The district is located in the northeast of Kirov Oblast in a region of taiga, along the upper course of the Kama River. It is mostly located in the Upper Kama Valley with elevated topography, especially in the southern part of the district.[9]
The first collective farms in the area were created in the late 1920s, beginning with the Gurinsky commune in 1928 and the large Krasny Partizan (Red Partisans) commune in Afanasyevo in 1930.[9]
The district was established in 1929 as Zyuzdinsky District with its center in the village of Zyuzdino-Afanasyevo, including the territory of the former volosts of Afanasyevsky, Biserovsky, Gordinsky, and Georgievsky from Glazovsky Uyezd. At the time, the district included 42 village councils and had a population of approximately 40,000. In 1935 the district became Biserovsky District when its center was moved to Biserovo. It became Zyuzdinsky District again in October 1955 with the center returning to Zyuzdino-Afanasyevo, which was renamed in Afanasyevo. This resulted in the renaming of the district to Afanasyevsky District.[9]
^The count of urban-type settlements may include the work settlements, the resort settlements, the suburban (dacha) settlements, as well as urban-type settlements proper.
Kokurina, S.P. (2002). "Афанасьевский район". Энциклопедия земли Вятской [Encyclopedia of the land of Vyatka] (in Russian). Vol. 2, part 1. Kirovskaya oblastnaya pisatelskaya organizatsiya. ISBN5-85271-103-9.
Законодательное Собрание Кировской области. Закон №203-ЗО от 4 декабря 2007 г. «О реестре административно-территориальных единиц и населённых пунктов Кировской области», в ред. Закона №350-ЗО от 11 ноября 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные Законы Кировской области». Вступил в силу по истечении десяти дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №227(4115), 11 декабря 2007 г. (Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast. Law #203-ZO of December 4, 2007 On the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and the Inhabited Localities of Kirov Oblast, as amended by the Law #350-ZO of November 11, 2013 On Amending Various Laws of Kirov Oblast. Effective as of the day following ten days after the day of the official publication.).
Законодательное Собрание Кировской области. Закон №284-ЗО от 7 декабря 2004 г. «Об установлении границ муниципальных образований Кировской области и наделении их статусом муниципального района, городского округа, городского поселения, сельского поселения», в ред. Закона №350-ЗО от 11 ноября 2013 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные Законы Кировской области». Вступил в силу по истечении 10 дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Вятский край", №233–234 (3401–3402), 21 декабря 2004 г. (Legislative Assembly of Kirov Oblast. Law #284-ZO of December 7, 2004 On Establishing the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Kirov Oblast and on Granting Them the Municipal District, Urban Okrug, Urban Settlement, Rural Settlement Status, as amended by the Law #350-ZO of November 11, 2013 On Amending Various Laws of Kirov Oblast. Effective as of after 10 days from the day of the official publication.).