Kilingi-Nõmme

• Location, territory, population
• History of Kilingi-Nõmme
• Nature and natural resources
• Entrepreneurship
• Social sphere
• Technical infrastructure
• Non-governmental organisations

• Useful information
• Picture Gallery (in Estonian)

Location, territory, population

Kilingi-Nõmme Town is located at eastern part of Pärnu County, 37 meters above the sea level. Landscape is manifold – sloping hills alternate with shallow valleys. In north and west is the town is surrounded by pine-forests, in east by fields and in south borders Kilingi-Nõmme on Humalaste creek.
Total area of Kilingi-Nõmme is 427,96 ha.
The town is stretched out along Pärnu-Valga road. The streets network is rather regular – 2-3 streets run parallel to the main street and intersect with the cross-streets. Railway crosses the main street at eastern part of the town.
As of the January, the 1-st 2000 Kilingi-Nõmme had 2447 inhabitants.

History of Kilingi-Nõmme

History of Saarde parish, a part of the ancient Sakala county, dates back to 13th century. First records about the settlement are from 1560 and associated with Ovelgunne manor.
In 1665 was Kilingi-Nõmme place bought by Valentin Schilling (in Saarde soft dialect Schilling became Killingi). The manor (established in 1560), the church (17th century) and inn gave birth to a settlement that became know as Kilingi-Nõmme.
By the end of 19th century Kilingi-Nõmme had 500 inhabitants.
In 1919 got Kilingi-Nõmme the right of the town.
In 1928 was completed a development plan for Kilingi-Nõmme. At that time there were 1422 inhabitants in the town.
In 1938 got Kilingi-Nõmme the rights of the city.
In 1990 was Pärnu County re-established and Kilingi-Nõmme was given self governing status.

Nature and natural resources

Kilingi-Nõmme is surrounded with dunes that are covered with heath forests. The subsoil is Devonian sandstone. There are a lot of trees in Kilingi-Nõmme and the town is surrounded with pine-forests in north and west. Forests are one of the most important natural resources of Kilingi-Nõmme.
Veski artificial lake and Humalaste creek are within the borders of the town.
Kilingi-Nõmme water reservoir is just beyond the town border.

Entrepreneurship

Distribution of employment, % :
• Non-business enterprises 34 %.
• Service industry 22 %.
• Trade and catering 22 %.
• Forestry and timber 4 %.
• Other production 18 %.

Industry, forestry, wood-processing.
There are almost no industrial enterprises in the town.
Kilingi-Nõmme is surrounded by Saarde Commune that is rich for forests (35562 ha). Forest is the main wealth of Saarde. Many enterprises have wood cutting and sawing and timber processing as their main activity – AS Talme, AS Sylvester, OÜ Metsakuivendus, AS Puitex.

Service.
Kilingi-Nõmme has a lot of diverse service companies – there is a sauna, post office, bank, rescue station, hairdresser, dressmaker, knitwear shop, TV repair shop, veterinary, police station, gas station, passport issuing office, tax collector, electricity and gas sales department, car repair shop, transport services, public utilities.

A public Internet site was opened in Kilingi-Nõmme in 1997. Everyone who has a computer can have connection to the Internet.

Social sphere

Education.
Kilingi-Nõmme High School had in school year 2000/2001 672 pupils form Kilingi-Nõmme Town and adjacent communes.
More than 100 children attend kindergarten "Krõll".
There is a music school for children and a sports school.

Culture and sports.
Kilingi-Nõmme High School hosts several hobby groups. Other options for spending free time are practising sports, visiting library, culture house, attending music school.
There are several choirs: choir of little children, female choir, male choir, choir of Saarde St Catherine Congregation, children's choir and song studio "Üks väike rõõm".
There are five dance groups: two for children, one for women and one for seniors.
Several bands play dance music – "Retro", "X2", "Polero" ,"A&T". There is a drama group, art group, club for young families, sport club "Kilingi", seniors' club, gymnastic club "Githa", bridge club.

Kilingi-Nõmme culture house has 350 seats, in the small hall 150. New modern choir stand (big enough for 250-300 singers) was completed in 1998.

Health care.
Kilingi-Nõmme Hospital gives first and second stage medical services to the town and adjacent communes and first aid 24 hours a day.
There are also three family doctors and a pharmacist.

Social welfare.
Social work is divided between the Advisor on Social Affairs (works at City Council) and four patronage nurses.
Kilingi-Nõmme Hospital has ward department with 10 beds for old and handicapped people. 30 old people are taken care of at their homes. 778 people (ca 30 % of the population) receive pensions or other social welfare benefits.

Technical infrastructure

Dwelling-houses and building activities.
Building activities in Kilingi-Nõmme have mainly followed the general development plan from 1968 and its corrections from 1972. However, these plans were too ambitious and many buildings have not been completed.
There are 518 dwelling houses and other buildings in Kilingi-Nõmme.
Some works in the recent years have been the completion of the water purification plant, building new choir stand and partial reconstruction of the school house. These works have been co-financed by the town and central government.

Water supply.
Three bore wells (125-180 meters deep) provide water for the central water system. 1077 people (42,7 % of the population) get their water from these bore wells. The results of the quality control of drinking water have continuously been good or very good. There are seven more local bore wells whether in town or in immediate proximity of the town. These wells provide water to adjacent dwelling houses and industrial enterprises. Many households have their own bore wells.

Sewerage.
Kilingi-Nõmme has two-pipe sewerage system. Rain water is directed away through open ditches using the advantageous natural relief. From the central part of the town the rainwater is directed to sewerage pipes.
Households sewerage is directed through gravity flow pipes and pressure pipes to water treatment plant at the northern edge of the town. Kilingi-Nõmme has a modern biological water treatment plant that was built taking into consideration the size and future development of the town. Work is continued in completing the construction of sewerage pipes, pumping stations.

Telephone.
The town has an automatic switching station with 2000 telephone numbers. The analogue branch exchange is being replaced by digital branch exchange. NMT, Q-GSM and Radiolinja have erected their mobile phone masts in the town.

Energy.
On the territory of the town there is a substation with the capacity of 110Kv / 35Kv / 15Kv.

Roads and transport.
Pärnu-Kilingi-Nõmme-Valga road (that is also the main street of the town) branches into two on the eastern edge of Kilingi-Nõmme. One branch leads to Kanaküla and Viljandi, another to Valga. Other bigger roads take the course to Tali and through Jäärja (border station) to Mazsalaca, Latvia.
Total length of the streets is 25 kilometres, 11 kilometres of them are asphalt-covered. There are 51 streets altogether.
Lot of people use public transportation. From Kilingi-Nõmme one can travel directly (without transfer) to Võru, Tartu, Valga, Tallinn, Kuressaare and Viljandi.
Some goods transport is done on railway. Passengers transport has been closed down (before it was possible to travel to Tallinn and Riga).

Non-governmental organisations

• Female choir "KANRBIK".
• Male choir "NÕMMELA".
• Gymnastic club "GITHA".
• Development and Innovation Centre Livonia
• 24 apartment associations.

Useful information

• Phone code: 44 (in Estonia) or +372 44 (international).
• Post indexes.
• Public Internet: 20 Sambla St, phone. 44 92 255
• Information: Municipality house, 62 Pärnu St., phone 44 90 135, fax 44 90 131.
• Rescue Station: 4 Pargi St., phone 112 or 44 27 112 (local station).
• Police: 27 Pärnu St., phone 44 90 110.
• First aid: 65 Pärnu St., phone 50 10 944.
• Pharmacy: 65 Pärnu St., phone 44 30 440.
• Post Office: 44 Pärnu St., phone 44 71 160.
• Hansapank Kilingi-Nõmme office: 44 Pärnu St., phone 44 70 999.
• Busses departing from Kilingi-Nõmme bus station.