Hyrcanian Forests

The Hyrcanian forests (Persian: جنگل‌های هیرکانی; Azerbaijani: Hirkan meşələri) are a zone of lush lowland and montane forests covering about 55,000 square kilometres (21,000 mi2) near the shores of the Caspian Sea in Iran and Azerbaijan. The forest is named after the ancient region of Hyrcania. The World Wide Fund for Nature refers to the ecoregion as the Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests. Since 5 July 2019, the Hyrcanian Forests have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In September 2023, the heritage site expanded to incorporate portions of the forest located in Azerbaijan.