Shirvan National Park, National park in Salyan District, Azerbaijan

Shirvan National Park is a protected area near Salyan that features semi-desert landscapes, artificial irrigation channels, and a semi-artificial lake. The terrain includes several mud volcanoes located below sea level, which shape the character of the land.

The area started as the Shirvan State Reserve in 1969 and became a national park in 2003 to better protect the local plant and animal life. This change expanded the scope of conservation efforts across a larger territory.

The name Shirvan appears to derive from the Persian word shir, meaning lion, an animal now extinct in the Trans-Caucasus. The park also protects the goitered gazelle, listed in Azerbaijan's Red Book, and its semi-desert landscape includes ancient shoreline ridges and wind-formed hillocks that shelter the gazelles.

The park is best reached via the Baku-Alat-Astara highway, located about 100 kilometers south of Baku. Basic lodging options are available near Flamingo Lake for those planning to explore the area.

The park contains mud volcanoes, including Bandovan Mountain, that release liquid mud and oil rather than molten rock. These unusual geological formations result from underground processes and occur in only a few places worldwide.