Van Province

The province is mainly populated by Kurds and considered part of Turkish Kurdistan.{{Sfnp|Bois|Minorsky|MacKenzie|5=2002}} The province had a significant Christian Armenian population until the genocide in 1915.{{sfnp|Celiker|2015|p=41}}

In the 1881–1882 Ottoman census, the sanjak of Van had a population of 113,964 of which {{Percentage|59382|113964|1}} was Armenian and {{Percentage|54582|113964|1}} Muslim.{{sfnp|Karpat|1978|p=272}} In the 1914 census, the sanjak had a population of 172,171 of which {{Percentage|109517|172171|1}} was Muslim and {{Percentage|61533|172171|1}} Armenian. The remaining population was Assyrians at {{Percentage|1121|172171|1}}.{{sfnp|Karpat|1985|pp=182–183}}

In the first Turkish census in 1927, Kurdish was the most-spoken first language in Van Province (which included Hakkari Province until 1945) at {{Percentage|57723|75329|1}} while Turkish remained the second most-spoken first language at {{Percentage|17399|75329|1}}. Other languages enumerated included Hebrew at {{Percentage|123|75329|1}} and Arabic at {{Percentage|72|75329|1}}. In the same census, Muslims comprised {{Percentage|75200|75329|1}} of the population and the remaining {{Percentage|129|75329|1}} being Jews.{{sfnp|Dündar|2000|pp=157 & 159}}

In the subsequent census in 1935, Kurdish stood at {{Percentage|103786|143434|1}} and Turkish at {{Percentage|38960|143434|1}}. Other smaller languages included Circassian at {{Percentage|303|143434|1}}, Hebrew at {{Percentage|202|143434|1}}, Arabic at {{Percentage|167|143434|1}}.

Muslims remained the largest denomination at {{Percentage|143086|143434|1}}, Jews stood at {{Percentage|208|143434|1}} and Christians at {{Percentage|138|143434|1}}.{{sfnp|Dündar|2000|pp=163–164 & 168}} In 1945, Kurdish stood at {{Percentage|76553|127858|1}} and Turkish at {{Percentage|50659|127858|1}}, while {{Percentage|127724|127858|1}} of the population was Muslim.{{sfnp|Dündar|2000|pp=175 & 179–180}} In 1955, Kurdish and Turkish remained the two most spoken languages at {{Percentage|96843|145944|1}} and {{Percentage|48311|145944|1}}, respectively.{{sfnp|Dündar|2000|p=188}}

File:Arinçkus Argişti Steli.jpg belonging to the Urartian King Argishti I, dated between 785 BC and 756 BC, Bitlis Ahlat Museum]]

This area was the heartland of Armenians, who lived in these areas from the time of Hayk in the 3rd millennium BCE right up to the late 19th century when the Ottoman Empire seized all the land from the natives.{{sfnp|Hofmann|2004}} In the 9th century BC the Van area was the center of the Urartian kingdom.European History in a World Perspective - p. 68 by Shepard Bancroft Clough The area was a major Armenian population center. The region came under the control of the Armenian Orontids in the 7th century BC and later Persians in the mid-6th century BC. By the early 2nd century BC it was part of the Kingdom of Armenia. It became an important center during the reign of the Armenian king, Tigranes II, who founded the city of Tigranakert in the 1st century BC.The Journal of Roman Studies – p. 124 by Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

With the victory of the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Malazgirt in 1071, just north of Lake Van,{{cite web|url=http://historymedren.about.com/od/aentries/a/11_alparslan.htm|title=Alp Arslan: Article from the 1911 Encyclopedia|author= Melissa Snell|publisher=About Education}} it became a part of the Seljuq Empire and later the Ottoman Empire during their century long wars with their neighboring Iranian Safavid arch rivals, in which Sultan Selim I managed to conquer the area over the latter. The area continued to be contested and was passed on between the Ottoman Empire and the Safavids (and their subsequent successors, the Afsharids and Qajars) for many centuries until the Battle of Chaldiran which set the borders till this day. During the 19th century it was reorganized as Van Vilayet.

In 1927 the office of the Inspector General was created, which governed with martial law.{{sfnp|Jongerden|2007|p=53}} The province was included in the first Inspectorate General (Umumi Müfettişlik, UM) over which the Inspector General ruled. The UM span over the provinces of Hakkâri, Siirt, Van, Mardin, Bitlis, Sanlıurfa, Elaziğ and Diyarbakır.{{sfnp|Bayir|2016|p=139}} The Inspectorate General were dissolved in 1952 during the Government of the Democrat Party.{{Sfnp|Fleet|Kunt|Kasaba|Faroqhi|2008|p=343}}

Between July 1987 and July 2000, Van Province was within the OHAL region, which was ruled by a Governor within a state of emergency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/414d86ab4.pdf|title=Case of Dogan and others v. Turkey|page=21|access-date=12 November 2019}}

According to the 2012 Metropolitan Municipalities Law (Law No. 6360), all Turkish provinces with a population more than 750 000, will have a metropolitan municipality and the districts within the metropolitan municipalities will be second level municipalities. The law also creates new districts within the provinces in addition to present districts.[http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2012/12/20121206-1.htm Official gazette {{in lang|tr}}] The current Governor is Mehmet Emin Bilmez.{{Cite web |title=T.C. Van Valiliği Resmi Web Sitesi |url=http://www.van.gov.tr/ |access-date=2020-03-26 |website=www.van.gov.tr}}

Several earthquakes have occurred in Van Province. In 1881 an earthquake occurred and caused the death of 95 people. In 1941, Van suffered a destructive 5.9 M_w earthquake. Two more earthquakes occurred in 2011 in which 644 people died and 2608 people were injured.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/12/3337/2012/nhess-12-3337-2012.pdf|title=Van earthquakes (23 October 2011 and 9 November 2011) and performance of masonry and adobe structures|last=Güney|first=D.|website=Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences|access-date=1 March 2020}} In a 7.2 M_w earthquake on 23 October 2011, more than 500 people were killed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/world/turkey-earthquake/index.html|title=At least 5 dead in quake in eastern Turkey |website=CNN|date=9 November 2011 |access-date=2020-03-01}} On 9 November 2011, a 5.6 M_w magnitude earthquake killed also several people and caused buildings to collapse.

File:Van location districts.png

Van Province is divided into 13 districts,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/yerel-secim-2019/van-ili-secim-sonuclari|title=Van Seçim Sonuçları – 31 Mart 2019 Van Yerel Seçim sonuçları|date=2019-11-14|website=Yeni Şafak|language=tr-TR|access-date=2019-11-14}} listed below with their populations as at the end of 2022. In 2013 the former Van District was split into İpekyolu and Tuşba districts, which between them contain almost all of the city of Van.

{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|

• Bahçesaray (13,495)
• Başkale (44,168)
• Çaldıran (58,635)
• Çatak (18,462)
• Edremit (127,819)
• Erciş (171,000)
• Gevaş (26,918)
• Gürpınar (31,865)
• İpekyolu (348,046)
• Muradiye (45,718)
• Özalp (59,851)
• Saray (19,471)
• Tuşba (163,301)

}}

The main lakes in Van province are Lake Turna, Lake Gövelek, Lake Hıdırmenteş, Lake Akgöl, Lake Erçek and Lake Süphan.

The main mountains in the province are Kavuşşahap Mountains, Mount Artos, Mount Erek, Mount Tendürek, Mount Meydan and Girekol.

The main places with tourism potential in Van are Hoşap Castle, Muradiye Fall, Akdamar Island, Van Castle, Lake Turna, Lake Akgöl and Van Museum.

File:Urartian fort in Çavuştepe.jpg|Haykaberd or Çavuştepe

File:Hosap-castle (17).jpg|Hoşap Castle

File:Muradiye Falls 2.JPG|Muradiye Fall

File:The_Church_of_the_Holy_Cross_on_Akhtamar_Island.JPG|The Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross (10th century) on Akdamar Island

File:Akhtamar_Island_on_Lake_Van_with_the_Armenian_Cathedral_of_the_Holy_Cross.jpg|The Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross

Image:Narekavank.jpg|The Armenian Monastery of Narek (10th century)

Image:Varagavank.jpg|Varagavank Armenian monastery (11th century)

Image:Saint Bartholomew Monastery.jpg|The Armenian Monastery of Saint Bartholomew (13th century)

File:OTAltVanOsmanMoschee.jpg|Ruined Ottoman mosque in the old ruined part of Van city (16th century)

File:Gevaş Türbe 01.JPG|Tomb of Halime Hatun in Gevaş (14th century)

File:OTAltVanOsmanMinarett.jpg|Ruined Ottoman mosque minaret in the old part of Van city

• 2011 Van earthquake
• 2020 Van avalanches
• Defense of Van (1915)
• Ottoman Armenian Population
• Yazidis

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{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Van Province}}

• [http://www.pbase.com/dosseman/van Pictures of the capital of this province]

{{Districts of Turkey|provname=Van}}

{{Provinces of Turkey}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Armenian Highlands

Category:Turkish Kurdistan