These are the lands conquered by Mürsel Pasha, the first Admiral of the Ottoman state, given the nickname “kara” (black) by Orhan Gazi because of his heroism and boldness. The region he came after 1327 with its fleet, known thenceforth as Karamürsel, is better known as “The Town of Wrestlers” today. Gazanfer Bilge in the branch of mat wrestling, Aydın Demir and Ahmet TAŞÇI in the branch of greased wrestling are some of the famous wrestler raised in the city. The province, located in the Southern coast of İzmit bay, is famous for its fish restaurants and the fishermen in its town of Ereğli and also its natural resting and trekking fields in the inner regions. All kinds of vegetables and fruits can be crown on the fertile soils of the region. Most known of these are cherry, peach and chestnut. The producers send considerable amount of fruits and vegetables not only to the town, but also to other towns. This region, known for its Karamürsel basket is a province where population growth rate is not high, since there are no industrial facilities in the town.