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Bandar Abbas
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History and etymology Bandar Abbas has always been a port, and as such its various names have all addressed this function. The most common name over time (Gameroon) has traditionally been said to derive from Persian gümrük, customhouse (from Late Greek kommerkion, from Latin commercium, "commerce"), but is now speculated to be from Persian kamrun, shrimp (which in Portuguese is camarão, similar to the former Portuguese name).
Ancient history The earliest record of Bandar Abbas is during the reign of Darius the Great (between 586 and 522 B.C.). Darius's commander, Silacus, embarked from Bandar Abbas to India which is now present Pakistan and the Red Sea
During Alexander's conquest of the Persian Empire, Bandar Abbas was known under the name of Hormirzad.
The Renaissance and Enlightenment By the 1500s, Bandar Abbas was known as Gamrun to the Persians. In 1565, a European navigator called it Bamdel Gombruc (that is, Bandar Gümrük, or "Customhouse Port"), citing this as the Persian and Turkish name. In 1612, the Portuguese took the city from Lorestan and transliterated the name to Comorão.
Almost two years later (in 1615), Comorão was taken by ‘Abbas the Great after a naval battle with the Portuguese and renamed Bandar-e ‘Abbas, or "Port of ‘Abbas". Backed by the British navy, ‘Abbas developed Bandar-e ‘Abbas (known to the English-speaking world as Gombraun) into a major port.
By 1622, the Portuguese and English names had been officially combined to form Combrù or Combu, although the inhabitants still called it Bandar-e ‘Abbas. Sir Thomas Herbert said the official English name was Gumbrown, but pronounced "gomroon". He wrote in 1630 that "some (but I commend them not) write it Gamrou, others Gomrow, and othersome Cummeroon."
By the 1670s, the city was known as Gameroon
From 1740 onward, control of the town was sold to various Arab rulers, and from c. 1780 it was controlled by Muscat (now a governorate of Oman). In 1868, during Oman's decline, the town reverted to Persian rule.
Modern history In the 1980s, the name "Gameron" was changed in favor of "Bandar Abbas", following similar movements with Iranian names (see Iran naming dispute).
Bandar Abbas serves as a major shipping point for mostly imports, and has a long history of trade with India. Thousands of tourists visit the city and nearby islands including Qeshm and Hormuz every year.
Geography Bandar Abbas is situated on flat ground with an average altitude of 9 m (30 ft) above sea level. The nearest elevated areas are Mt. Geno, 17 km (11 mi) to the north, and Mt. Pooladi, 16 km (10 mi) to the northwest of the city. The closest river to Bandar Abbas is the River Shoor, which is rooted from Mt. Geno and pours into the Persian Gulf, 10 km (6 mi) east of the city.
Climate Bandar Abbas has a hot and humid climate. Maximum temperature in summers can reach up to 49 °C (120 °F) while in winters the minimum temperature drops to about 5 °C (40 °F). The annual rainfall is around 251 mm (1 in) and the relative humidity is 66%.
Transportation Bandar Abbas International Airport has capacity and facilities for landing large transport airplanes.
Roads Bandar Abbas is accessible via the following highways:
- Bandar Abbas-Sirjan, 300 km (186 mi) to the northeast.
- Bandar Abbas-Kerman, 484 km (301 mi) to the northeast.
- Bandar Abbas-Shiraz, 650 km (404 mi) to the north.
- Bandar Abbas-Zahedan, 722 km (449 mi) to the east.
Language Original Bandaris (residents of Bandar Abbas) speak Bandari (?????), a dialect of Persian. Bandari may be similar to Middle Persian and Balochi. Bandari has loanwords from various European languages (e.g. tawal, "towel") and Arabic (e.g. ata [???], "to come").
Products
Exports - Transit goods, dates, citrus, tobacco, fishery; Bandar Abbas was formerly famous for its export of Iranian pottery, known as "gombroon".
Universities-
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See also
External links
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