Varto (Kurdish: Gimgim) is a town in eastern Turkey (North Kurdistan) occupied primarily by Kurdish people.
Varto was the site of a major fighting during the Sheikh Said rebellion in 1924, and the 1966 earthquake that killed nearly 3,000 people.
In the 1990s Varto was one of the hotbeds of Kurdish militancy led by the PKK. Although the city did not see ongoing battles, it was the hometown of many fighters and leading PKK commanders. The Turkish military garrison stationed in the city is surrounded by barbed wire and sandbags. The garrison patrols the city in armored personnel carriers (cars), though there has been no fighting in or around the city since the 1990s. Most [[Kirmancki Kurdish] speakers are Alevis, whereas most [[Kurmanci Kurdish language speakers are Sunnis. The communities had a separate and quiet existence until 1980s. The last three decades have seen significant intermarriage, partially aided by the advance of Kurdish nationalism. Varto consists of the main city and 99 villages.
The population of Varto city is around 13,000 with another 17,000 living in the villages. In summer Varto and its villages are filled by expatriates that swell the total population well past the 75,000 mark.
The largest population from Varto in Europe is in Berlin (Germany).
The current mayor is Gülşen Değer (BDP).
The former mayor of Varto, Demir Celik, a pharmacist, is chairman of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
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