Hartola, Finland

Hartola
Gustav Adolfs (Swedish)
Municipality
Hartolan kunta
Gustav Adolfs kommun
Eastern Tavastia College (Itä-Hämeen opisto) in Hartola
Location of Hartola in Finland
Coordinates: 61°35′N 026°01′E / 61.583°N 26.017°E / 61.583; 26.017
Country Finland
RegionPäijät-Häme
Sub-regionHeinola
Charter1784
Government
 • Municipal managerRaija Peltonen
Population
 (2025-06-30)
 • Total
2,463
 • Rank234th largest in Finland
 • Density0/km2 (0/sq mi)
Population by native language
 • Finnish96.3% (official)
 • Others3.7%
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Websitehartola.fi

Hartola (Swedish: Gustav Adolfs) is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Itä-Häme, Päijät-Häme region. The municipality has a population of 2,463 (30 June 2025), which make it the smallest municipality in Päijät-Häme in terms of population. It covers an area of 675.38 square kilometres (260.77 sq mi) of which 132.18 km2 (51.03 sq mi) is water. The population density is 4.54 inhabitants per square kilometre (11.8/sq mi). Neighbouring municipalities are Heinola, Joutsa, Luhanka, Pertunmaa and Sysmä.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish. The municipality is also known as "Gustav Adolfs" in Swedish. Hartola is home to the Itä-Hämeen Museo, the regional museum for seven municipalities.

Since 1987, the town has billed itself as a sovereign royal parish based upon a 1784 proclamation by King Gustav III of Sweden creating a new parish on the eastern border of his kingdom in honor of his son, Gustav Adolf.

At every first Saturday in September, there is a fair at Hartola. The event is biggest in Finland at its genre.

The municipality is also known as the writer Maila Talvio's place of birth.