Mäntyharju (Finland)

Mäntyharju (Finnish: [ˈmæntyˌhɑrju], lit. 'Pine Ridge') is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southern Savonia region, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Mikkeli. The municipality has a population of 5,518 (31 October 2024) and covers an area of 1,210.98 square kilometres (467.56 sq mi) of which 229.23 km2 (88.51 sq mi) is water. The coastline is almost 1,520 kilometers (940 mi). The population density is 6.2 inhabitants per km². Neighbouring municipalities: Heinola, Hirvensalmi, Kouvola, Mikkeli, Pertunmaa and Savitaipale. The municipality is unilingually Finnish. The summer houses or cottages located in the countryside are part of the culture of Finland where most Finnish families spend their summer holidays. Mäntyharju is the municipality which has the fifth most summer houses in Finland. Some of the reasons for Mäntyharju's popularity involve its many pure lakes and a relatively short distance to the Finnish capital Helsinki of approximately 200 kilometres by car. The municipality also has a direct, high-speed train connection to the capital area. Because of the many summer houses, the population of Mäntyharju more than triples during the most popular summer holiday times. Art Centre Salmela in Mäntyharju hosts one of Finland's largest cultural events in July–August.