Bandar Abbas or Bandar-e 'Abbas (بندر عباس) is a port city on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. It functions as the capital of the Hormozgan province. The city occupies a strategic position on the narrow Straits of Hormuz.
In the 16th century, the Portuguese established a presence in the region. They fortified the town and called it Gamru, employing it as a mainland port. The city received its name after Abbas I (the Great, shah of Persia from 1588 to 1629) took it in 1615. After he defeated the Portuguese in a naval victory off Hormuz, he developed the town into a major port.
Bandar Abbas serves as a major shipping point for oil exports, and has a long history of trade with India.
