Van, city in eastern Turkey, the capital of Van province. Located at an elevation of 1750 m (5750 ft), the city lies on the eastern shore of Van Gölü (Lake Van), the biggest lake in Turkey, and about 80 km (about 50 mi) west of the border with Iran. Mountainous terrain, harsh winters, and the salinity of Van Gölü restrain agricultural development in the region. However, there is a notable production of fruit, particularly north of the city around Van Gölü. Recently developed cross-border trade with Iran has improved Van's economic significance to the neighboring regions and provinces. Ferry service to Tatvan on the lake's western shore connects Van to a major railway. The Van Museum (founded in 1972) has a collection of local kilims (flat-woven tapestries) as well as ancient archaeological finds. Centennial University (founded in 1982) was named in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of the birth of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.
The modern city of Van is 5 km (3 mi) east of the site of old Van, one of the earliest known settlements in what is now Turkey. Known as Tushpa, the city was the capital of the powerful Urartu kingdom between the 13th and 8th centuries BC. In succeeding years Van was under the control of the Armenians, Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Seljuks, and Ottomans. Old Van was completely destroyed by the end of World War I (1914-1918) after being occupied by Russian forces and modern Van was built to replace it after the war. Population (1996 estimate) 207,666.
