ANatureIndependent states
Hyrcanian Forests
Relict forests in the Lankaran region surviving from millions of years ago, on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2023.
The Hyrcanian forests stretch along the south-western Caspian shore from Azerbaijan's Lankaran-Astara region into Iran. They are a remnant of ancient broadleaf forests that survived the ice ages.
Trees found almost nowhere else grow here — Persian ironwood, Hyrcanian box, chestnut-leaved oak and the Lankaran acacia (Persian silk tree). The forests shelter rare animals, including the Caucasian leopard.
The Azerbaijani part lies in Hirkan National Park, created in 2004. In 2023 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the Iranian part.
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Updated: October 1, 2026