It is composed of two villages, Bârsana and Nănești (Nánfalva, Yiddish: נאנעשט, romanized: Nanest).

It also included the village of Oncești until 2004, when it was split off to form a separate commune.

The commune is located in the northern part of Maramureș County, 20 km (12 mi) southeast of Sighetu Marmației and 58 km (36 mi) northeast of the county seat, Baia Mare.

After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, another wooden monastery was built in Bârsana.

The French physicist Yvette Cauchois is buried at Bârsana Monastery [ro].