Bingöl (Çewlîg): Land of a Thousand Lakes
- Rezan Babakir
- 12 hours ago
- 3 min read
Introduction
Bingöl (Kurdish: Çewlîg) is a Kurdish and Zaza city and province in the mountains of eastern Turkey. Its Turkish name means “a thousand lakes,” after the glacial pools that dot the high volcanic massif above the town — a fitting name for one of the most rugged and beautiful corners of the Kurdish region.
A heartland of the Zaza people and their language, Bingöl is a province of mountains, summer pastures, and resilient communities that have weathered earthquakes and conflict alike. This profile looks at the land, its people, and its history.
Key Takeaways
• Bingöl (Kurdish: Çewlîg) is a Kurdish- and Zaza-majority city and province in eastern Turkey.
• Its name means “a thousand lakes,” after the glacial lakes of the Bingöl mountains.
• The province is one of the main heartlands of the Zaza people and the Zazaki language.
• It is a mountainous region of high pastures, long winters, and dramatic scenery.
• Bingöl has been struck by major earthquakes, including a devastating one in 2003.
Quick Facts
Name (Kurdish): Çewlîg
Meaning: “A thousand lakes” (Turkish)
Country / Region: Turkey (Bakur / Northern Kurdistan)
Province: Bingöl
People: Kurdish and Zaza
Language: Kurmanji and Zazaki
Landscape: The Bingöl mountains and their glacial lakes
Hazard: Major earthquakes (1971, 2003)
Contents
Where Is Bingöl?
Bingöl lies in eastern Turkey, in a knot of mountains between Diyarbakır, Muş, Elazığ, and Erzurum. The province is high and folded, dominated by the great volcanic massif of the Bingöl mountains, with the city itself set in a valley among the peaks. It borders the Dersim country of Tunceli to the north-west, sharing much of that region’s Zaza and Alevi character.
This is a land of harsh winters and short, green summers, where life has long followed the rhythm of moving flocks up to the high pastures and back down again.
A Thousand Lakes
The name Bingöl — “a thousand lakes” — comes from the scattering of glacial lakes high on the Bingöl massif, formed in the hollows of an ancient volcano. In summer the mountain’s slopes become rich grazing land, drawing herders and their animals to the cool heights. These lakes and pastures are the signature landscape of the province, and the source of its evocative name.
Kurds and Zazas
Bingöl is one of the main homelands of the Zazas, a people whose language, Zazaki, is spoken across this part of eastern Anatolia alongside Kurmanji Kurdish. Zazas are widely regarded as part of the broader Kurdish world, and the province’s identity is shaped by both Kurdish and Zaza traditions. This makes Bingöl, together with neighbouring Dersim, a key region for understanding the rich diversity of the Kurdish-speaking peoples.
Earthquakes and Hardship
Bingöl sits in one of the most seismically active zones in the region, and earthquakes have repeatedly scarred it. A severe quake struck in 1971, and in May 2003 another powerful earthquake hit the city, killing scores of people — among them children in a collapsed school dormitory — and causing widespread destruction. Like much of the Kurdish south-east, the province has also felt the strains of the long conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK. Through it all, its communities have shown a stubborn resilience.
Bingöl Today
Today Bingöl is a Kurdish- and Zaza-majority provincial city, rebuilt after its earthquakes and slowly developing, while remaining deeply tied to its mountains and pastoral life. For its people it is above all home: a high, hard, beautiful country of a thousand lakes, with a culture and language that form an important strand of the wider Kurdish story.
Timeline
older name — The town and area are historically known as Çabakçur / Çewlîg.
1971 — A severe earthquake strikes the Bingöl region.
20th c. — Bingöl develops as a Kurdish- and Zaza-majority province of eastern Turkey.
2003 — A devastating earthquake hits Bingöl, killing scores, including schoolchildren.
today — Bingöl remains a mountainous Kurdish and Zaza province, rebuilt and enduring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bingöl’s Kurdish name?
In Kurdish the city is called Çewlîg.
What does the name Bingöl mean?
Bingöl means “a thousand lakes” in Turkish, after the many glacial lakes of the Bingöl mountains above the city.
Who lives in Bingöl?
Bingöl is a Kurdish- and Zaza-majority province; people there speak Kurmanji Kurdish and Zazaki, and Zazas are widely seen as part of the broader Kurdish world.
Has Bingöl had earthquakes?
Yes. Bingöl lies in a seismically active zone and has suffered major earthquakes, including severe ones in 1971 and 2003.
Related People, Places, and Topics
The Zaza people · the Zazaki language · the Bingöl mountains · Diyarbakır · Tunceli · Bakur (Northern Kurdistan).
References and Further Reading
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