Quick facts
Van overview
Van (orange) and the other large cities of Turkey
Van lies in Turkey at 38.49°N, 43.38°E, about 1,708 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Istanbul (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Mersin (537,842) and larger than Batman (452,157). The largest city in Turkey is Istanbul with 15,701,602 people; the capital, Ankara, has 3,517,182.
The national capital, Ankara, is about 920 km away; the nearest large city is Ağrı, 139 km from Van.
Turkey as a whole has a live population of 88,006,552 (+0.3% a year) and ranks #18 of 238 countries — see the Turkey population page for the full statistics and the Turkey atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Van
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ağrı Ağrı | 139 km | 124,483 |
| Siirt Siirt | 141 km | 114,034 |
| Silopi Şırnak | 161 km | 114,645 |
| Cizre Şırnak | 167 km | 134,041 |
| Iğdır Iğdır | 169 km | 101,700 |
Largest cities in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Van?
Van has about 525,016 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Van the capital of Turkey?
No. The capital of Turkey is Ankara (3,517,182 people), about 920 km away. Van is the 15th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Van compared with the rest of Turkey?
Its 525,016 residents are 0.6% of the 88,006,552 people living in Turkey today. Istanbul is larger with 15,701,602 people.
Where is Van?
In Turkey, at latitude 38.49 and longitude 43.38, 1,708 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Ağrı (139 km), Siirt (141 km), Silopi (161 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Van Population 2026 — Turkey. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/van/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/turkey/van/">Van Population 2026 — Turkey</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.