17 Facts About Van Turkey

Van Turkey is often referred to in the context of Western Armenia and Northern Kurdistan.

Archaeological excavations and surveys carried out in Van Turkey province indicate that the history of human settlement in this region goes back at least as far as 5000 BCE.

Under the ancient name of Tushpa, Van Turkey was the capital of the Urartian kingdom in the 9th century BCE.

Van Turkey Fortress, located outside Van Turkey city center, holds an inscribed stereotyped trilingual inscription of Xerxes the Great from the 5th century BCE upon a smoothed section of the rock face, some 20 metres above the ground near the fortress.

In 331 BCE, Van Turkey was conquered by Alexander the Great and after his death became part of the Seleucid Empire.

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Towards the second half of the 19th century Van Turkey began to play an increased role in the politics of the Ottoman Empire due to its location near the borders of the Persian, Russian and Ottoman Empire, as well as its proximity to Mosul.

Demographics of Ottoman Van are a debated and contentious point as they relate directly to claims of ownership by either side prior to the outbreak of World War I For the city of Van itself it's estimated that it had 50, 000 inhabitants prior to World War I, of whom 30, 000 were Armenian and 20, 000 were Muslims.

Demographics of Van Turkey are a greatly debated point, given the changing provincial borders.

In 2010 the official population figure for Van Turkey was 367, 419, but many estimates put it much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500, 000 and former Mayor Burhan Yengun is quoted as saying it may be as high as 600, 000.

Van Turkey has a humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and very warm, dry summers.

Van Turkey has often been called "The Pearl of the East" because of the beauty of its surrounding landscape.

Van Turkey is a grandson of Agop Vartovyan, an Ottoman Armenian who is accepted as the founder of modern Turkish theatre.

In culinary terms, as some cities in Turkey became renowned for their kebab culture or other types of traditional local dishes, Van has distinguished itself with its breakfast culture.

Van Turkey is the western terminus of the railway line from Iran, with freight and passenger trains.

Van Turkey has daily flights to Istanbul, Ankara and other major Turkish cities from Ferit Melen Airport.

Near Van Turkey, there is a longwave broadcasting station with a 250-metre-tall guyed mast.

Van Turkey cat is a breed of cat native to this town and named after it.