Mulgi Parish
{{Short description|Municipality of Estonia}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mulgi Parish
| native_name = Mulgi vald
| settlement_type = Municipality of Estonia
| image_skyline =
| imagesize =
| image_caption =
| image_flag = File:Mulgi valla lipp.svg
| flag_size = 150 px
| image_shield = File:Mulgi valla vapp.svg
| shield_size =
| image_map = File:Eesti Mulgi vald 2017.svg
| mapsize =
| map_caption = Mulgi Parish within Mulgi County.
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = 25px Estonia
| subdivision_type1 = County
| subdivision_name1 = 25px Viljandi County
| seat_type = Administrative centre
| seat = Abja-Paluoja
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Imre Jugomäe
| area_total_km2 = 881
| population_total = 7436
| population_as_of = 2019
| population_density_km2 = auto
| coordinates =
| website =
| official_name =
| iso_code = EE-480
}}
Mulgi Parish ({{langx|et|Mulgi vald}}) is a rural municipality in southern Estonia. It is a part of Viljandi County.https://mulgivald.ee/ (accessed 7 March 2020) As of 2021, the municipality has a population of 7,372,{{cite web|title = RV0240: POPULATION BY SEX, AGE AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE, 1 JANUARY|url = https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/rahvastik__rahvastikunaitajad-ja-koosseis__rahvaarv-ja-rahvastiku-koosseis/RV0240|website = Statistics Estonia|access-date = 4 August 2022}} and covers {{cvt|881|km2}}.
Geography
The administrative centre of the Mulgi municipality is the town of Abja-Paluoja. The municipality itself consists of 3 towns (Abja-Paluoja, Karksi-Nuia, Mõisaküla); 2 small boroughs ({{langx|et|alevikud}}) (Halliste, Õisu); and 58 villages:
Abja-Vanamõisa, Abjaku, Ainja, Allaste, Äriküla, Atika, Ereste, Hirmuküla, Hõbemäe, Kaarli, Kalvre, Kamara, Karksi, Kõvaküla, Kulla, Laatre, Lasari, Leeli, Lilli, Mäeküla, Maru, Metsaküla, Mõõnaste, Morna, Mulgi, Muri, Naistevalla, Niguli, Oti, Päidre, Päigiste, Pärsi, Penuja, Põlde, Polli, Pöögle, Pornuse, Räägu, Raamatu, Raja, Rimmu, Saate, Saksaküla, Sammaste, Sarja, Sudiste, Suuga, Tilla, Toosi, Tuhalaane, Ülemõisa, Umbsoo, Univere, Uue-Kariste, Vabamatsi, Vana-Kariste, Veelikse, and Veskimäe.
Religion
{{Empty section|date=June 2024}}{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Mulgi Parish (2021) [https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/rahvaloendus__rel2021__rahvastiku-demograafilised-ja-etno-kultuurilised-naitajad__usk/RL21452]
|label1 = Unaffiliated
|value1 = 85.4
|color1 = White
|label2 = Lutheran
|value2 = 8.8
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|label3 = Orthodox
|value3 = 2.4
|color3 = Pink
|label4 = Others Christians
|value4 = 0.3
|color4 = LightBlue
|label5 = Others Religions
|value5 = 0.1
|color5 = Yellow
|label6 = Unknown
|value6 = 3.0
|color6 = Grey
}}
History
The municipality was formed on 24 October 2017, by merging of the town of Mõisaküla with the neighbouring municipalities of Karksi, Abja, and Halliste.https://mulgivald.ee/
There were many discrepancies in the past based on the naming of the Mulgi municipality; the naming council found Mulgi to be a misleading name both culturally and geographically,Jaak Pihlak: [http://sakala.postimees.ee/3913209/mulgi-vald-kas-nimi-rikub-meest "Mulgi vald – kas nimi rikub meest?"] Sakala, 17. November 2016 as the municipality only covers a third of the historical Mulgimaa – the municipalities of Halliste and Karks, to be more specific. Suggested names in its place included Lääne-Mulgi, Abja-Mulgi, and Halliste-Karksi.
Concerns have also been raised about the loss of the name Abja. This stems from the history of the area; before the expansion of the Viljandi county (Raion) borders in 1962, the raion of Abja also existed in about the same area.Märt Lond: [https://sakala.postimees.ee/3920113/kas-ikka-mulgi-vald "Kas ikka Mulgi vald?"] Sakala, 23 November 2016
The area has been a developed flax growing region and was one of the most prosperous in Estonia in the 19th century. Flax cultivation is also the reason why flax flowers are depicted on regional symbols.