Başkale (, ) is a municipality and
district
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...
of
Van Province,
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
. Its area is 2,727 km
2, and its population is 44,168 (2022).
The municipality Başkale was established in 1937. In the
local elections of March 2019 Erkan Acar from the
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was elected mayor.
Geography
Başkale is situated west of the Turkey-Iran border. of the national border is on the east and north-east of the Başkale district. Başkale shares district borders with
Yüksekova District of
Hakkari Province to the south,
Saray and
Özalp districts of
Van Province to the north, and
Gürpınar district of Van Province to the west.
Başkale is situated 2460 metres above sea level, in the valley of the
Great Zab
The Great Zab or Upper Zab (; or ; ; ) is an approximately long river flowing through Turkey and Iraq. It rises in Turkey near Lake Van and joins the Tigris in Iraq south of Mosul. During its course, the river collects water from many tributar ...
River (Zapsuyu), and the town stands on the eastern slope of the south-eastern
Taurus Mountains
The Taurus Mountains (Turkish language, Turkish: ''Toros Dağları'' or ''Toroslar,'' Greek language, Greek'':'' Ταύρος) are a mountain range, mountain complex in southern Turkey, separating the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coastal reg ...
. The majority of the Başkale district is mountainous. The agricultural portion is only , approximately 14% of the total area. Başkale is enclosed by Mount (Yiğit)/Haravil (3468 m) in the east, Mount Başkale/İspiriz (3668 m) in the west, and Mount Gökdağ (3604 m) in the south-east. The mountains of Mor, Haravil, Mengene and Çekvan are in the district of Başkale. Other geographical features in Başkale include the Karasu river, and the plateaus of Nebirnav, Kevçikan, Hanasor, Çekvan, Aşkitan (Ülya), Perihan, Meydan, Harinan, Terazın, Sülav, Medgezeren, Pistekan, Herevil-Şirez, Derevan, Derik, Bağarük, Düava and Mengen.
Climate
Demographics
According to
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
The ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. So ...
from 1911, the town included 10 thousand people, mostly consisting of
Kurds
Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
but also 1.5 thousand
Armenians
Armenians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to the Armenian highlands of West Asia.Robert Hewsen, Hewsen, Robert H. "The Geography of Armenia" in ''The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiq ...
and 1 thousand
Jews
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
.
Composition
There are 69
neighbourhoods
A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...
in Başkale District:
Mahalle
Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
* Açıkağıl
* Akçalı
* Albayrak
* Aşağıküme
* Aşalan
* Atlılar
* Aydemir
* Azıklı
* Barış
* Belencik
* Beşocak
* Bilgeç
* Böğrüpek
* Bölekli
* Büklümdere
* Çakırdoğan
* Çaldıran
* Dereiçi
* Deringeçit
* Ekecek
* Erek
* Erkonağı
* Esenyamaç
* Eşmepınar
* Evbakan
* Gedikbaşı
* Gelenler
* Güleçler
* Güroluk
* Güvendik
* Hafiziye
* Hasanbey
* Ilıcak
* Işıklı
* Kaşkol
* Kavurgalı
* Keçilioba
* Kızılca
* Kocaköy
* Koçdağı
* Konuksayar
* Köprüağzı
* Kovalıpınar
* Mahmutabat
* Oğulveren
* Ömerdağı
* Öncüler
* Örencik
* Örenkale
* Örmetaş
* Ortayazı
* Ortayol
* Özpınar
* Saçan
* Sallıdere
* Savaş
* Sualtı
* Tahıl
* Tepebaşı
* Tınazlı
* Uğurlu
* Yanal
* Yavuzlar
* Yeni
* Yolmaçayır
* Yukarıdallı
* Yukarıdarıca
* Yukarıdikmen
* Yurttepe
References
Further reading
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baskale
Populated places in Van Province
Districts of Van Province
Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey
Kurdish settlements in Turkey
Former Armenian communities in Van Province