Dere is a village in the Novo-Bayazid uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Basarkechar (Vardenis) district, and currently in the Gegharkunik province. The provincial centre lies 99 km to the east of the town of Kavar (Gavar), and at a height of 1,980 m above sea level. Once that area belonged to Samad Agha and the village founded there was called “Samadagha Deresi” (Samad Agha’s Valley). During Soviet period the first component in the name of the village – “Samadagha” was omitted, and the village got stabilized in official documents as “the village of Dere”.

In regard to the 1918–1920 event, the Azerbaijanis, who were the original inhabitants of the villages of Aghzibir, Haji Mukhan, Aghgala, Ayrivand in the region of Kavar (later on, the district of Kamo) within the uezd of Novo- Bayazid were massacred or ousted by Armenians. Crossing Lake Goycha, the Azerbaijani refugees found shelter in the village of Dere in the district of Basarkechar. The village was inhabited by 235 Azerbaijanis in 1939, 320 in 1959, 364 in 1970 and 411 Azerbaijanis in 1979. In 1988 the Azerbaijanis were driven out from their historical- ethnic territories by the state of Armenia. At present, only Armenians live there.

The toponym was coined on the basis of the word “dere” used in Azerbaijani in the meaning of “a long deep canyon between two mountains as well as on the plain”. Being located in the canyon, the village was called “Dere”.

The village was renamed “Daranak” by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian Republic dated 3 April 1991. According to the law “On the administrative-territorial division of the Republic of Armenia” dated 7 November 1995, it was integrated into the administrative area of the Gegharkunik province.

Geographic coordinates: latitude: 40°22′ N., longitude: 45°34′ E.