Abadan, Iran

Abadan is a major city located in the Khuzestan province of Iran. It serves as the capital for both Abadan County and the Abadan District. The city is situated in the southwest of the county on Abadan Island. This island is quite long, measuring between 3 and 19 kilometers in width. To the west, the island is bounded by the Arvand waterway. To the east, the Bahmanshir outlet of the Karun River flows by. This location is near the Persian Gulf and the border between Iran and Iraq. The city sits about 140 km from Ahvaz, the provincial capital.

The climate in Abadan is classified as arid. This means the air is very dry and the weather is often hot. In fact, Abadan is one of the hottest populated places on Earth. Summers are extremely hot and dry, with high temperatures occurring almost every day. The area also experiences several sand and dust storms each year. Winters are milder and feel more like spring, though cold spells can cause night frost. It almost never snows in Abadan. The only recorded snowfall in the city occurred in November 1007. In June 1967, a heat burst caused an unconfirmed temperature flare-up.

Abadan has a deep history that stretches back to ancient times. The Greek geographer Marcian mentioned the island as "Apphadana." The classical geographer Ptolemy referred to it as "Apphana." One theory suggests the name comes from the Persian word "ab," meaning water. The root "pā" might mean to guard or watch, making it a "coastguard station." In the 14th century, the traveler Ibn Battutah described it as a small port. For many years, the island belonged to the Arab Ka'ab tribe. In 1847, Persia acquired the territory from the Ottoman Empire.

The discovery of oil in the 20th century changed the city forever. In 1909, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company began building a refinery. This project was completed in 1912. The refinery grew very quickly over the following decades. In 1931, the throughput reached 4,338,000 tons. By 1938, the Abadan refinery was the largest in the world. During World War II, the city saw combat between Iranian forces and British and Indian troops. The oil in Abadan was considered vital for the war effort. British officials noted that losing this oil could endanger many regions.

Political changes in the mid-20th century led to significant tension. In 1951, Iran nationalized all oil properties. This decision caused rioting in Abadan, and three British workers were killed. After a British-American led coup in 1954, a new settlement allowed international companies to manage production. This arrangement lasted until 1973, when the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) took over all facilities. Following this, Iran built a pipeline to supply oil to Tehran. The city also played a role in the Islamic Revolution. In 1978, a fire at the Cinema Rex theatre killed 430 people. This tragic event helped move the revolution forward.

The Iran–Iraq War brought great hardship to the city. In September 1980, Iraq launched a surprise attack on Khuzestan. Abadan was besieged for 11 months by Iraqi artillery and aerial bombardments. Although the city was never captured, it was badly damaged. The refinery, which had a capacity of 628,000 barrels per day, was heavily hit. The civilian population almost disappeared during the war. The 1986 census recorded only 6 people living in the city. After the war, the main goal was rebuilding the refinery. By 1997, the refinery returned to its pre-war production rates.

Today, Abadan is a busy industrial and commercial center. It is part of the Arvand Free Zone, which covers 155 square kilometers. The city is known for its lively fish market. Visitors can see many sights, such as the Rengoonie's Mosque

. People can also visit the Naft Cinema

or the Abadan Museum. Education is also important in the region. The Abadan Institute of Technology was founded in 1939 to train refinery staff. There is also the Abadan University of Medical Sciences. In 2016, the city's population was 231,476 people living in 66,470 households.