The siltation of the river delta forced the town further away from water; In the 14th century, however, Ibn Battutah described Abadan just as a small port in a flat salty plain.
An etymology for this name is presented by B. Farahvashi to be derived from the Persian word “ab” (water) and the root “pā” (guard, watch) thus “coastguard station”). From the 17th century onward, the island of Abadan was part of the lands of the Arab Ka’ab (Bani Kaab) tribe. One section of this tribe, Mohaysen, had its headquarters at Mohammara (present-day Khorramshahr), until the removal of Shaikh Khaz’al Khan in 1924.
Exploded T-54/55 tank, remains as symbol of homeland–Iraq War (1980–1988). It was not until the 20th century that rich oil fields were discovered in the area. On 16 July 1909, after secret negotiation with the British consul, Percy Cox, assisted by Arnold Wilson, Sheik Khaz’al agreed to a rental agreement for the island including Abadan. The civilian population of the city dropped close to zero during the eight years of the homeland–Iraq War (1980–1988). The 1986 census recorded only 6 people. In 1991, 84,774 had returned to live in the city.
