An apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area. Either the area is not yet a diocese (a stable 'pre-diocesan', usually missionary apostolic administration), or is a diocese, eparchy or similar permanent ordinariate (such as a territorial prelature or a territorial abbacy) that either has no bishop (an apostolic administrator sede vacante, as after an episcopal death or resignation) or, in very rare cases, has an incapacitated bishop (apostolic administrator sede plena). Characteristics Apostolic administrators of stable administrations are equivalent in canon law with diocesan bishops, meaning they have essentially the same authority as a diocesan bishop. This type of apostolic administrator is usually the bishop of a titular see. Administrators sede vacante or sede plena only serve in their role until a newly chosen diocesan bishop takes possession of the diocese. They are restricted by canon law in what they can do to the diocese they temporarily administer. For example, such an administrator may not sell real estate owned by the diocese. This type of administrator is commonly an auxiliary bishop of the diocese, a priest serving as the vicar general of the diocese, or the ordinary of a neighboring diocese. Normally when a diocese falls vacant, either the previously appointed Coadjutor bishop takes possession of the see or (lacking such successor) a vicar capitular/diocesan administrator is chosen locally, but the Pope, having full governmental power, can preempt this choice and name an apostolic administrator instead. Sometimes a retiring, promoted or transferred (arch)bishop is designated to be apostolic administrator until his successor is designated and takes office, sometimes the Metropolitan or a fellow suffragan is appointed. Apostolic administrations In March 2021, there were the following stable apostolic administrations, most administered by a (titular or external) bishop. Most are of the Roman rite; most are in former or current communist countries. Apostolic Administration of Atyrau, in Kazakhstan, suffragan of the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Astana Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus, immediately subject to the Holy See, established in 1991 for two predominantly Orthodox former Soviet Republics: Georgia (the cathedral is in its capital Tbilisi) and Armenia Apostolic Administration of Estonia, one of the Baltic Countries; immediately subject to Rome, established in 1924, with its cathedral in the capital Tallinn Apostolic Administration of Harbin in the People's Republic of China, immediately subject to Rome, established in