Međimurje County

Međimurje County(pronounced[medʑǐmuːrje];Croatian:Međimurskažupanija[medʑǐmurskaːʒupǎnija];Hungarian:Muraköz megye) is a triangle-shapedcountyin the northernmost part ofCroatia, roughly corresponding to the historical and geographical region ofMeđimurje. It is the smallest Croatian county by size, and the second most densely populated after theCity of Zagreb. The county's seat and main urban centre isČakovec.
The county bordersSloveniain the north-west andHungaryin the east; about 20 kilometres of Slovenian territory separate it fromAustria. The south-eastern corner of the county is near the town ofLegradand theconfluenceof theMurainto theDrava. The closest cities includeVaraždinandKoprivnicain Croatia,Lendava,Murska SobotaandMariborin Slovenia, as well asNagykanizsain Hungary andGrazin Austria. The Croatian capital ofZagrebis about 90 kilometers south-west of Čakovec.
There are slopes of theAlpinefoothills in the north-western part of the county, the Upper Međimurje, making it suitable forvineyards. The south-eastern part of the county, the Lower Međimurje, touches the flatPannonian Plain. The flat parts of the region are also largely used foragriculture, which mostly includes fields ofcereals,maizeandpotato, as well asorchards, which are mostly planted withappletrees. There are two majorhydroelectric power plantsalong the southern border of the county, on the Drava River.
Besides its Croatian name (Međimurska županija), the county is also known as Muraköz megye inHungarian, Medžimurska županija inSlovene, and Murinsel inGerman.
Throughout the past, the historical region of Međimurje was referred to by several names. InLatin, it was calledInsula intra Dravum et Muram,Insula Muro-DravanaandHortus Slavoniae Superior(orHortus Croatiae). The namesInsula intra Dravum et MuramandInsula Muro-Dravanamean "island between theMuraand theDrava", referring to the two rivers bordering the region. The nameHortus Croatiaemeans "the [flower] garden of Croatia". InHungarian, the region is known asMuraköz, and inGermanasMurinsel. InCroatian, it was referred to by several names as well, includingMejmorje,MedžmorjeandMedžimorje(inKajkavian), as well asMeđumurjeandMeđimurje(inShtokavian).
The KajkaviantoponymMedžimorjeis believed to have been the original name of the region. It originated in the 6th or 7th century, which makes it older than the Latin toponyms that were first mentioned infeudalism. The nameMedžimorjeis derived from theProto-Slavicprepositionmedjiand the nounmorje. It literally means "land surrounded by water", i.e. "island".Međimorjeis also an archaic common noun that was used in Kajkavian Croatian, also meaning "island". However, the namesMeđimurje(Shtokavian Croatian),Muraköz(Hungarian), andMurinsel(German) all contain thehydronymMura(orMur). The nameMurinselmeans "island on the Mura". This led to some dilemmas in the usage of the Croatian namesMeđimorjeandMeđimurje.InKajkavian Croatianthe name isMedžimurje, orMedžimorje, and in thePrekmurje Sloveneit isMedmürjeorNedžimurje.
The region's unofficial symbols include theturtle dove(Croatian:grlica gugutka, but locally referred to just asgrlica), which is one of the most common birds in the region, and theviolet(ljubičica). The region is often calledMeđimurje malo, which is Croatian for "Little Međimurje".
Međimurje County location in thePannonian Basincovers the plains between two rivers – theMuraand theDrava. The Mura flows along the county's northern border with theSlovenianregion ofPrekmurje(Municipality of Lendava,Municipality of LjutomerandMunicipality of Ormož) and its eastern border with Hungary'sZala County, while the Drava flows along the county's southern border with two other Croatian counties –Varaždin CountyandKoprivnica-Križevci County. TheTrnavaRiver flows through the middle of the county.
There are tworeservoirlakes on the Drava –Lake VaraždinandLake Dubrava– both built to serve the twohydroelectric power plantsbased in the county. Lake Dubrava, located near the city ofPrelog, is the biggest artificial lake in Croatia and the second largest lake overall in the country. The power plant using Lake Varaždin is named after the county seat, Čakovec, while the one using Lake Dubrava is named Dubrava, taking its name from the nearby village ofDonja Dubrava.
The county's elevation ranges between 120 and 344 metres abovesea level, the latter being the elevation of its highest hill,Mohokos. Čakovec has an elevation of between 160 and 165 metresabove sea level. Throughout the past, there were occasionalearthquakesin the region. One of significant strength hit the region in 1880, while another in 1738 devastated Čakovec and particularly the nearbyŠenkovec.
Of the county's total area of 729.5 km, around 360 kmare used in agriculture. Due to the high populationdensity, agricultural land is divided into 21,000 units averaging 17,500 m(188,368.43 sq ft) each. 27.5 kmare covered with orchards. 11 kmis the hilly area, located in the north-western part of the county, with villages likeŠtrigovaand numerousvineyards.Grasslandsand forests cover an area of around 105 km. The biggest forest isMurščak, located betweenDomašinecandDonji Hrašćan.
Theclimateiscontinental. Summers are quite hot. Daily temperatures during the summer months usually range between 20 °C and 30 °C, but can reach as high as 40 °C in July and August, when they can also stay above 30 °C for several days.Thunderstormsand rapid weather changes are common throughout the summer months, as well as in late spring, with a particularly stormy period being between mid-June and mid-July, when they often occur on a daily basis.
Springs and autumns are usually calm, although rapid weather changes can also be common during the two seasons. Winters can be very severe, with early-morning temperatures sometimes reaching as low as -20 °C. During the winter months, daily temperatures usually range between -10 °C and 10 °C. January is usually the coldest month, during which daily temperatures can stay below 0 °C for several days.Snowfallusually occurs between late October and early March.Fogcan be a common early-morning occurrence between late summer and early spring, with all-day fog sometimes occurring during the coldest months.
Warm weather, with daily temperatures around 15 °C, can occur as early as mid-February and as late as mid-November. In early October and late March, daily temperatures can also reach as high as 20 °C. However, February and November are generally cold months, with occasional heavy snow and daily temperatures around 0 °C, while March and October are generally cool, with occasional light snow and daily temperatures ranging between 0 °C and 15 °C. In March and October, it is also common for the temperature to drop below 0 °C over night, even when the daily temperature is in the range between 10 °C and 15 °C.
There are three towns in Međimurje County –Čakovec,PrelogandMursko Središće.The county seat, Čakovec, has an urban population of around 15,147, with a population of 27,820 in the administrative area.
There are also several municipalities in the county, with their seats includingBelica,Dekanovec,Domašinec,Donja Dubrava,Donji Kraljevec,Donji Vidovec,Goričan,Gornji Mihaljevec,Kotoriba,Mala Subotica,Nedelišće,Orehovica,Podturen,Pribislavec,Selnica,Strahoninec,Sveta Marija,Sveti Juraj na Bregu,Sveti Martin na Muri,Šenkovec,ŠtrigovaandVratišinec.Nedelišće, Pribislavec, Strahoninec and Šenkovec are all located on the outskirts of Čakovec, with Belica approximately 5 kilometers from the city's centre.
If not including theCity of Zagreb, Međimurje is the smallest Croatian county, with an area of 729.5 km. Nevertheless, with an average population of 156 people/km, it is the most densely populated Croatian county, again if the City of Zagreb is not included.
In the 2011 census, the total population of the county was 113,804. During the same census, a total of 106,744 residents of the county identified themselves asCroats. The following ethnic minorities were represented by more than 100 people in the 2011 census:Romani(5,107),Slovenes(516),Serbs(249),Albanians(200), andRussians(137).The county has the highest concentration of Romani people in Croatia.
The demographics of the region changed swiftly in the period between 1950 and 1975, with a significant reduction in the size of the family. From the national perspective, the population is moving toward theIstriaregion, while the seasonal workforce moves towardZagreband the southern parts of Croatia.The natural population increase is minimal.
The official language of Međimurje County, as in the whole of Croatia, is theShtokavian dialectofCroatian. However, the local dialect isKajkavian, which is commonly spoken and understood among the people native to the region. In Kajkavian there is a number of Hungarian and German loanwords, but the Međimurian Kajkavian dialect sees the strongest Hungarian and German influence. The Međimurian dialect formsdialect continuumto thePrekmurje Slovene(Southern Dolinsko dialect nearLendava) and the dialect ofPrlekija. The artists of the Međimurje seek to cultivate the local dialect, including Franjo Mesarić–Frenki writer and poet,and Vlado Mihaljević, writer, singer, cantor and searcher.
Each municipality seat has an eight-yearelementary school. However, there are also local schools in many smaller villages within each municipality, where the pupils can complete the first four years of their primary education. After that, they are moved to the main school of their municipality to complete the remaining four years, usually travelling to the school by aschool bus.
Čakovec has three eight-year elementary schools. There are also severalhigh schoolsin Čakovec, including theGymnasiumand schools offering secondary education for jobs intechnology,industry,transport,construction,economyandtrade. The smaller city of Prelog also offers secondary education for jobs incatering,tourismand economy.
The city of Čakovec also has two institutions of higher education – theFaculty of Teacher Education(Učiteljski fakultet) and thePolytechnicof Međimurje (Međimursko veleučilište). The Faculty of Teacher Education in Čakovec is part of theUniversity of Zagreb.
The first organized human habitations here can be traced back to theStone Age. There is aNeolithicsite called Ferenčica nearPrelog. There arearchaeologicalsites that date from theBronze Age, and 3rd century sites calledCiglišćeandVaraščine.
During theIron Age, the Indo-European tribes identified in the area wereCelts,SeretsandPannons, and the region became part of theRomanempire. In the 1st century, the Romans knew the area asInsula intra Dravam et Muram("island between the Drava and Mura rivers") according to thegeographerStrabo. The most important settlement they established wasHalikan(Halicanum). The region was part of the Roman province ofPannoniaand later part of thePannonia Superior.
Čakovec was originally calledAquama("the wet city"), because the area was marshland. During the Migration Period, many differenttribes, such asHuns,Visigoths, andOstrogoths, passed through the region. The region was part of theKingdom of the Ostrogoths, the state of theLombards, theAvar Khaganate, and theFrankish Kingdom. TheSlavs, which settled this region in the 6th century, gained independence after destruction of the Avar Khaganate. In the 9th century, it was included in the Slavic state ofLower Pannonia. According to some sources, the area was also part of theGreat Moravia.
TheHungariansoccupied the region in 896 and expanded to the riverSava, but as thePrincipality of Hungarytransformed to theKingdom of Hungary, the borders with theKingdom of Croatiawere set along the riverDrava. In 1102 Croatia entered apersonal unionwith the Kingdom of Hungary. During 13th century tradesmen and merchants (mostly ethnicGermans) started to arrive and began to develop theurbanlocalities that are present today.Prelog(Perlak) was founded in 1264, shortly after the invasion of theMongolsin 1242, and the other settlements followed. Later it was part ofZala County. In the beginning of the 14th century, the area was ruled by powerful semi-independent oligarchHenrik Kőszegi.
Čakovec (Csáktornya) got its name from CountDimitry Csáky, who at the beginning of the 13th century erected the timber fortification that eventually was "Csáky's tower", mentioned for the first time in 1328.King Charles Inamed Čakovec as the capitol in 1333. In 1350,King Louis Igave the land toviceroy(Ban) Stjepan I Lacković, a member of the rulingLackovićfamily ofTransylvania. It remained Lacković property until 1397, when King Sigismund executed Stjepan II Lacković, and took back the area to the Crown.
In 1405, theCelje familyreceived Međimurje (Muraköz) as a gift from the Crown, and the land was mortgaged. The monastery inGoričan(Goritsán) managed the administration of the seat of the main territorial dominion as anattorneyof the Celje family.King Matthias Corvinusbought the mortgage and donated the land toJohn I Ernusztand his son, who were Jewish merchants from Sweden, living inBuda. The monastery in Goričan, which had managed the administration of the seat of the main territorial dominion, was dissolved. The seat of the administration of the main territorial dominion Goričan came under the administration of theBishop of Ljubljana.It remained in the hands of the Ernušts until 1526, when the family died out without heir.
Since 1526, the region became part of theHabsburg monarchy, as didKingdom of Hungaryalong withCroatia. It followed a succession and inheritance dispute between theKeglević familyand theHabsburg Emperor Ferdinand I. Since 1530 until 1790 Goričan was byinterdictumunder the administration of theBishop of Zagrebas an attorney of both the Emperor and the Keglević family to prevent any violent confrontations between them both, butČakovecbecame the seat of the administration of the main territorial dominion in 1546, because even the Bishop SimonErdődy(1518–1543, Bishop of Zagreb) could not prevent a violent confrontation between the Emperor andPetar Keglevićin 1542/43. In 1546 theDietinPressburg(Pozsony, today'sBratislava) approved the transfer of Čakovec and Međimurje toNikola Šubić Zrinski.
Rapid development began in 1547 under the rulingZrinskifamily. In 1579 the craftsmen and merchants outside the walls ofČakovec Castle(csáktornyai kastély) were granted the right to trade; this was the beginning of the formal and legal city structure. The area was of importance as atradecenter with Habsburg Kingdom of Croatia and Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary positioned nearby on the main roads, facilitating the exchange of goods, crafts and ideas. The region was also amilitarybuffer zone against the expandingOttoman Empire.
Nikola Šubić Zrinski ruled as Nicholas IV (1508–1566). He was a hero of theBattle of Szigetvárof theHabsburg-Ottoman wars. Then followed his son,Juraj IV Zrinski(George IV), until 1603, and his grandsonNikola VI. Zrinski(Nicholas VI) until 1624. Next was another grandson, a brother of Nicholas VI,Juraj V Zrinski(George V). He was poisoned in 1626 by the generalAlbrecht WallensteininPressburgand was buried inPaulineMonastery of Sveta Jelena(St. Helenin English) near Čakovec, next to the graves of his ancestors. He was followed by his sonNikola VII Zrinski(Nicholas VII), (1620–1664), a famousCroatian Ban. At thecoronationofFerdinand IV, he carried the sword of state and was madeCaptain Generalof Croatia. He was killed while hunting in the forest nearKuršanec(Kursanecz), apparently by a wounded wild boar, but there were rumors that he had been murdered by the order of the Habsburg court. His brother,Petar Zrinski(Peter IV), was noted for his role in the attempted Croatian-Hungarianrebellion of 1664-1670which ultimately led to his execution for treason. His wife,Katarina Zrinska, died imprisoned for the same offence on 16 November 1673 inGraz. On 19 August 1691 the son of Nicholas VII,Adam Zrinski, fell atBattle of Slankamenwhile fighting against the Ottoman Empire. Parts of Međimurje remained in the hands of the Zrinski family until the end of the 17th century. The last male member of the family,Ivan Antun Zrinski(John IV), died in prison in 1703.
In 1715, during the period ofCharles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, Count MichaelAlthanbecame the owner of Međimurje; he received the land for his loyal services. In 1720 theregion was detached from Croatiaand was included into the Zala County of the main part of the Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary. In 1738 Čakovec Castle was hit by an earthquake, which caused tremendous damage. The owners of the city made some repairs, but in 1741, fire caused additional damage. The castle started to decay.
The Church ofSt. Jeromewas rebuilt in 1749 inŠtrigova(Stridóvár) by the famous artistIvan Rangerfollowing the demolition of the original 15th century-builtchapelby anearthquakein 1738.
Ignacije Szentmartony, aJesuitfrom Kotoriba (Kottori), was aroyalmathematician and astronomer inLisbonand in 1754 an explorer of Brazil on behalf of thePortuguesegovernment.
In 1791 CountGyörgy Festeticsbought Međimurje, includingČakovec CastleandFeštetić Castle(Festetics kastély) in the neighboring village of Pribislavec (Zalaújvár), which remained in the property ofFeštetićfamily until 1923.
On 19 April 1848Josip Jelačićproclaimed a union of Croatian provinces, and their separation from theKingdom of Hungary. By 1868, the former status quo was restored. Within the years 1860 to 1889 the railroad was introduced, while in 1893electricpower started illuminating most of the city streets. According to the 1910 census, the population of Međimurje numbered 90,387 people, including 82,829 Croats and 6,766 Hungarians.
TheMagyarizationbetween the 1870s-1910s introduced the concept ofMeđimurian language(muraközi nyelv). According to this view, the spoken language in Međimurje was not Croatian or Kajkavian, butMeđimurian Slavic, which is a separate Slavic language-family.József Margitaiwas the main propagandist of the Međimurian language and he published few Međimurian books. The propagandists exploited idea that the Croatians are dissatisfied with the newSerbo-Croatianlanguage.
Margitai propagated in Međimurian theusefulnessof the assimilation in the Međimurje and the superiority of the Hungarian nation. The fakeMeđimurian literary languagein fact was only little different from the Kajkavian literary language.
In 1918, after the collapse of the monarchic union ofAustria-Hungary, and after the disarmament of the local police, the Međimurje region fell into civil disorder. TheNational Council of Slovenes, Croats and SerbsinZagrebsent hastily assembled troops, which crossed the riverDravaand reached Čakovec where they were defeated. In thesecond attempt to capture the region in late 1918, troops commanded bySlavko Kvaternikforced the Hungarian troops to abandon the region. On 9 January 1919, Međimurje joined to the newly createdKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes(later known asYugoslavia).
In the Southern region, in theSlovene March(today thePrekmurjeand Raba March nearSzentgotthárd) there emerged independence-autonomy movements.József Kleklexpressed the program of the autonomous (or independent) Slovene March.Oszkár Jászi, who supported the Slovene and Croatian minority, completed the program in a proposal: the Slovene March and the Međimurje should be merged.The program did not materialize.
Until 1922 the region was part ofVaraždinCounty. From 1922 to 1929 the region was part of theMariborOblast, from 1929 to 1939 part of theSava Banovinaand from 1939 to 1941 part of theBanovina of Croatia.
Upon signing theTripartite Pacton 25 March 1941, theKingdom of Yugoslaviabecame a member of theAxis powers. In spite of this, after the coup Yugoslavia wasinvadedby Axis forces on 6 April 1941 and was subsequently occupied and partitioned. Between 1941 and 1945,Međimurje was occupied and annexed by Hungary. At this time some re-settlement of ethnic Croats who were settled in the region after 1918 occurred.Bulgariantroops within theSoviet3rd Ukrainian Frontcaptured the regionin the spring of 1945, and the region became part of the socialistCroatiawithin restored Yugoslavia.
One notable traditional festival is theFašnik, acarnival-like event held in February. The event's name is derived from the German wordFasching, describing similar events mostly held in Austria andBavaria. The festival has been observed for centuries, withmaskedpeople participating in publicparadesandcelebrationsto drive off thedemonsof darkness and winter. The main festivities of theFašnikperiod are usually held in the centre of Čakovec, with a parade of masked people from the entire region walking through the city's streets to reach its central square, where a hangedhaydoll representing theFašnikis traditionally burned down to signify victory over the demons of darkness and winter, as well as to mark the end of festivities.
Another notable and highly attended festival held in Čakovec is thePorcijunkulovo, an annualfairwhich takes place on the streets around the city's centre between 30 July and 5 August. At the fair, many of the region's traditional products, such asbaskets, can be purchased and people can also see how some of the products are made. Many of the region's traditional foods are served during the festivities and there is a daily entertainment program at a temporary stage set up at the city's central square.
For many centuries, Međimurje was part of Hungary, whose influence is evident in its history and culture.
The traditional food during theFašnikperiod are a type ofdoughnutsknown in Croatian askrafne, although the local people also use several similar names for the food. As well as being the traditional food of theFašnikperiod,krafneare also a popular everyday food in the region and are sold in local stores and bakeries throughout the year. The traditional food of thePorcijunkulovofestivities islángos, whose name is spelledlangošin Croatian. Another notable sweet food is a type ofnut rollcalledorehnjača, which is filled withwalnutcream. Its name is derived fromoreh, meaning "walnut" in the local Kajkavian dialect. A similar cake filled withpoppy seedis calledmakovnjača, with its name derived frommak, the Croatian word forpoppy.
There is also a type ofcorn mushcalledžganci, which is usually served withliquid sour cream,buttermilkor warm milk.Cottage cheeseis also a popular food in the region. It can either be served with liquid sour cream to form a dish known in the local dialect assir z vrhnjom, which translates as "cheese with cream", or used to maketuroš, in which case it is cone-shaped and dried.Sir z vrhnjomis often spiced withred paprika, which is also one of the main ingredients inturoš. Cottage cheese is also used as one of the fillings in apastrycalledštrukli. Another condiment popular in the region is thepumpkin seed oil, which is used as a dressing for many local vegetable salad varieties.
Some of the other traditional foods of the region include a type ofpastacalledmlinci, white and blacksausages, known asčurke, which is served with sour cabbage, as well as other dried or otherwise preservedmeat, such asmeso z tiblice, which is stored in a small, usually woodenbarrelcalledtiblica. There are also somevegetabledishes, while the production ofwineis ubiquitous in the hilly landscape of the region's northwest. Thedietof the region is part of theCroatian cuisine, which is known for its diversity.
There arespasused for recreation inVučkovecand aroundSveti Martin na Muri, both in the northern part of the county and near theMura. There are also more than 200 clubs for various sporting and recreational activities such asmountaineering,fishing,bowling,CB radio,parachutingand flying smallaircraft, includingunpowered glidersandpowered hang gliders.Huntingalso attracts numerous hunters in low game and birds.
The Škola Animiranog Filma is a school of animation based in Čakovec.
InČakovec Castle, there is a museum and an art gallery. In Šenkovec, in the chapel ofSveta Jelena.  and in the church ofSveti JeroniminŠtrigova, there areBaroquefrescoesofIvan Rangerdating between 1776 and 1786. Prelog is home to the beautiful church ofSveti Jakob, built in 1761.
More than 15,000 local songs have been collected here byethnomusicologistVinko Žganec. He was influenced in his work byFranjo Kuhač, and encouraged by HungariancomposerBéla Bartók. The German nationalanthem,Das Lied der Deutschen, composed byJoseph Haydn, is thought by some scholars to be derived from thefolk songknown in Međimurje under the nameStal Se Jesem; for details, seeGott erhalte Franz den Kaiser. An Austrian national song was composed byFranz von Suppé, who was born inSplit, and thelyricsof the Austrian national anthem were written byPaula von Preradovic, granddaughter of poetPetar Preradović, born near Pitomača.
The region of Međimurje is a strongtransport hub. The main roads and railroads going through the county connect several Central and Eastern European countries with the Croatian cities ofVaraždin,Zagreb(the country's capital),Karlovac, andRijeka(the country's principal seaport), as well as the rest of the Croatian part of theAdriaticcoast, which is a popular summer destination for tourists.
Međimurje had three railroads.M501 railwayis the line of international significance that connects Međimurje withHungaryandSlovenia.M501 railwaywas part of first railroad in the county that was built in 1860, connectingBudapestwith the Adriatic ports ofRijekaandTrieste, and this was  first railroad ever built in the present-day Croatia. The village ofKotoriba, located near the Hungarian border in the south-eastern part of the county, was the site of the first railway station building in Croatia.R201 railwayconnectsČakovecwithVaraždinandZagreb.L101 railwayconnectsČakovecwithMursko Središćeand with Slovenian town ofLendava.
Around 21 kilometers of theA4 motorway, built in the 1990s, is located within the county's borders. The highway connectsHungarywithZagreb, and is also an important connection from Čakovec andPrelogto Zagreb, as it can be accessed near the village ofSveti Križ, located approximately halfway between the two cities. TheGoričanBorder Crossing and theZrinski Bridgeare also located on the highway. Near Zagreb, the A4 highway is connected with theA1 motorway, from which several cities along the Adriatic coast can be reached, as well as theA3 motorway, which goes through the southern parts ofSlavoniaall the way to theSerbianborder.
A small sportsairfieldwith one grassyrunwayis located near the village ofPribislavec, just outside Čakovec. It is mainly used bylight aircraftandunpowered gliders. Panoramic flights over the region are also organised from the airfield. Occasionally, the airfield is also used bypowered hang gliders, although these aircraft more commonly use a smaller airfield on the shores of theDrava, just outsidePrelog. For many years, the airfield in Pribislavec also hosted an annualair showin August, which, however, was not held in 2009 and 2010. There are plans in the works to build a bridge over theMura Riverto connect the villages ofKerkaszentkirályin Hungary andPodturenin Međimurje County.
An estimated 22,000 people are employed in the county, with around 60% of them in bigger companies. Since the late 1960s and early 1970s, more than 17,000 people from the region have been employed abroad, in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and beyond. The region is considered one of the nation's richest and most prosperous.
Throughout its history, the region was heavilyagriculturaland even today many work in that sector. The total percentage of people involved in agriculture is 12.7%, which is above the national average.
Since the 4th century BC, there have beenship millsin use, particularly along the Mura River, some of which remained in use until the 20th century. The last surviving ship mill in the county is also located on the Mura River, betweenSveti Martin na MuriandMursko Središće. It is now a historic monument and a well-known regional tourist attraction. The famousMeđimurje horse(Međimurski konj) breed of horses was for many years harnessed to the streetcars ofVienna.
Some of the largest food companies in the region includeAgromeđimurje,Čakovečki mlinoviandVajda.METSS, formerly calledTrgocentar, operates a large number ofconvenience storesin the region. In Čakovec, many people are also employed in a number ofshopping mallsrun by local, national and international companies.
Industry has mostly developed in and aroundČakovec, as well as in the south-eastern parts of the county.Međimurska trikotaža ČakovecorMTČwas one of the most successful textile and clothing companies in northern Croatia for years. Some of the other well known clothing companies in the region includeČateksand theMursko Središće-basedModeks. There are also some footwear companies based in the region, the most prominent of them beingJelen.
The Čakovec-basedZrinskiis a printing and publishing company.Nedelišćewas home to one of the first Croatianprinting presses, operating there as early as 1570. The production of metal andPVCis significant in the region. There are several construction companies based in the region. Some of the largest local companies in these businesses includeFerro-Preis,TMT,Tehnix,Meplast,Muraplast,TegraandBeton.Basket weavingis one of the oldest businesses in the region, withMeđimurjepletbeing the largest local company. Chairs, small items of furniture and other decorative items are also woven in addition to baskets. The most common weaving materials includetwigs,rattanandbamboo.
There are deposits ofcoalaround Mursko Središće,PeklenicaandLopatinec. Lopatinec got its name fromlopata, the Croatian word for "shovel". Coal mining was part of the local economy between 1946 and 1972, but has eventually become unprofitable. The total output at that time was close to 4,600,000tonnes.  Estimated reserves are 200,000,000 tonnes, although newtechnologiesand approaches would be needed to extract it profitably. The village ofKrižovecmight be the only place in the world where people extractcoalby pulling it by hand from the bottom of the river.
Goldcan be found in the sands of both the Mura and Drava Rivers. In 1955, ageological surveycalculated theconcentrationof gold in the Drava to be between 2.5 and 24.4mg/m, occasionally reaching 111 to 150 mg/m. On the banks of Drava river nearDonji Vidovec, one can still witness the process of goldprospectingas it used to be practiced during thegold rush.
In historical times, Prelog was the center for distribution ofrock saltfor this part of the kingdom.
The region was the first in Croatia where deposits ofgasandcrude oilwere found, in 1856, around the villages ofSelnicaand Peklenica. The latter even got its name frompekel, the word for "hell" in the local Kajkavian dialect, since the people quickly noticed the peculiar properties of the dark, greasy liquid in small ponds appearing spontaneously on the ground. The reserves were initially calculated to be around 170,000 tonnes. There was exploitation from 1886 to 1889 and into the 20th century.
The first crude oilpipelinebuilt in this part of Europe was between Mursko Središće and the nearby town ofSelnicain 1901. At that time the annual production was less than 7,000 tons. Today, a modern pipeline stretches fromOmišaljon the Adriatic island ofKrkandSisaktoward theoil refineryin theSloveniancity ofLendava, not far from Mursko Središće. There are also gas deposits inMihovljan, a suburban village on the northern outskirts of Čakovec.
There are three hydroelectric power plants withdamsand two reservoir lakes built on the Drava. The Varaždin Hydroelectric Power plant fed from Lake Ormož,Čakovec Hydroelectric Power Plantis fed from the smaller Lake Varaždin and opened in 1982, while theDubrava Hydroelectric Power Plantis fed from the larger Lake Dubrava and opened in 1989. The latter two hydroelectric power plants provide 161,6MWof electric power. Their dams,levees,canalsand reservoirs are also used forflood controlandirrigation.
The extraction ofgravelis also significant for the region. There is currently around 10gravel pits, located in the southern and eastern parts of the region. During the 1990s, some of the gravel pits also became popular bathing and entertainment resorts during the summers, with restaurants and sports grounds built around them. Nowadays, the Totomore resort near the village ofTotovecis the most notable resort of this kind, while a couple of other similar resorts closed during the early 2000s.
Geothermalresources also exist in the region, although they cannot be considered a profitableenergysource. Instead, they are used for leisure and recreation.