According to the 2011 census (Rahva ja eluruumide loendus), 131 243 Estonians speak a regional dialect in addition to standard literary Estonian. This is approximately 14.5%% of the population. The majority of Estonian-speakers (85.3%) speak only standard literary Estonian and no regional dialect.
The majority of those who speak a dialect are speakers of the Võru dialect (66.3% of dialect speakers or 9.8% of the total Estonian-speaking population) which includes Setu, followed by the island dialects (18.3% of dialect speakers or 2.8% of the total) and Mulgi dialect (7.3% of dialect speakers or 1.1% of the total).
The majority of those who speak a dialect are speakers of the Võru dialect (66.3% of dialect speakers or 9.8% of the total Estonian-speaking population) which includes Setu, followed by the island dialects (18.3% of dialect speakers or 2.8% of the total) and Mulgi dialect (7.3% of dialect speakers or 1.1% of the total).
Oskab mõnda murret (can speak a dialect): 131 243 (14.5%).
Ei oska murdeid (cannot speak a dialect): 706 556 (85.3%).
Idamurre (Eastern dialect): 1 277 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken near the northwestern shore of Lake Peipsi, in parts of Jõgeva and Lääne-Viru counties.
Keskmurre (Mid dialect): 210 (>0.0%). This includes the dialect spoken in Harju and Järva counties and parts of the surrounding counties. This region has the smallest number of dialect speakers, but it is also the region from which much of the standard literary language was based. In other words, the local regional "dialect" in many cases actually is standard Estonian, or at least fairly close to it (standard Estonian does include some words from southern dialects as well).
Läänemurre (Western dialect): 770 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Lääne and Pärnu counties, and parts of Raplamaa.
Mulgi murre (Mulgi dialect): 9 698 (1.1%) . This includes the local dialect spoken in southern Viljandi county and in the western part of Valga county. This dialect has the third-largest number of speakers, after Võru and Saarte.
Rannikumurre (Coastal dialect) 1 288 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Ida-Viru county, and in the eastern parts of Lääne-Viru county. It is sometimes referred to as "kirderannikumurre" (northeastern coastal dialect) or "Kirde-Eest rannikumurre" (North-East Estonian coastal dialect) or "kirdemurre" (northeastern dialect). It stretches south to Lake Peipsi and is therefore not entirely coastal. Of the Estonian dialects, this dialect is the closest to the Votic (Vadja) language.
Saarte murre (Insular dialect): 24 520 (2.8%). This includes the local dialect spoken on the islands of Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu, and Kihnu. This dialect has the second-largest number of speakers, after Võru. For the subdialect of Kihnu island (Kihnu murrak) specifically, there are 1 320 speakers.
Tartu murre (Tartu dialect): 4 109 (0.5%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Tartu county, as well as part of Valga county.
Võru murre (Võru dialect): 87 048 (9.8%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Võru and Põlva counties, as well as part of Valga county. This dialect has the largest number of speakers of all of the non-standard Estonian dialects. For the Setu subdialect (Setu murrak) specifically, there are 12 549 speakers. Many linguists consider Võru to be a separate language rather than a dialect of Estonian (in that case, Setu is a dialect of the Võru language).
Täpne murre teadmata (exact dialect unknown): 2 323 (0.2%).
Allikad (sources):
Eesti Emakeelega Püsielanikud Murdekeele Oskuse ja Soo Järgi
Eesti Murded Rahvaloenduse Andmetel
Väike Murdesõnastik: Asendused
Ei oska murdeid (cannot speak a dialect): 706 556 (85.3%).
Idamurre (Eastern dialect): 1 277 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken near the northwestern shore of Lake Peipsi, in parts of Jõgeva and Lääne-Viru counties.
Keskmurre (Mid dialect): 210 (>0.0%). This includes the dialect spoken in Harju and Järva counties and parts of the surrounding counties. This region has the smallest number of dialect speakers, but it is also the region from which much of the standard literary language was based. In other words, the local regional "dialect" in many cases actually is standard Estonian, or at least fairly close to it (standard Estonian does include some words from southern dialects as well).
Läänemurre (Western dialect): 770 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Lääne and Pärnu counties, and parts of Raplamaa.
Mulgi murre (Mulgi dialect): 9 698 (1.1%) . This includes the local dialect spoken in southern Viljandi county and in the western part of Valga county. This dialect has the third-largest number of speakers, after Võru and Saarte.
Rannikumurre (Coastal dialect) 1 288 (0.1%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Ida-Viru county, and in the eastern parts of Lääne-Viru county. It is sometimes referred to as "kirderannikumurre" (northeastern coastal dialect) or "Kirde-Eest rannikumurre" (North-East Estonian coastal dialect) or "kirdemurre" (northeastern dialect). It stretches south to Lake Peipsi and is therefore not entirely coastal. Of the Estonian dialects, this dialect is the closest to the Votic (Vadja) language.
Saarte murre (Insular dialect): 24 520 (2.8%). This includes the local dialect spoken on the islands of Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Muhu, and Kihnu. This dialect has the second-largest number of speakers, after Võru. For the subdialect of Kihnu island (Kihnu murrak) specifically, there are 1 320 speakers.
Tartu murre (Tartu dialect): 4 109 (0.5%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Tartu county, as well as part of Valga county.
Võru murre (Võru dialect): 87 048 (9.8%). This includes the local dialect spoken in Võru and Põlva counties, as well as part of Valga county. This dialect has the largest number of speakers of all of the non-standard Estonian dialects. For the Setu subdialect (Setu murrak) specifically, there are 12 549 speakers. Many linguists consider Võru to be a separate language rather than a dialect of Estonian (in that case, Setu is a dialect of the Võru language).
Täpne murre teadmata (exact dialect unknown): 2 323 (0.2%).
Allikad (sources):
Eesti Emakeelega Püsielanikud Murdekeele Oskuse ja Soo Järgi
Eesti Murded Rahvaloenduse Andmetel
Väike Murdesõnastik: Asendused
