The reserve is located in the extreme north-west of Russia in the Pechenga District of the Murmansk Region. The nature of this land extraordinarily beautiful and the history is rich in events.

The protected area is located in the valley of the groove on its right bank. The river originates from Lake Inari in Finland, flows through Russia, and flows into the Barents Sea is already in Norway. In the middle reaches it passes between Norway and Russia, separating the two states on the fairway. It was here along the Norwegian-Russian border and is a reserve «Pasvik». It was created to preserve and study the most northern European pine forests, vast wetlands of global significance, fauna, waterfowl and conducting comprehensive monitoring of northern ecosystems.

An important argument in favor of the creation of the reserve was the history of the neighborhood. In some of its areas were discovered traces of Stone Age people. In ancient times we lived here Sami, they are engaged in reindeer herding, fishing, wandering along the river valley. Later there lived Russian, Finns, Norwegians. This land was part of the Arkhangelsk province until 1918, then he moved back to Finland and the Soviet Union after World War II.

The western boundary of the reserve coincides with the state, which passes through the channel of the river Paz on the middle reaches, east along the engineering structures along the highway Nickel Rajakoski. From the north protected area is limited Salmiyarvi lake from the south mouth of the exhaust channel GES «Hevoskoski» (Hestefoss threshold) and a creek flowing into the mouth of it. The reserve is located 25 km south-west of the village. Nickel, away from the border to the village. Rajakoski is about 30 km.

The length of the northern border 8 km west — 44 km south — 1 km east — 42 km. The narrowest part of the river near the peninsula Jordanfoss has a width of 200 meters and is located 15 km from the southern border. The width of the land ranges from 350 m (in the southern and northern parts of the reserve) to 10 km (the central part of the reserve — of Kalkupya).

The highest elevation is Mount remnant Kalkupya - its height of 357 m n. y. m. On the other hand the reserve there are two other mountains, situated on a total basement Kalkupya - Kaskama (351 m) and Korablekk (386 m).

River Paz (Paatsjoki - in Finnish, Pasvikelva - in Norwegian) - it is the main artery in the Pasvik-Inari region and in the reserve «Pasvik». It is noteworthy that it is here, in the valley of the River Paz, three countries joined their borders. The river originates from Lake Inari in Finland, in the upper reaches flowing through the territory of Russia, in the middle of the fairway she passes the state border between Russia and Norway, and the river flows in Varanger Fjord Barents Sea is already in Norway.

The groove is typical of Fennoscandia lake-river system. It has many large bays and channel extensions which are called lakes: H?yhenj?rvi, Vouvatusyarvi, Bossoyavrre, Salmiyarvi. Extensions are connected with numerous rapids and shoals. The river has a high energy potential: vertical drop from source to mouth is 119 m. In the 1950-1978 biennium. in large rapids cascade of hydropower plants was created - built 5 Russian (Kaitakoski, J?niskoski, Rajakoski, Hevoskoski, Boris and Gleb) and 2 Norwegian hydroelectric (Skogfoss and Melkefoss). Lake turned into a reservoir, and only a small area within the reserve (or H?yhenj?rvi Fj?rvann) channel of the river is preserved in its natural state, and is considered the best place for water birds in the whole valley of the groove. The abundance of birds (130 species) was the reason for entering the southern part of the reserve «Pasvik» Perspective in the Ramsar List. The Norwegian part of the general reserve Pasvik naturreservat holds a Ramsar.

The length of the river is 147 km, and the reserve stretches for 44 kilometers in the middle of the valley. The river flows into a few major tributaries (Nautsiyoki, Seygiyoki, Kornetiyoki, Laukkuyoki) and a plurality of streams, which only within the reserve, there are 50. In the northern part of the reserve flows the river Menikkayoki - a former branch of the river Paz, which was regulated by the construction of a dam (as Deaf-called dam) to form a hydroelectric reservoir Skugfosskoy. Menikkayoki hydrological regime has changed dramatically, and the river was the low water in the upper reaches.

At the reserve there are 25 lakes. Most of them are shallow. The largest lake Kaskamayarvi area of ??250 hectares, it is characterized by a considerable depth (20 m), stony bottom and banks.

The fauna of the reserve is represented mainly by boreal species. The total number of mammals of 29 species, of which a significant proportion of rodents.

Typical ordinary protein, hare, weasel, marten, fox ordinary, elk, brown bear. In conventional reservoirs muskrat. The populations of brown bears Ursus arctos and moose Alces alces common to the neighboring countries. Lusk, wolverines and otters are rare.

Reindeer in Pasvik-Inari region is indigenous, which spread its domesticated form. Wild deer is found in the central part of the Kola Peninsula and further to the east. Reindeer herding is widely developed in the Finnish Lapland and Norwegian Finnmark, where it has been preserved in its radical version. Depending on the season and availability of feed, herd grazing in different territories. In Russia, reindeer developed in the east of the Kola peninsula.

The Reserve «Pasvik» It recorded 229 species of birds. Paz River and nearby wetlands are an important habitat for birds such as black-throated diver, whooper swan, goldeneye, smew, mallard, red-breasted merganser. In the swamps of common snipe (Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank) and gray crane. Among the predators are found osprey, white-tailed eagle, goshawk, buzzard, rough-legged buzzard, kestrel, short-eared owl. From forest species observed nesting woodpeckers, tree pipit, snowbird, redstart, Yurok, warblers, flycatchers, buntings. Many birds spend the winter in the woods: it is grouse, grouse, partridge, grouse, waxwing, titmice, sparrows, tap dance. The mountain tundra meet Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Whimbrel.

In our region inhabited by 1 species of amphibians - grass frog and 1 species of reptiles - lizard.

In the waters of the river basin Paz usual 12 species of fish, such as trout, trout, whitefish, grayling, burbot, pike, perch.