[4] The town was formerly known as Ibasdi (variants include Ibasda and Ibassa, Ίβασσα in ancient Greek) and mutated to Aybastı in the 20th century.

Aybastı is a rural, agricultural district in the foothills of the Canik Mountains above the Black Sea coast, 54 km inland from the coastal town of Fatsa.

The climate and flora are typical of the central Black Sea region although the district is drier at high altitudes.

The town is growing and today most buildings are four stories or more, the local economy is boosted by money coming from families that since the 1960s have been living and working in Istanbul, Ankara or abroad (especially France and Austria).

There are 21 neighbourhoods in Aybastı District:[5] Perşembe Plateau has one of the best example of meander in Turkey even its picture is already taken place at geography textbooks.