Municipalities of Estonia, municipality in Harju County, Estonia. It is part of Tallinn metropolitan area, located about east of the capital city. The town covers an area of 22.76  ...
Manor Iru power plant.jpg,
Iru Power Plant Iru Power Plant is a co-generation power plant in Iru village, Maardu, Estonia. It is owned by Enefit Green, a subsidiary of Eesti Energia. The plant has a heating capacity of . History The first unit of power plant was commissioned in 1978. In ...
Paldiski jaamahoone2 (2011).jpg,
Paldiski Paldiski is a seaside Populated places in Estonia, town in northwestern Estonia, located on the Pakri Peninsula and adjacent Pakri Islands, Pakri islands in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea. It is the administrative centre of the Lääne- ...
railway station Jõelähtme kirik2.jpg,
Jõelähtme Jõelähtme () is a village in Jõelähtme Parish, Harju County, northern Estonia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) Gallery File:Jõelähtme postijaama peahoone1.jpg, Post office File:Jõelähtme rahvamaja juulis 2018.jpg, Community centre File:Vabadus ...
Church Kose kirik suvi 2012.jpg,
Kose Kose () is a small borough () in Harju County, 39 kilometers (24 miles) southeast of Tallinn, Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Kose Parish and lies next to Pirita River. At the 2011 Census, the settlement's population was 2,097. ...
Church Vasalemma mõisa peahoone, 1893 (1).jpg,
Vasalemma Vasalemma is a small borough () in Harju County, northwestern Estonia. As of the 2011 census, the settlement's population was 879, of which the Estonians were 711 (80.9%). Vasalemma has a station on the Elron western route. Vasalemma Manor Va ...
Manor Ääsmäe mõisa peahoone jpg.jpg,
Ääsmäe Ääsmäe is a village in Saue Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. Ääsmäe manor The manor in Ääsmäe traces its origins to 1574, when king John III of Sweden presented the estate as a gift to his secretary Johann Berends. The present ...
Manor Tuhala Witches Well1-21-03-2013.jpg,
Tuhala Tuhala is a village in Kose Parish, Harju County in northern Estonia. As of the 2011 Estonian census, 2011 census, the settlement's population was 105. It is believed that settlement in Tuhala dates back around 3,000 years. The Tuhala Karst Are ...
"Witch's Well" Waterfall Jägala part VI.jpg,
Jägala Waterfall Jägala may refer to: *Jägala, Estonia *Jägala (river), a river which runs through Jägala **Jägala Falls, a waterfall along the river *Jägala concentration camp, a Nazi concentration camp **Kalevi-Liiva Kalevi-Liiva are sand dunes in Jõel ...
Laitse manor - panoramio (1).jpg, Laitse manor Tarvasjõgi.jpg, Tarvasjõgi river Laukad Kakerdaja rabas, Priit Vilba.jpg, Kakerdaja bog


References


External links


Harjumaa Tourism
{{coord, 59, 20, N, 25, 00, E, type:adm1st_region:EE, display=title Counties of Estonia