Bandar or Bunder (in

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

بندر) is a Persian word meaning 'port' and 'haven'. Etymologically it combines Persian بند ''Band'' ('enclosed') and در ''dar'' ('gate, door') meaning 'an enclosed area' (i.e. protected from the sea) derived from

Avestan Avestan ( ) is the liturgical language of Zoroastrianism. It belongs to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family and was First language, originally spoken during the Avestan period, Old ...

''Bandha'' (to tieup) and ''Dwara'' (entrance). The word travelled with Persian sailors over a wide area leading to several coastal places in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

and elsewhere having ''Bandar'' ('haven') as part of their names. In some Indian languages the word ''Bandargah'' means 'port'. In Malay the word has undergone a

semantic drift Semantic change (also semantic shift, semantic progression, semantic development, or semantic drift) is a form of language change regarding the evolution of word usage—usually to the point that the modern meaning is radically different from ...

and is now always taken to mean 'city'. However, the word ''syahbandar'', a historical term for 'harbourmaster', still survives. In

Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...

the meaning 'port' is somewhat retained (compare the term ''bandar udara'', which literally translates to ' airport'). In Assamese-Bengali languages ''bondor'' means 'port'.

Places

Various ports around the world derive their names from the word ''bandar''. Some of them are listed (country-wise) below.

Bangladesh

Bandar Upazila Bandar () is an upazila (sub-district) of the Narayanganj District in central Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division. Bandar is a part of Greater Dhaka; the conurbation surrounding the Bangladeshi capital city of Dhaka. Geography Bandar is located ...

Bandar Thana Chattogram Bandar () is a Administrative divisions of Bangladesh, thana of Chattogram District in Chattogram Division, Bangladesh. Geography Chittagong port is located at . It has 30762 households and total area 44.63 km2. Demographics At ...

India

The west coast of India, with its historic links to Persia, has several place names that include the word bunder. The city of

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

historically had a number of piers along its waterfronts, each named after the cargo it typically handled (or at times a landmark or important personality). The piers are long gone, but the place names continue to be used today. A coastal town in Andhra Pradesh by name Machilipatnam is also called Bandar by the local people over there. These include: * Apollo Bunder * Akhtar Bunder * Arthur Bunder * Ballard Bunder * Boree Bunder (boree = sack or bag) * Brick Bunder * Carnac Bunder * Chendani Bunder *

Chinch Bunder Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the f ...

Chincholi Bunder Chincholi is a panchayat town and a taluka in Kalaburagi district in the state of Karnataka, India. Geography Chincholi is located at . It has an average elevation of . The town is spread over an area of .The area of major towns in Karnataka ...

* Colsa Bunder (colsa = coal) *

Dana Bunder Dana may refer to: Businesses and organisations * Dana (company), a Slovenian beverage company * Dana (payment service), in Indonesia * Dana Air, a Nigerian airline * Dana College, formerly in Nebraska, U.S. * Dana Energy, an Iranian oil and g ...

(dana = grain) * Ghod Bunder (ghod = horses) *

Haji Bunder Hajji (; sometimes spelled Hajjeh, Hadji, Haji, Alhaji, Al-Hadj, Al-Haj or El-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to a Muslim who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca. Etymology ''Hajji'' is derived from the Arabic ' (), which i ...

Hay Bunder Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...

Kerosene Bunder Kerosene, or paraffin, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in aviation as well as households. Its name derives from the Greek (''kērós'') meaning "wax"; it was registered as a tr ...

* Lakdi Bunder (lakdi = timber) *

Masjid Bunder Masjid (station code: MSD) is a railway station in the Masjid Bunder area of South Mumbai on the Central and Harbour lines of the Mumbai Suburban Railway. It is the penultimate stop for all trains on those lines in the "up" direction. It was ...

(masjid = mosque - however, this pier was named after the Gate of Mercy Synagogue) *

Machilipatnam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar (), is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the Tehsil, mandal ...

Masulipatnam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar (), is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headqua ...

is also called Bundaru by

Andhra Andhra Pradesh (ISO: , , AP) is a state on the east coast of southern India. It is the seventh-largest state and the tenth-most populous in the country. Telugu is the most widely spoken language in the state, as well as its official lang ...

people in

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

* Mith Bunder * Nagla Bunder * Reti Bunder (reti = sand) * Tank Bunder * Wadi Bunder * Zakaria Bunder Similarly, in the state of

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

, several town names include the word bunder: *

Bhavnagar Bhavnagar is a city and the headquarters of Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was founded in 1723 by Bhavsinhji Gohil. It was the capital of Bhavnagar State, which was a princely state before it was merged into the Dominion ...

Ferry Bunder A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus. ...

** Old Bunder * Billimoria ** Vakharia Bunder *

Jambusar Jambusar is a town and a municipality in Bharuch district in the Indian state of Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of ...

** Kavi Bunder ** Tankari Bunder *

Jamnagar Jamnagar () is a city and the headquarters of Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch, some west of the state capital, Gandhinagar. The city was the capital of Nawanagar State, Na ...

** Bedi Bunder ** Salaya Bunder ** Sikka Bunder ** Rozi Bunder ** Vadinar Bunder *

Kandla Kandla is a census town in the Kutch district of Gujarat state in Western India, near the city of Gandhidham. It occupies on the coast of Gulf of Cutch along the banks of the Kandla Creek. According to the 2011 Census of India, Kandla is t ...

** Jafarwadi Bunder ** Tuna Bunder * Porbunder *

Valsad Valsad (Pronunciation: �alsɑɖ, historically known as Bulsar, is a town and a municipality in Valsad district of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the district headquarters of Valsad district. Valsad is located north of Vapi and shares bor ...

** Valsad Bunder *

Veraval Bunder Somnath, also known as Veraval, is a city and the headquarters of Gir Somnath district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Somnath temple, a place of pilgrimage due to its importance as one of the 12 Jyotirlinga sites dedicated to the Hindu dei ...

** Bhidiya Bunder ** Khadi Bunder ** Nava Bunder **

Sanjan Sanjan or Sangan or Zangan () may refer to: *Sanjan (Khorasan), a historic city in present-day Turkmenistan *Sanjan, Gujarat, a town in Gujarat state, India, named by Zoroastrian immigrants after the Sanjan in Khorasan * Sangan, Pakistan, a town in ...

** Sanjan Bunder

Indonesia

Banda Aceh Banda Aceh (; , Jawi script, Jawi: ) is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 metres. The city covers an area of and had a population of 223,446 peopl ...

Bandar Lampung Bandar Lampung ( Lampungese: ''Kutak Bandarlampung''; formerly Dutch: ''Oosthaven'', ) is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of Lampung. Located on the southern tip of Sumatra, Bandar Lampung was originally called Tanjungka ...

Banjarmasin Banjarmasin is the largest city in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. It was the capital of the province until 15 February 2022. The city is located on a delta island near the junction of the Barito and Martapura rivers. Historically the centre of t ...

Iran

Bandar Abbas Bandar Abbas (, ) is a city in the Central District of Bandar Abbas County, Hormozgan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. Bandar Abbas is a port on the southern coast of the country, on the Persian ...

Bandar Anzali Bandar-e Anzali () is a city on the Caspian Sea in the Central District of Bandar-e Anzali County, Gilan province, Iran, serving as the capital of both the county and the district. History Anzali is an old city in ancient Iran, first se ...

* Bandar Imam *

Bandar Lengeh Bandar Lengeh () is a city in the Central District of Bandar Lengeh County, Hormozgan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Bandar Lengeh is a port city on the Persian Gulf, from Lar, from Bandar Abb ...

* Bandar Torkman *

Bandar Charak Bandar Charak () is a coastal city in, and the capital of, Shibkaveh District of Bandar Lengeh County, Hormozgan province, Iran. It also serves as the administrative center for Bandar Charak Rural District. Demographics Language More tha ...

* Bandar-e Olya * Bandar-e Sofla, Mazandaran * Bandar, Isfahan * Bandar, Kermanshah * Bandar, Yazd *

Bondar (disambiguation) Bondar is a surname of East Slavic origin. Bondar may also refer to: Places in Iran Hormozgan Province * Bondar, Bandar Abbas * Bondar, Minab * Bondar Rural District Isfahan Province * Bondar, Isfahan Kerman Province * Bondar, Kerman * Bondar-e ...

* Bandor (disambiguation)

Malaysia

Bandar Ainsdale Bandar Ainsdale is a township in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. This township is located near between Seremban 2 and Labu, Negeri Sembilan, Labu. It is served by the North–South Expressway Southern Route and KTM Komuter. Transportation ...

Bandar Baru Bangi Bandar Baru Bangi (literal translation: ''Bangi New Town'') is a township and satellite town of Kajang situated in Hulu Langat District, in southeastern Selangor, Malaysia. It is named after the small town of Bangi situated further south. It i ...

* Bandar Bayan Baru *

Bandar Tun Razak Bandar Tun Razak is a township and parliamentary constituency in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is named after the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak. There are a number of schools and institutions of learning in Bandar Tun Razak. ...

* Bandar Samariang * Bandar Seberang Jaya * Bandar Seri Putra *

Bandar Sri Damansara Bandar Sri Damansara is a residential township in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. The township is divided into two sections, SD1-SD5 in the north and SD7-SD15 in the south which are separated by Kuala Selangor-Kepong Highway. It is adjace ...

Oman

* Bandar Khayran * Bandah Jadidah * Bandar Jissah

Pakistan

Keti Bandar Keti Bandar () is a historical port town in Thatta District, Sindh, Pakistan. Keti Bandar is also the name of one of the taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Paki ...

* Shamal Bandar

Somalia and the East African Coast

* Bandar Beyla *

Boosaaso Bosaso (, ), historically known as Bender Qassim is a city in the northeastern Bari province ('' gobol'') of Somalia. It is the seat of the Bosaso District. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden, the municipality serves as the region' ...

, formerly known as Bandar Qaasim * A coastal region of Somalia is called

Banaadir Banaadir (, , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southeastern Somalia. It covers the same area as the city of Mogadishu, which serves as the capital. It is the only region in the country not belonging to any of the six states. It is b ...

, however Arab geographers applied the term historically to all port cities of the East African coast, from Somalia to Mozambique.

Other countries

* Bandar el-Mansura, Egypt *

Bandar Seri Begawan Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) is the capital and largest city of Brunei. It is officially a Municipalities of Brunei, municipal area () with an area of and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007. It is part of Brunei–Muara District, the s ...

, capital of

Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...

* Bandar,

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

* Bandar, India *

The Bund The Bund is a waterfront area and a protected historical district in central Shanghai. The area centers on a section of Zhongshan Road (East Zhongshan Road No.1) within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the wester ...

, a district in

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

* Bandara, linked to original Persian "port". A name, a title, for a clan of chieftains in central highlands of Sri Lanka, whose origins date back to early migrations from Northwest India. *

Al Bandar Al Bandar is a residential and retail complex located in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, which includes residential towers, a marina and clubhouse, as well as shopping and dining venues. It was developed and is operated by Aldar Properties. ...

, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

References

{{Reflist Place name etymologies Persian words and phrases Bengali words and phrases