SOMOGY - Geography and history
"Somogyland"
Somogy is the largest county in Transdanubia and due to its unique characteristics and individual identity it is known to many as "Somogyland". In the past, large expanses of forests covered the whole area making it an independent geographical unit. It is situated at the south west of the country and is bordered by Croatia at the south west and by five other counties of Hungary: Zala, Veszprém, Fejér, Tolna and Baranya.
Man settled in the region over 25 000 years ago, and archaeological finds point to thriving Celtic settlements here during the time of Christ. On their arrival the Hungarians found tiny Slav and German villages here, and very favourable conditions for settlement: lush pastures, forests, rivers rich in fish, and Lake Balaton. Subsequently, during the 150 year-long Ottoman rule depopulation reached such proportions that, following the expulsion of the Turks, 40 000 Hungarians and Southern Slavs, and 15-20 000 Suabians settled in the county up to the end of the 18th century. Somogy thus became probably one of the most ethnically colourful counties.
Owing to the vast forests, swamps and difficult access this region was for a long time relatively isolated from the agricultural markets and thus economic development was late and slow to take off. Even now, Somogy is not an industrialised county. The development that took place in Hungary in the 19th and 20th centuries only affected the industry that was directly associated with the processing of agricultural products, and the various waves of socialist industrialisation in the post-war period also largely passed this region by.
A forested county between Lake Balaton and the Dráva River
With a total land area of 6 036 square kilometres, Somogy is the fifth largest county in Hungary. It occupies the central part of the Transdanubian Hills, and constitutes two distinct regional units: the northern region, known as Outer Somogy, and the flatter, forested, southern region known as Inner Somogy. The county capital, Kaposvár, is situated in the valley dividing the two regions. The shores of Lake Balaton and the Dráva River may also be regarded as geographically distinct regions.
Moving eastwards the climate becomes more and more continental. The vegetation demonstrates clearly that long ago this area was covered with extensive forests, swamps and bogs and the clay and sandy soils, as well as the peat and swampy forest floors are characteristic of this region. The proportion of the county's area which is forested remains very large (Somogy is the third most forested county), while the proportion of arable land, gardens and orchards is below the national average.
Somogy has the lowest population density of the country, with 56 inhabitants per square kilometre in 2003: this is less than half of that observed at the country level. Of its thirteen cities, five are on the shore of Lake Balaton.
Newly discovered oil fields
While Somogy is not well endowed with natural resources, significant oil fields have recently been discovered and there are plans to commence production in the oil field between Szõkedencs and Sávoly. Some of the other more important mineral resources of the region are sand, clay and river gravel, the peat south of Lake Balaton and the mineral and thermal water springs. The thermal waters in Somogy are best for locomotive disorders. The best-known thermal spas are in Igal, Csokonyavisonta, Kaposvár, Nagyatád and Buzsák-Csisztapuszta, while Fonyód has significant mineral water reserves.
The county's only large river is the Dráva, but the Kapos is also of local significance. Lake Balaton is by far the most important of the region's lakes. Its gently sloping southern shore is in Somogy, and the waters there are shallow. This region has high levels of sunshine; its climate is attractive to humans and favourable for fruit and grape growing.
A unique duality
In terms of the current situation and the potential for future development, Somogy county is characterised by a stark duality: the development possibilities offered by its many advantages and the factors that inhibit development originate from the same source.
Its geographical features, for example, are advantageous, since the diversity in the landscape, the favourable terrain, climate, and soil conditions and natural beauty can all contribute significantly to economic development; on the other hand, the county lacks energy sources and mineral resources. While it is a good thing that the conditions for agriculture are favourable, it is also a fact that, in today's economic conditions, agriculture can not become a prime mover within the economy.
It is advantageous that there has not been any wholesale environmental destruction, but the reason for that was the low level of industrialisation. At the same time, it is also important to consider the dangers for Lake Balaton of overdeveloping the tourist industry to a level, which the area is not capable of supporting.
These very real constraints map out the most likely future development of the county: a developed food processing sector built on the existing agricultural base, with a carefully managed tourist industry based on the considerable natural advantages of the region, always keeping a careful eye on the environmental dimension. A further important task is the elimination of the gaps in the provincial infrastructure.
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