Qusar is located in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus, over the Qusarchay River, 35 kilometers southwest from Khudat railway station and about 180 km from Baku.

According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names, the word literally means "man" and derives from Lezgian kus.

[2] In 1837-1839, there were uprisings led by imam Muhammad Huluhvi luk and abrek Ali Hilivi in the territory of Kuba province and in the south of Dagestan.

[3] The main reason for the uprising was the intensive displacement of the Lezgin population from Guba, Gusar and Khudat.

In 1836, Mikhail Lermontov visited Qusar, where he met with scientist-philosopher Haji Ali-efendi.

A home-museum of the poet is reserved in the city with a memorial plate, inscribed with the famous lines of Lermontov:[5] I welcome you, the hoary Caucasus!

The mountain river Qusarchay, in honor of which the city acquired its name, flows in Qusar.

But because of the heights above the sea level and proximity of the mountains winter is always cold here, and summer is not hot.

Qusar is home to Shahdag Winter Complex, the largest ski resort in Azerbaijan.