Carei

Carei (Hungarian: Nagykároly, German: Großkarol) is a city in north-western Romania, county Satu Mare. It lies near the border with Hungary. It has 23.000 inhabitants (2004), 52% hungarians, 40% romanians, 5% germans, 3% other. Its name was given after the name of an old noble family, Károlyi. Carei (in Hungarian Nagykároly) is a city in Satu Mare (in Hungarian Szatmár) County of Romania. The municipality contains two settlements: City of Carei / Nagykároly and Ianculesti village. The town has got 25.911 inhabitants (53,4% Hungarians, 1992 census). Neighbouring communities are: Capleni / Kaplony, Urziceni / Csanálos, Foieni / Mezofény, Sanislãu / Szaniszló, Petreºti / Mezõpetri, Tiream, Cauaº / Érkávás and Moftin / Majtény communities.

The first mention of the settlement is from 1335 as a borough of the Károlyi Family. The town was in Szatmár County of the Kingdom of Hungary. 1605–1606, 1621–1629 and 1645–1648 the settlement was part of the Principality of Transylvania. In 1910 the settlement was a town in Szatmár (in Romanian Satumare) County of the Kingdom of Hungary. Inhabitants in 1910: 16.078; 15.772 (98,1%) Hungarian, 216 (1,3%) Rumanian and 90 (0,6%) other by mother tongue, 5.932 (36,9%) Roman Catholic, 3.893 (24,2%) Greek Catholic, 3.500.(21,8%) Calvinist, 2.491 (15,5%) Jew, 230 (1,4%) Lutheran and 32 (0,2%) other by religion. From 1919/1920 (Romanian occupation / Treaty of Trianon) to 1940 (Second Decision in Vienna) part of the Kingdom of Romania (1925–1940 in Salãj County). 1940–1944 part of Hungary. The Treaty of Paris reallocated it to Romania.The settlement was a town 1952–1960 in Baia Mare Region, 1960–1968 in Maramureº Region and from 1968 is in Satu Mare County.

The settlement is the birthplace of some Hungarian celebrities: Bibletranslator Gáspár Károli (1529–1591), historian Ignác Acsády (1845–1906), writer József Gaál (1811–1866), writer Margit Kaffka (1880–1918) István Molnár, 14 December 2000