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Makó is a town in southeastern Hungary with a population of approximately 26,000. It lies on the Maros River, near the Romanian border. The main source of income for the population comes from farming. The area of the town is 229.23 km² of which 196.8 km² is arable land. The climate is very warm with hot and dry summers. Makó and the surrounding region get the most sunshine in Hungary, about 85-90 sunny days a year. The sun shines more than 2100 hours a year in Makó. However, the 100 year average of precipitation is only 585 mm per year. Average medium temperature is 10,9C°.
The town is famous for its onion and garlic produce. Both the climate and the soil structure make the town and its surroundings an ideal place for onion farming. Growing onion in the region goes back to the 1500s. First records of significant garlic production goes back to the late 1700s. International recognition of the garlic grown in Makó has been prevalent since the Vienna Expo in 1873 and the Brussels Expo in 1888.
The mud of the Maros River has similar properties to some of the best in Hungary and the world. At times it is likened to that of the Dead Sea and the local spa is one of the main attractions since 1961.
With the political changes in 1998, however, Makó lost most of its industry and unemployment (currently ca. 8%) became a serious issue. Even farmers experienced great difficulties. With the establishment of an Industrial park, the town hopes to take advantage of its location at "The South-Eastern Gate of the European Union."
Once Makó was center of the Jewish population. The synagogue has been rebuilt recently.
Many famous Hungarian people were born or lived in Makó. Perhaps the most recognized person among them is the American journalist, Joseph Pulitzer who was born there on April 10, 1847.
External links
- Official Pages of Makó (in Hungarian) (http://www.mako.hu)