näopiirkond

Näopiirkond is a specific type of administrative division in Estonia and Latvia. The term is derived from the Estonian language and translates to "single colony" or "single community" in English. In Estonia, the näopiirkond was a unit of local government that existed between 1918 and 1990. During this period, it served as a middle layer of administration between the county (_maakond_) and the local municipalities (_vallanurk_).

Similar to the näopiirkond in Estonia, the naipirky in Latvia was also a type of administrative district that existed from 1918 until 1920. This division was established during the occupatioн of Latvia by Germany during World War I. However, after the country gained independence, the naipirky were abolished and replaced with a different system of local administration.

The näopiirkond in Estonia typically consisted of a group of nearby local municipalities that were managed together under a single administrative body. This system was implemented in an effort to increase efficiency and reduce costs in local governance. However, the decentralization of power that occurred in Estonia in the late 1980s led to the abolition of the näopiirkond and other upper-layer (counties) administrative divisions. Today, Estonia's local governance system consists of local municipalities (vallad) that are directly elected by the public, and function independently.