The Aras River marks the northern limit of this geopark located in northwestern Iran at the southern end of the Lesser Caucasus mountain range. This mountain range acts as a natural barrier. It has created a range of climates, as well as rich geodiversity and biodiversity; it also links different cultures on the northern and southern sides of the mountain chain. The most important geological feature of international significance in this geopark are the traces of the extinction event that occurred 252 million years ago which marks the Permian–Triassic Boundary, one of the most important events in the Earth's history. The geopark is also home to endangered animals such as the Caucasian Black Grouse, Red Deer, Armenian Ram and Caucasian Leopard, which inhabit three protected areas.