General information about the Great Cumania

Introduction
For several years, the Association for Co-operation in Great Cumania (NET) has considered the development of Great Cumania (or Nagykunság as it is known in Hungarian) with its stunning natural setting and historical traditions to be one of its most importanat responsibilites.
The Association founded in 1994 as an organization responsible for the development of the area. It is based in Túrkeve Municipality Office.
The Association has longthem programmes including economic development, rural develeoment and environmental protection projekts. In addition to the above plans the region has Industrial Parks - in Mezőtúr and Karcag - and a part of the region is situated in Kunmadaras enterprise zone. Furthermore there is an airport of the former Soviet Army Base near Kunmadaras, which is to be privatised and may attract foreign investors.
Also the area is very rich in thermal water, 5 out of the 7 towns have spa and well equipped recreation and physiotherapic centres for patients with rheumatic and gynecologic problems.
Considering the above adventages as well as the agricultural and industrial tradition of the region investors working in the same field would be expected and welcome.

Németh István, President, Association for Co-operation in Great Cumania

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GREAT CUMANIA DISTRICT IN STATISTICS

Economic Geography Great
Cumania is one of the six statistical areas in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county, which lies in the heart of the Alföld plain in eastern Hungary.
The district is located in the north-east of the county on a North-South axis to the East of the River Tisza rivers and West of the Hármas-Körös and Hortobágy-Berettyó rivers. It is bounded by the Hortobágy and Körös-Maros National Parks and by the Dévaványa reserve.
Traditinally a micro-region with its own history, it covers an area of 1,384 km2. Seven settlements lie in the area. Four of these are towns: Karcag, Kisújszállás, Túrkeve and Mezőtúr, and three smaller communities: Berekfürdő, Kenderes and Kunmadaras. The area has a population of 77,405.
The district is situataed on typically flat Alföld plain. Extremes of precipitation and a number of sunshine-hours are typical; drought and aridity are therefore common.
The area's outstanding natural resources are its agricultural land and its rich supply of geothermal water.
The region is well placed in terms of transport: Trunk road No.4 and the internationally significant Budapest-Zahony and Budapest-Bekescsaba main-line railways pass through the area. The area plays a transit role for the Lake Tisza tourist industry.

Economic structure
Despite its standing as the third most develpod statistical area in the county, the area socially underdeveloped and has been defined as a region blighted by longterm unemployment. Unemployment in the area's settlements varies from 12 to 24 %.
The area's economic srtucture is typically industrial and agricultural. Of the 7,500 businesses in the area, some 83 % are sole traders. Divided by sector, 25 % of the businesses operate in the industrial sector, 12 % in agriculture and the remainder in the tertiary sector.
Of the annual income of 35 billion Forints, 27 % is earned by the industrial sector and 19 % by agriculture.
There are over 16,000 employees in the area, 30 % are employed in the industrial sector and 20 % in agriculture. The vast majority of businesses operating in the industrial sector (93 %) are involved in manufacturing. Of these activities, food processing, machine production and textiles are predominant. The manufacturing of bricks and tiles and the wood industry are also significant.
Some 17 % of the county's foreign investments has been directed towards the area, the majority of which has taken place in the industrial sector.
Great Cumania has a classical agricultural landscape, shaped by centuries of traditional crop-farming and the rearing of animals. Private land, held by business of varying sizes, today produces a significant volume of produces a significant volume of produce.
In addition to the production cereals, industral and feed crops, Great Cumania is the centre of Hungarian rice production. The programme for the development of rice production has been included in the National Concept for Regional Development. In recent years, the production of Indian rice has taken on an ever greater significance.
Increasing areas of land are being used for the production of vegetable crops and advances have also been made by fruit orchards.
The significance of herb production has also grown. The most significant livestock to be farmed are pigs, dairy cattle and poultry. Bee-keeping is also widespread.
Trade in the area is now privately run. Numerous investment projects have been undertaken in the trade in foodstuffs and consumer goods.
Despite the wonderful setting, the development of the hotel and catering sector in the area has been under severe strain. A striking example of this is the hotel in Mezőtúr which has been refurbished but is not operating. The backbone of the tourism industry is Berekfürdő with its internationally renowned medicinal waters.

Infrastructure
Towns and villages in the area are now provided with high quality drinking water, mains gas, electrical supply and are connected to the telephone network.
The state of the sewerage systen and the Communal provision for the dispotal of solid wastes have caused great problems, and significant efforts to address these problems have been made in recent years.
Some 46 % of sewerage produced is disposed of through sewerage mains. The aim is for 80-90 % to be reached by 2006.
Great Cumania lacks a network of fast roads and the provision of public roads between settlements is also underdeveloped. On average, 69 % of the roads within the settlements are metalled.
Consumer services and commerce are well balanced. There is guaranteed provision of child care and education at kindergarten and primary level, health care, and of basic social and cultural services.
Two regional hospitals lie within the area, in addition to a significant number of academic and vocational scholls and one tertiary level college.

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BEREKFÜRDŐ

Accesibility
The village is located in thesouthern part of the county, 13 km from Karcag. It is accessible by road No. 442 and by rail. The settlement is connected to Karcag ant Tiszafüred by bus lines.

Charcteristics
Berekfürdő is the youngest settlement of the county and it became independent only in 1992. Archeological excavations revealed traces of ancient cultures. In the vicinity of the settlement thermal waters and natural gas were found. In the 20th century Berek became famous for its thermal baths. The ERGON glassware of the glassworks has long been outstanding in the area. At present the famous thermal baths offer great possigilities for the development of village tourism. Unlike many other villages in the county, the population of Berekfürdő shows a slight increase. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic and Calvinist.

Infrastructure
Apartments with/running water: 100%
Gas: 31%
Phone: 35%
Paved roads: 26%
Garbage collection: organized Sewage: 21%

Current rate of unemployment is 12%.
Most of the unemployed are unskilled.
Development plan to year 2000: The most important tasks of the settlement are the development of the sewage system and the extension of the gas network.

Economy
There are 18 shops and 17 catering units in the village. Currently, one joint-stock company, 8 limited companies,5 enterprises, and 34 private entrepreneurs are active in the economy of the settlement. Many people earn their living from agriculture and tourist industry.

Institutions
There is a kindergarten, a primary school, a culture house, an elders club, a health center, a library, a sports field, a pharmacy and a post office in the village.

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KARCAG

Geographical introduction
The town of Karcag lies in the central part of the Nagykunság region, 80-90 m above the sea level, along main road No 4. The Budapest-Záhony main railway line also runs through the settlement, thus the town serves as a road and rail traffic junction not only for the county, but for the whole country as well. In addition, there is direct bus service to all the settlements in the area and other major cities in the county.
The climate of the town is mildly warm and dry. The area is poor in natural waters and a large portion of land covered by marshes, meadows and swaps was dried out during the past centuries. From environmental protection point of view, nowadays the alkaline soil is the most significant problem of the area.

History
The vicinity of the town is rich in ancient archeological finds, discovered during several excavations. After the Hungarian conquest the region belonged to the Bor-Kalán clan. The name of the settlement was first mentioned in a written document from the 12th century. Like many other villages in the county, Karcag was destroyed by the Mongols and became uninhabited for a long time. In the 16th century the settlement was hit again and it fell under Turkish authority. During the Turkish occupancy the majority of the people were converted to the Calvinist religion.
Although Turks were driven out in 1697, the region soon lost its independence again. Most of the villages were given to the German order of knighthood by Emperor Lipot I. People began to fight for their freedom and many residents participated in the Rákóczi War of Independence. Unfortunately, the settlement suffered great losses as it was hit several times during the battles.
In the early 18th century the village started to revive. Due to its favorable traffic situation the Karcag soon bacame one of the most populated settlement of the region. It was declared a town and began to play a leading role in the economy and politics of the area.
In the 19th century Karcag was still predominantly agricultural, wheat and corns being the most significant produce. The construction of the Pest-Szolnok railway line in 1857 gave a new impetus to the urbanization process of the settlement. Social and cultural organizations were founded, the local paper "Jászkunság" was published and schools were opened.
In the early 20th century agriculture was still the major source of income and the first cooperative was formed in 1951. The industrial developments continued after the 1950s, too, and resulted in the developments of the infra-structure.

Infrastructure
The are of the town is 385 km2 and the number of flats in Karcag is 8,220. The construction of the public sewer and gas system, the development of the public lighting and electricity have taken place. Organized collection of garbage is provided. 87.6% of all flats are connected to the water system, and 30.7% to the sewage system. 4449 households are equipped with phones and 5438 are connected to the gas network. The total length of public roads inthe town is 112 km, 93 km of which are paved.

Demography, religious life
The population of Karcag has been slightly decreasing in the last few decades. In1996 the number of residents was 22,579.
Due to the changes that took place after1990, several jobs in the town and the area were cut. As a result of this the rate of unemployment has increased. Most of the active wage earners are involved in industry, agriculture, services and trade.
The town has long been characterized by religious dividedness and nowadays alldenominations have churches in Karcag. The representatives of these religions also participate in education and hospital services.

Education, sport, culture
The educational infrastructure of the town is fairly well developed. The town of Karcag has several kindergartens and primary schools. Intermediate level education is provided by a high schools and a technical secondary school.
Karcag has long-standing sport traditions, too. Sport facilities are provided by several public sports clubs.
In the town the culture house, the Csokonai library and the Györffy István Nagykun museum make their best to serve visitors from the town and tourists. Karcag also prides itself on its annually organized festivals. The Kováts Mihály days (in May 11-15), the Nagykunsági cultural days (in August 16-20) and the Karcagi horse-show (in October 8) attract many tourists. The town also has a local paper and Karcag has long traditions in pottery, too.

Sights
Karcag is rich in monuments and attractions. The most important sights of the town are the Calvinist church erected in the 17th century, the Roman Catholic church built in 1794, the statue of Kossuth Lajos and the WW2 war memorial. Another attractive historical building is the country house from the 18th century and there are also several buildings in the settlement preserving the features of local architecture.

Economy
After the second World War, with industry developing in the town more intensively, Karcag's formerly mainly agrarian profile changed. At the present time there are several light industrial companies in the town. At the end of 1996 there were 112 limited companies, 12 economic partnerships, 135 enterprises in Karcag. Examples of major industrial enterprises in the town are Gabonaforgalmi Vállalat, Kenyérgyár and HAGE Kft. There were also 927 private entrepreneurs in the town, 32,5% of themwere involved in trade, 23,7% in industry and services, 7% in agriculture.
The level of shopping and catering facilites in Karcag is adequate for local residents and for transit trade. In 1996 there were 264 shops and 94 catering units in the town. The climate offer adequate conditions for agriculture, especially farming. The major agricultural produces are wheat, sweet corn and sugar-beet. Many people earn their liming from fruit-farming.

Sister cities
Karcag has three sister cities: Székelykeresztúr (Romania), Moravica (Serbia), Szepsi (Slovak) and Mérke (Kasachstan). These relationships exist on several levels, such as culture, sports and economy.

Development plan
The town intends to concentrate on urban development projects. It will put special emphasis on the development of tourist insustry and plans for making use of the thermal waters have already been drawn up.

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KENDERES

Accessibility
The village of Kenderes is located in the central part of the county, 6 km from Kisújszállás and 43 km from Szolnok. It is accessible by road No. 4 and the Kál-Kápolna-Kisújszállás railway line runs through the settlement.

Characteristics
According to archeological finds, the area has been inhabited since the ancient times. The portion of land covered by plough-land is significantly high. The settlement was first mentioned in a written document in 1352. In the Middle Ages among its owners were Bő, Kenderes, Hodossy, Magyary-Kossa families. The village has long traditions in agriculture and animal husbandry. The population has been slowly dropping recently. The village has always been characterized by religious dividedness.

Infrastructure
Number of apartments: 1975
Apartments with/running water: 98%
Gas: 1257
Phone: 772 lines
Garbage collection: organized
Sewage: collection organized
Current rate of unemployment is 17.9%.
Most of the unemployed are unskilled.

Economy
Economy is based mainly on agriculture and related industries. There are several shops and catering units in the village. In 1996 154 private entrepreneurs, 4 limited companies, 8 enterprises were active in the economy of the settlement. Many people commute to work to other places.

Institutions
There is kindergarten, a primary school, a doctor's office, a library, a pharmacy and a post office in the village.

Sights
Attractive historical buildings are the Calvinist church orginally built in 1360(rebuilt in the 18th century), the Roman Catholic church built in late Baroque style in 1783, the Horthy-mansion and the WW1 war memorial.

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KISÚJSZÁLLÁS

Geographical introduction
The town of Kisújszállás lies in the south-eastern part of the county, close to the county border, along main road No. 4. The Budapest-Debrecen railway line runs through the town. There is also well organized bus service to the neighboring settlements in the area. Its nearest settlements are Kenderes, Örményes, Karcag, Túrkeve, Ecsegfalva and Kuncsorba.
The townis climate is mildly warm and dry. The yearly precipitation is below 500 mm. Natural waters of the region are collected by the Berettyó stream. In the 19th century thermal waters were found in the vicinity of the town. Unfortunately, a large portion of land covered by forests and marshes was cleared during the past century, thus wild animals and birds moved away. From environmental protection point of view. Nowadays the alkaline soil is the most significant problem of the region.

History
Archeological excavations revealed traces of ancient cultures. The rich treasure of the finds date back as fas as the Stone Age, but they also include tools, bones and pottery from the period of the Hungarian Conquest.
The settlement was first mentioned in a written document in 1389. Until the Turkish invasion the economic life of the village was prosperous. After 1691 the village was taken by the Turks and destroyed almost entirely.
During the 17th century the majority of the population became Calvinist. According to 1852 census there were 9494 Calvinists, 14 Roman Catholics, 6 Lutherans, 6Greek Catholics and 6 Israelites living in the town.
In the early 18th century the region was sold to the German order of knighthood by Emperor Lipot I. Since people lost their privileges and independence, many residents participated in the Rákóczi War of Independence. Several battles took place in the vicinity of the settlement and it was hit by natural disasters, too. In 1724 many lives were claimed by fire and in 1739 by plague.
As life became safer the population began to increase. Due to several privileges given to the village and its favo5rable traffic situation, settlement soon became the center of trade and economy of the area. Several craftsmen moved in the town and handicrafts became the strength of the settlement. In 1807 Kisújszállás became a town.
Following the 1848 War of Independence industry based on agriculture also flourished in the settlement. Unlike in the neighboring towns agriculture and animal husbandry maintained its central role in the economy of Kisújszállás. In the 19th century industry and trade also started to develop in the village. The construction of the Szolnok-Debrecen railway line in 1857 gave a new impetus to the urbanization process of Kisújszállás. Social and cultural organizations were founded, local paper was published, health care and education were organized and new buildings were constructed.
Among other cities Kisújszállás also suffered great losses during the First and Second World War. After WW2 in 1949 the first local cooperative was founded and the rapid develpment of the industy resulted in the development of the infra-structure: housing, social and cultural facilities.

Infrastructure
The number of flats in Mezúcsát in 1996 was 4,768. 85% of them were connected to the water system, 67% to the gas system. 56% of all flats were equipped with phone and 53% of The roads were asphalt covered. The collection of garbage is organized in the town. The development of most of public utilities is under way. The total area of parks in the town is significantly high.

Demography
Thepopulation of Kisújszállás has been slowly decreasing in the last few years decades. In 1996 the number of residents was 12,941. At present 37% of the active wage earners are involved in industry, 28% in agriculture, 35 in services and trade.
Due to the decline of the economy during the last few years many people have lost their jobs. Currently the rate of unemployment is 18%. According to a 1996 statistic, 63% of the 866 unemployed were men, more than half of all unemployed were unskilled.

Education, sport
The town of Kisújszállás has a well developed educational infrastructure. There are craches and local kindergartens in the town. In 1996 the number of pupils in the primary schools was 1446.
The intermediate level education is provided by one high school and a technical secondary school. According to the 1996 statistic, 254 of the 710 students commuted to school from settlements nearby.
Sebveral sports fields provide good facilities for the townis sprots life. Sports competitions are also organized in the sports hall and the swimming pool.

Tourist attractions, sights
In Kisújszállás a culture house, a library and two museums do their best to serve vsitors from town and tourists. Many festivals and tourist events are organized annually. These include among others the national horn competition, the international car rally, vine festival and horse-show. The town also prides itself on its folk art and dance clubs, as well as the camping site and thermal baths.
Attractive historical buildings are the Calvinist church and the Roman Catholic church. There are also several building in the settlement preserving the features of local architecture.

Economy
Although there was no significant ndustry in the town, the economic-political changes effected Kisújszállás, too. In 1996 there were 41 limited companies, 2 joint-stock companies, 3 economic partnerships, 65 enterprises 572 private entrepreneurs in the town.
Even though conditions for agriculture are modest, a major section of the population earns its living from agriculture and related businesses.

Sister city
The town of Mezőcsát has active connections based on common interests and mutual help with its sister cities: Pacsér (Serbea), Ebershwang (Austria), Igló (Slovak), Szecsele (Romania).

Development plan
The townis basic concept for economic development in the promotion of enterprises, investments and tourist industry. To enhance tourism, the town plans to assist the development of infrasturcture and to develop medicinal tourism based on the thermal waters of the area.

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KUNMADARAS

Accessibility
The village of Kunmadaras is located in the eastern part of the county, halfway between Kunhegyes and Karcag, 21 km from Tiszafüred. It is accessible by road No. 4 and the Tiszafüred-Karcag railway line runs throuh the settlement. There is also well organized bus service to the neighboring settlements in the area.

Characteristics
Archeological finds discovered in the area date back as far as the late Bronze Age. The settlement was first mentioned in a written document in 1391. In the Middle Ages the settlement changed owners several times. The village has long traditions in agriculture and animal husbandry. After the 1950s the majority of the young people searched for industrial jobs in the nearest cities. The population has been slowly dropping recently. The village has always been characterized by religious dividedness.

Infrastructure
Number of apartments: 2187
Apartments with/running water: 98%
Gas: 1235
Phone: 658 lines
Garbage collection: organized
Sewage: 4,5%
Current rate of unemployment is 29%.
Most of the unemployed are unskilled.

Economy
Economy is based mainly on agriculture and related industries. In 1996 130 private entrepreneurs, 8 limited companies, 13 enterprises were active in the economy of the settlement. Many people commute to work to other places.

Institutions
There is a kindergarten, a primary school, a doctor's office, a libary, a pharmacy and a post office in the village.

Sights
Attractive historical buildings are the Calvinist church originally built in the 1600s, the town hall and the WW1 and WW2 war memorials.

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MEZŐTÚR

Georgraphical introduction
The town of Mezőtúr lies in south-western part of the county, 84 meters above sea level, along the Szolnok-Békéscsaba main road. The Budapest-Szolnok-Békéscsaba railway line also runs through the town and there is well organized bus service to the neighboring settlements in the area. The inner area of the town is 290 km2.
The climate of the town is moderately warm and dry. The yearly precipitation is below 500 mm, the average temperature is about 10,2 degrees Celsius. The yearly number of sunny hours is 2000-2100. The area is rich in natural waters which are collected by the Berettyó and Körös streams.

History
According to archeological finds Mezőtúr has been inhabited since the ancient times. The majority of the finds discovered during sevral excavations date back as far as the Stone Age, Bronze Age, as well as the Iron Age. The town owes its name to the animal living in the territory at early times of the settlementt and it was first mentioned as Túr in a written document in 1378. During the Hungarian Conquest the region belonged to the Bor-Kalán clan, later it was given to the Vác bishopric.
In the 15th century the economy of the settlement began to flourish and the village was fortified. After the fall of Szolnok and Gyula, Mezőtúr was also occupied by the Turkish troops. As the area was under the Turkish occupation, residents were obligated to pay taxes for the royal treasury and for the Turks.
In the first decades of the 1700s the village started to revive again. As the Turks were expelled serfs and craftsmen moved in form neighboring villages. This time the main products of the traditionally agricultural settlement were wheat, barley, oats and corn. By the end of the 18th century the first windmill was also constructed.
The vivid political life of the town is proved by the fact that many residents of the settlement participated in the Péro Rebellion, the Rákóczi War of Independence and the 1848 War of Independence. Unfortunately, the town was hit by several natural disasters: in 1739 by plague and in 1750 by floods.
In the early 19th century Chatolics were settled in the town under the patronage of the Kállay family. According to a 1777 document, more than 30% of the population was Roman Catholic.
In the early 20th century the main source of income was still agriculture and related industries. The main focus of animal husbandry was on pigs, cattle and sheep. Following the Second World War the development of industry has changed the formerly agricultural profile of the settlement and many other companies began their production in the area. The land was distributed and the first agricultural cooperative was founded.

Infrastructure
The number of flats in Mezőtúr in 1996 was 7,731. 91% of them were connected to the water system and 40% to the sewage system 5349 households were connected to the gas network and 38% of all flats were equipped with phone. Garbage collection was organized in the town and local cable television network was also available. 53% of the roads were paved.

Demopraphy and Religious Life
The population of Mezőtúr has been slowly dropping in the last two decades. There are two reasons for this: the number of births exceeds that of deaths, and many people have moved out from the town. At present the number of residents is 19,492 and the rate of unemployment is 17%. 65% of the 1175 unemployed were men, more than half of all the unemployed were unskilled. The majority of the population has long been Calvinist. In 1811 90% of the residents wereCalvinist, in 1941 this ratio was still 77%. Besides the Calvinist church, the Roman Catholic and the Greek-Catholic denominations also have churches in Mezőtúr.

Education
Public education has long been organized in the settlement. Nowadays the town has a créche, kindergartens and primary schools. Intermediate level education is provided by a high school and a technical secondary school. The number of pupils in the primary schools is 1800 that of student n the secondary schools is 1101.

Culture and Sights
The town has long played a significant role in the cultural life of the area. In 1966 Mezőtúr already had a gigh school, a library and a culture center. At present, the Móricz Zsigmond culture center offers a wide variety of programs and it also organizes clubs and circles, as well as exhibitions and other events. The museum of the town attracts many tourists with its rich exhibition on the folk-culture of the countryside. The town also has long traditions in pottery. The Mezőtúr prides itself on its annually organized festivals. The summer festivals and the folk music meetings attract many people from town and tourists. The town also has a local paper: "Mezőtúr és Vidéke". The most beautiful architectural monuments of Mezőtúr are the Calvinist church built in 1734 (rebuilt in 1845) and the Roman Catholic church erected in 1824. Another of the town's attractive sights is the "Dobogó" Bridge on the Berettyó stream.

Health, Sport
The local medical center and the hospital play an important role in the health of the town and many neighboring settlements. It offers paediatrics, dentistry, internal care, ophthalmology, larynology, gynaecology, laboratory, oncology and x-ray examination.
Mezőtúr has long-standing sport traditions. At present sport facilities are provided by a sports field and a swimming-pool.

Economy
As privatization process began in 1990 many smaller companies were formed and large industrial units were sold for foreign investors. The steady development of the economy is indicated by the increasing number of enterprises. In 1997 there were more than 60 enterprises, 69 limited companies and 24 joint-stock companies. The number of private entrepreneurs doubled within half a year. By the end of1997, 31% of the 711 private entrepreneurs were involved in trade, 20% in agriculture, 48% in services. The most significant enterprises of the area are the Wieneberger, VA Rt, Túrtrans Kft, Klima Ipari Centrum, AGROFTZ Kft, Ilona Malom Kft. Shopping and trading possibilities in the town are sufficient. There are 260 stores, 100 catering units, several gas stations and the number of market places is two. There are branches of the major banks, assisting the financial life of the town.
Changes in the structure of agricultural cooperatives have also taken place during the past few years. At present many private entrepreneurs are active in the agriculture. As the conditions for agriculture are modest, the dominant produces include wheat, sweet corn, barley, sugar-beet.

Sisters cities
The town of Mezőtúr has active connections based on common interests and mutual help with three sister cities: Novi-Becejjel (Serbia), Sepsi Köröspatak (Romania).

Development plan
The town intends to concdntrate on general urban development projects, including the extension of the sewage and water systems, the reconstruction of roads and the development of education. Plans for the environmental protection have also been drawn up.

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TÚRKEVE

Geographical introduction
The town of Túrkeve lies halfway between main roads No. 4 and 46, and 88 m above sea level, 14 km from Kisújszállás and 16 km from Mezőtúr, close to the county border. The settlement also serves as a road traffic junction not only for the county, but the surrounding counties as well. As the Túrkeve-Mezőtúr railway line was closed in 1975, the town has lost its important role in railway traffic. The inner area of the town is 602 hectares and the number of residents is 10,271.
The town's climate is mildly warm and the yearly precipitation is about 500 mm. The area is rich in natural waters which are collected by the Berettyó stream. A large portion of land covered by marshes,meadows and swaps was dried out during the past centuries. On the other hand natural gas and thermal waters were found in the vicinity of the settlement.

History
According to archeological finds Túrkeve has been inhabited since the ancient times. Finds discovered in the area date back as far as the Stone Age. During the Hungarian conquest it belonged to the Bor-Kalán clan later to the Kér clan. Its name was first mentioned in written form in 1261, when the village and four other neighboring settlements were given to the Eger bishopric. Since the village laid along the Berettyo stream it served as a traffic junction and also played an important military role. In the 13th century the village was taken by the Mongol tribes and suffered great losses. In the 16th century Túrkeve was hit again, the village was burnt down by the Turks and the inhabitants driven away. In the 1700s the battles of the Rákoczi War of Idependence did not leave the settlement untouched either.
After the Turks had been driven out serfs and craftsmen moved in from the villages nearby. At that time the main source of income was agriculture. The large portion of land covered by meadows provided favorable conditions for growing animals and horse-breeding. In the late 18th century industry and trade also started to develop in the village. In 1808 Túrkeve became a town and had the right to hold four national fairs in a year. In the following years the urbanization process of Túrkeve became more intense. Social and cultural oganizations were founded, and schools were opened.
In the 20th century the town was still predominantly agricultural, wheat, grain and corn being the most significant produce. An agricultural co-operative was formed after the Second World War and many other companies began their production in the area. Since WW2 population has been dropping. This is because the number ofdeaths exceeds that of births and many people have left the town.

Infrastucture
The construction of the public sewer and gas systems, the development of the public lighting and electricity have taken place. The number of flats in Túrkeve in1998 was 3,800, 95% of them wre connected to the water system and 67% to the gas system. 37% of all flats wre equipped with phone and 72,7% of the roads were paved. The collection of garbage was organized in the town. The construction of the sewage system is under way.

Demography, Health
The majority of the people are active wage earners. The aging process of the population in the town has not started yet which is indicated by the high number of créches and kindergartesn.
There is medical center in the town where all medical services are provided. Many family coctors, nurses and specialized health visitors are responsible for the residents and those of the neighboring settlements.

Education, Sport and Cultural life
The educational infrastructure is fairly well developed in the town. Túrkeve has many créches, kindergartens and primary schools. The intermediate level education is provided by a high school and a technical secondary school. The town also has a music school.
Túrkeve has long-standing sport traditions. The town has been especially strong in soccer and tennis. Sport facilities are provided by several public sports clubs.
The town has a vivid cultural life as indicated by the high number of entertainment facilities. There is a culture house, a library, a cinema and several museums in the settlement. The town also has a local paper and it is connected to Internet network.

Tourist attractions, sights
The town prides itself on its organized festivals. Several folk dance (Eges Kiss Néptánccsoport) and song clubs (Madarász Károly Népdalkőr, Chorda choir) attract many people from town and tourists. The "Kevi" days, another famous festival, is held in every October.
The town is rich in monuments and attractions. These include churches, chapels, statues and several buildings from the last two centuries. Several cultural institutions and many museums do their best to serve visitors.
Thermal baths and the camping site offer great possibilities for recreation. The Egecspuszta protected area also attracts many visitors from all around the country.

Economy
The most dominant vactors in the economic life of the town have long been its favorable traffic situation and its well developed agriculture. The level of schopping and catering facilities in Túrkeve is adequate for local residents and for transit trade. A significant number of the private enterprises and entrepreneurs is in the fields of tourist industry, trade, service and agriculture. In 1996 there were 117 shops, 48 catering units in the town. One joint stock company, 33 limited companies, 35 enterprises and 374 private entrepreneurs were active in the economy of the settlement.

Sister cities
Túrkeve has a sister city relationship with Nagyszalonta (Romania) which relationship exists on several levels, such as culture, sports and economy.

Development plan
The town's basic concept for economic development is the promotion of enterprises, investments and tourist industry. The most important task of the town is to find foreign investors to make use of the industrial units.

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