Jõgeva is a small town in Estonia with a population of around 5000 people. It is the capital of Jõgeva Parish and Jõgeva County.

Jõgeva was first mentioned in 1599 as Jagiwa manor, being established only recently on the lands of the same named village by the orders of the Polish king. During the Polish reign in Estonia (1582–1622) it was part of Laiuse starostwo, which became Laiuse fief during Swedish rule (1622–1721).

In 1756, Jõgeva manor became the property of Gotthard Johann von Manteuffel (1690–1763) and remained in the family of von Manteuffel until 1919 when it was nationalized by the government. In 1876, a railway station, named Laisholm after the manor, was established near the village of Jõgeva (German: Laisholm). The owner of Jõgeva manor, Ernst Gotthard von Manteuffel (1844–1922), started renting out land around the railway station in 1903. After that, the village grew quickly. On October 13, 1919, Jõgeva became a borough and on 1 May 1938, a town.

During the Second World War nearly 60% of the town was destroyed.

During the Soviet occupation of Estonia Jõgeva became an important administrative center with several big industries. Many new administrative, commercial and residential buildings were erected at that time.

Ethnic Composition 1922-2021

Ethnicity	1922		1934		1941		1959		1970		1979		1989		2000		2011		2021
	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%	amount	%
Estonians	840	92.3	1088	95.1	1044	97.1	2304	92.3	3214	88.2	4554	84.5	5961	84.7	5670	88.3	5036	91.5	4821	92.3
Russians	43	4.73	35	3.06	14	1.30	-	-	189	5.19	545	10.1	728	10.3	470	7.32	324	5.89	240	4.60
Ukrainians	-	-	0	0.00	-	-	-	-	35	0.96	91	1.69	144	2.05	89	1.39	63	1.15	71	1.36
Belarusians	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	27	0.74	45	0.84	50	0.71	35	0.55	22	0.40	19	0.36
Finns	-	-	0	0.00	0	0.00	-	-	33	0.91	56	1.04	72	1.02	58	0.90	19	0.35	17	0.33
Jews	3	0.33	5	0.44	0	0.00	-	-	0	0.00	1	0.02	1	0.01	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00
Latvians	-	-	3	0.26	2	0.19	-	-	8	0.22	13	0.24	6	0.09	9	0.14	4	0.07	4	0.08
Germans	11	1.21	5	0.44	-	-	-	-	-	-	70	1.30	40	0.57	9	0.14	6	0.11	5	0.10
Tatars	-	-	1	0.09	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	0.02	3	0.04	4	0.06	2	0.04	3	0.06
Poles	-	-	5	0.44	5	0.47	-	-	-	-	5	0.09	6	0.09	3	0.05	0	0.00	0	0.00
Lithuanians	-	-	1	0.09	0	0.00	-	-	7	0.19	5	0.09	6	0.09	9	0.14	7	0.13	8	0.15
unknown	0	0.00	1	0.09	1	0.09	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00	0	0.00	52	0.81	2	0.04	9	0.17
other	13	1.43	0	0.00	9	0.84	192	7.69	131	3.59	3	0.06	18	0.26	12	0.19	16	0.29	28	0.54
Total	910	100	1144	100	1075	100	2496	100	3644	100	5389	100	7035	100	6420	100	5501	100	5222	100.06

Jõgeva is situated on the right shore of Pedja River which flows through the city from north to south. Parallel with the river is the Tallinn–Tartu railway line. The major cities Tartu and Tallinn are respectively 51 and 154 kilometres (96 miles) from Jõgeva, both connected through railway as well as through highways.

Jõgeva is located between big drumlins. The hill of Laiuse is located east from the town. River Pedja passes through the town. Jõgeva has a humid continental climate (Dfb). Winters are usually snowy and cold. It is known as the coldest place in Estonia with the lowest temperature of −43.5 °C (−46.3 °F). Summers are mild and often humid, some days the maximum can reach 30°C. Thunder season starts in April and ends usually in the end of October.

In July Jõgevatreff, an annual bikers reunion takes place. The culmination of the event is the parade of the bikers through the town. In August, the annual Garlic Festival is held. Jõgeva is also regarded as the headquarters of the Estonian Santa Claus.

• The house museum of Estonian poet Betti Alver - the house by the railway station where she was born;
• Külmasammas - a monument marking the Estonian cold record of −43.5 °C (−46 °F) recorded in Jõgeva in 1940;
• The Estonian War of Independence memorial stone to commemorate the casualties;
• The memorial to the casualties of the Second World War;
• The memorial to the Estonian deportees during Soviet occupation in 1941 and 1949;

The former municipality of Jõgeva was twinned with:

• Jonava, Lithuania
• Kaarina, Finland
• Karlstad, Sweden
• Keuruu, Finland

• 
  Monument to the poet Betti Alver in Jõgeva
• 
  Bank in Jõgeva
• 
  Fire station and rescue building
• 
  Jõgeva railway station
• 
  Jõgeva central square
• 
  Old railway station
• 
  Bus station
• 
  Betti Alver museum
• 
  Cultural center
• 
  Jõgeva County government building

• Martin Algus (born 1973), actor, screenwriter, playwright and translator, born in Jõgeva
• Vallo Allingu (born 1978), basketball player, born in Jõgeva
• Saskia Alusalu (born 1994), speed skater, born in Jõgeva
• Betti Alver (1906–1989), poet, born in Jõgeva
• Ain Evard (born 1962) high jumper, born in Jõgeva
• Leopold Hansen (1879–1964), actor and theater director, lived in Jõgeva as a child
• Robin Kool (aka "ropz"; born 1999), esports player, born in Jõgeva
• Aire Koop (born 1957), actress, born in Jõgeva
• Alo Kõrve (born 1978), actor, born in Jõgeva
• Hele Kõrve (born 1980), actress, born in Jõgeva
• Alo Mattiisen (1961–1996), musician and composer, born in Jõgeva
• Mati Meos (born 1946), engineer and politician, born in Jõgeva
• Erki Pütsep (born 1976), road bicycle racer, born in Jõgeva
• Aleksandr Selevko (born 2001), figure skater, born in Jõgeva
• Tiit Sukk (born 1974), actor, born in Jõgeva
• Alar Varrak (born 1982), basketball player and coach, born in Jõgeva
• Luule Viilma (1950–2002), physician, esotericist and parapsychologist, born in Jõgeva
• Igor Volke (born 1950), ufologist and author, born in Jõgeva

• Jõgeva SK Noorus-96
• FC Jõgeva Wolves

Notes

• Webcamera in Jõgeva center Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine