The geography human and economic of the Kurucay basin down streambed (Malatya)

Kurucay basin; Eastern Anatolia Region, Upper Euphrates Department, Inner Taurus Depression Region, Malatya Basin Sub-region. The study site is located 40 km north of the city of Malatya. Hekimhan District and Arguvan District are located to the north of basin. To the east is Baskil District of Elazığ and Dilek Town of Malatya to the south. The study area has a surface area of 481 km2. Kurucay, which gives its name to basin, passes through the center of the basin. Kurucay 's two important sheds are located within the boundaries of the working area in the Hırın Stream and Hasir Stream. The study showed a steady increase between 1980 and 2000 when the population showed a dynamic increase between 1935 and 1980. In the census years after 2000, there was a dynamic decline in the working field. The most important feature of the study area in terms of population is continuous migration and seasonal change of migrations. The history of settlements in the research area dates back to the early ages. The D-875 Malatya-Sivas highway passing through the basin proved to be a good way to use Silk Road from the early ages. A large majority of the settlements in the study area can be described as permanent settlements. Examples of permanent settlements are neighborhoods, peasants and villages. Temporary settlements in the field of research are mostly vineyard houses and highland houses used by livelihooders. In the study area, 41% of the agricultural area is composed of slices, 37% of them are forests and shrubs, 5% are meadows and pastures and 17% are settlements, marshes and water surface. Apricot is the main agricultural product grown in the field. Apricot is the most important source of livelihood and in the summer the population is increasing due to apricot farming. Apart from this, wheat, barley, alfalfa, vetch, legumes and vineyard are cultivated in the basin. However, these mentioned agricultural products are not usually commercial purposes. In the southern part where animal husbandry is raised and the ridge is reduced, cattle breeding and poultry farming are carried out in general, while small cattle breeding activities are carried out in the northern part where unevenness and raising are increased. Other economic activities include the presence of gas stations on the roadside due to the fact that the research area is located on a significant route, and the accumulation of fine materials such as pebbles and sand in the mouth where the stream is poured under the influence of Kurucay. As in our country's rural areas, the biggest problems in the field of study are; the problems of land use, and the fact that settlements in rural areas where the land is rugged have been set up in disjointed areas, and are the problems of transportation. These causes and problems have been decisive factors in the study.