Abaran district was established on September 9, 1930. The administrative center of the district, which had an area of 816 km², is the urban-type settlement of Bash Abaran. The distance from there to Iravan is 59 km.

The main part of the district was located on the Abaran plain. The Abaran River, the left branch of the Karasu River, flows through the district. The basin area of this river, which is 98 km long, is 1852 km². The river originates from the slope of Alagoz (4090 m), the highest mountain in Western Azerbaijan.

The territory of the district was historically included in the Abaran district of the Iravan khanate, and during the period of Tsarist Russia, it was included in the Novo-Bayazid district of the Iravan governorate.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR dated January 3, 1935, the name of the district was changed to “Aparan”. In 1972, a part of the district territory was merged with a part of Hamamli (Spitak) district and a separate Alagoz (Aragats) district was created.

Since 1987, the native inhabitants of the district – Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their places of residence. In 1995, the district was abolished and included in the administrative territory of Aragatsotn province of Armenia.