Situated in the western part of northern West Bank, Tulkarem’s history dates back to the 3rd century CE when it was referred to as Tur Karma, an Aramaic name that translates to "mount of vineyards." After being inhabited by Samaritans and Crusaders during the Middle Ages, Tulkarem received its Arabic name.

Home to the Khodori Institute and Khodori University, al-Quds open university and two colleges belonging to al-Najah university, Tulkarem has emerged as an important educational center for higher learning.

Tulkarem falls under "Area A" under the terms of the Oslo II agreement. This means that the area is under full control of the Palestinian Authority.

Tulkarem has recently been in the news for its decision to boycott Israeli goods starting March 2009, when it launched a campaign called “Keeping Tulkarem Clean of Israeli Goods.” The aim of this action is to increase internal production and supply of goods from 15 percent to 25 percent.