Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

has 25 protected area

Protected area

Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...

s known as national parks

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

. As of 2009, 19 of these are under supervision of respective provincial governments

Provincial Governments of Pakistan

There are four provincial governments in Pakistan.*Government of Balochistan, Pakistan*Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa*Government of Punjab, Pakistan*Government of Sindh...

 and remaining are in private care. Only some of these are under the conservation scope of IUCN. Protection and conservation of the environment of Pakistan was included in the concurrent constitution

Constitution of Pakistan

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the supreme law of Pakistan. Known as the Constitution of 1973, it was drafted by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and, following additions by the opposition parties, was approved by the legislative assembly on April 10, 1973...

 of 1973. As a result, Environment Protection Ordinance was enacted in 1983, which was mainly regulated by the Environment and Urban Affairs Division. Later, a new system of 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation began at the provincial level which assigned the protected areas with designations such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and game reserves. Further recommendations of the national parks of the Indomalaya ecozone were highlighted in the IUCN review of 1986. Nevertheless, the development of national parks was mainly carried out by National Conservation Strategy of 1992. Due to more awareness about their importance in conservation of biodiversity, 10 national parks have been established during the time period from 1993 to 2005.

According to the 'Modern Protected Areas' legislation, a national park is a protected area set aside by the government

Government of Pakistan

The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are...

 for the protection and conservation of its outstanding scenery and wildlife in a natural state. It is accessible to public for research, education and recreation. In order to promote public use, construction of roads and rest houses is permitted. Use of firearms, polluting water, cleaning of land for cultivation, destruction of wildlife is banned in these areas. The oldest national park is Lal Suhanra

Lal Suhanra National Park

Lal Sohanra is a national park of Pakistan situated in Bahawalpur district. Like the Changa Manga forest, it is one of several forests planted by the British to provide raw materials for railroad construction during their occupation of the Indian subcontinent...

 in Bahawalpur District

Bahawalpur District

Bahawalpur District is one of the districts of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1998 Census of Pakistan it had a population of 2,433,091 of which 27.01% were urban Bahawalpur district covers 24,830 km². Approximately two-thirds of the district is covered by the Cholistan Desert, which...

, established in 1972. It is also the only biosphere reserve

Biosphere reserve

The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...

 of Pakistan. Lal Suhanra is the only national park established before the independence of the nation in August 1947. The main purpose of this area was to protect the wildlife of Cholistan Desert

Cholistan Desert

Cholistan Desert sprawls thirty kilometers from Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan and covers an area of 26,300 km². It adjoins the Thar Desert extending over to Sindh and into India....

. The most recent addition is the Kala Chitta in Attock District

Attock District

Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...

, established in 2009. Central Karakoram

Central Karakoram National Park

Central Karakoram National Park or Karakoram National Park is a National Park in the Northern Areas of Pakistan that comprises the Baltoro, Panmah, Biafo and Hispar glaciers and their tributary glaciers. The Central Karakoram National Park lies mostly in Skardu District of the Northern Areas, but...

 in Gilgit Baltistan is currently the largest national park in the country, spanning over a total approximate area of 1390100 hectares (3,435,008.9 acre). The smallest national park is the Ayub, covering a total approximate area of 931 hectares (2,300.5 acre).

National parks

National park	Established	Area	District(s) Districts of Pakistan The Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...	Province	Coordinates
Ayub			Rawalpindi Rawalpindi District Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...	Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...	33.566700°N 73.499998°E
Ayubia Ayubia National Park Ayubia National Park is a protected area of located in Abbottabad District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northern Pakistan. It was declared a national park in 1984. Ayubia was named after the late Muhammad Ayub Khan , second President of Pakistan...	1984		Abbottabad Abbottabad District Abbottabad is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The district covers an area of 1,969 km with the city of Abbottabad being the principal town...	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	33.865231°N 73.138768°E
Central Karakoram Central Karakoram National Park Central Karakoram National Park or Karakoram National Park is a National Park in the Northern Areas of Pakistan that comprises the Baltoro, Panmah, Biafo and Hispar glaciers and their tributary glaciers. The Central Karakoram National Park lies mostly in Skardu District of the Northern Areas, but...	1993		Gilgit Gilgit District Gilgit District is one of the districts of the federal territory of Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. It was formed in 1970 when Gilgit-Baltistan was federally administered as the "Northern Areas". It is bounded by the Wakhan Corridor to the north; Xinjiang to the northeast and east; Skardu,...  and Skardu Skardu District Skardu District is part of Baltistan and currently constitutes one of the seven districts of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan...	Gilgit Baltistan	36.897708°N 75.093545°E
Chinji Chinji National Park Chinji National Park , established in 1987, is a protected area of IUCN category II located in Talagang Tehsil, Chakwal District, Punjab, Pakistan. It covers a total area of . Chinji National Park is located close to Salt Range, about 130 km from Islamabad in the south.-Landscape:The area has an...	1987		Chakwal Chakwal District Chakwal is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985; until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.-Administration:...	Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...	33.010242°N 72.491940°E
Chitral Gol	1984		Chitral Chitral District Chitral is a district in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan that contains the town of Chitral. It has an area of 14,850 km² and a population of 318,689 at the 1998 Census, which had subsequently risen to about 378,000 people by 2004. It has one of the highest mountains of the world,...	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	35.933082°N 71.670693°E
Deosai Deosai National Park The Deosai National Park is located in the Skardu, Astore Districts of Gilgit-Baltistan province, in northernmost Pakistan. The park is located on the Deosai Plains of the Greater Kashmir geographic region...	1993		Skardu Skardu District Skardu District is part of Baltistan and currently constitutes one of the seven districts of the Gilgit-Baltistan territory of Pakistan...	Gilgit Baltistan	34.972626°N 75.396423°E
Deva Vatala	2009		Bhimber Bhimber District Bhimber is the southernmost of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir it borders Indian-administered Kashmir to the east. The district is located between Latitude: 32-48 to 33-34 and Longitude: 73.55 to 74-45, and has an area of 1516 km². The chief town is Bhimber.-History:The area is...	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	32.892583°N 74.303172°E
Dhrun	1988		Awaran Awaran District Awaran District is a district in the south of the Balochistan province of Pakistan. It was notified as a separate district on 11 November 1992...  and Lasbela Lasbela District Lasbela is a coastal district of Balochistan province of Pakistan. It became a separate district in Kalat Division on 30 June 1954. The name is derived from the words Las which in Sanskrit signifies a settlement or lived in or lively and Bela which means "A Sea's Shore" in Sanskrit and is also the...	Balochistan	25.690405°N 66.204289°E
Ghamot	2004		Neelum Neelum District Neelum District is one of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Until recently it was part of Muzaffarabad District. It is bound by the Gilgit to the North, with Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore Districts of Indian-administered Kashmir in India to the South and Southeast,...	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	35.006943°N 74.200287°E
Gurez	2009		Neelum Neelum District Neelum District is one of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Until recently it was part of Muzaffarabad District. It is bound by the Gilgit to the North, with Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore Districts of Indian-administered Kashmir in India to the South and Southeast,...	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	34.731456°N 74.786682°E
Hazarganji-Chiltan Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, is a national park of Balochistan, Pakistan. -External links:* کوہ چلتن* *...	1980		Quetta Quetta District Quetta is a district in the north-west of Balochistan province of Pakistan.It was part of Quetta Division until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished. The district is famous for its agriculture produce, most notably fruit orchards but also including apples and grapes. The Hanna Valley is an...	Balochistan Balochistan (Pakistan) Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...	30.285695°N 67.202298°E
Hingol Hingol National Park Hingol National Park or Hungol National Park covers about 1,650 km². and is the largest of National Parks of Pakistan and lies on the Makran coast in Balochistan and approximately 190 km from Karachi. It winds through the Hungol valley between high cliffs. . The area was for the first...	1988		Awaran Awaran District Awaran District is a district in the south of the Balochistan province of Pakistan. It was notified as a separate district on 11 November 1992... , Gwadar Gwadar District Gwadar District is a coastal district in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Gwadar city is the district headquarters of Gwadar District.-Administration:Gwadar District is subdivided into the following tehsils or subdistricts:* Gwadar* Jiwani* Ormara... and Lasbela Lasbela District Lasbela is a coastal district of Balochistan province of Pakistan. It became a separate district in Kalat Division on 30 June 1954. The name is derived from the words Las which in Sanskrit signifies a settlement or lived in or lively and Bela which means "A Sea's Shore" in Sanskrit and is also the...	Balochistan Balochistan (Pakistan) Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...	25.526246°N 65.085996°E
K2			Gilgit Gilgit District Gilgit District is one of the districts of the federal territory of Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. It was formed in 1970 when Gilgit-Baltistan was federally administered as the "Northern Areas". It is bounded by the Wakhan Corridor to the north; Xinjiang to the northeast and east; Skardu,...	Gilgit Baltistan	35.788171°N 76.182888°E
Kala Chitta	2009		Attock Attock District Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...	Punjab	33.642685°N 72.400824°E
Khunjerab Khunjerab National Park Khunjerab National Park is a National park in Gilgit Baltistan of Pakistan. It is one of the highest altitude parks in the world. It provides the habitat for a number of endangered and threatened animal species like the Snow leopard, Marco Polo sheep, and Himalayan Ibex.The park lies within the...	1975		Gilgit Gilgit District Gilgit District is one of the districts of the federal territory of Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. It was formed in 1970 when Gilgit-Baltistan was federally administered as the "Northern Areas". It is bounded by the Wakhan Corridor to the north; Xinjiang to the northeast and east; Skardu,...	Gilgit Baltistan	36.500805°N 75.643616°E
Kirthar Kirthar National Park The Kirthar National Park is situated in the southwestern part of Sind Province in Pakistan. It was founded in 1974 and stretches over 3087 km², being the second largest National Park of Pakistan after Hingol National Park. The fauna comprises leopards, striped hyenas, wolves, ratels, urials,...	1974		Dadu Dadu District Dadu is a district of Sindh Province, Pakistan.Dadu district was created in 1933 by the British Indian administration by merging Kotri and Kohistan tehsils from Karachi district and Mehar, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Dadu, Johi and Sehwan tehsils from Larkana district. The population of the district is...	Sindh Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...	25.658107°N 67.548975°E
Lal Suhanra Lal Suhanra National Park Lal Sohanra is a national park of Pakistan situated in Bahawalpur district. Like the Changa Manga forest, it is one of several forests planted by the British to provide raw materials for railroad construction during their occupation of the Indian subcontinent...	1972		Bahawalpur Bahawalpur District Bahawalpur District is one of the districts of Punjab, Pakistan. According to the 1998 Census of Pakistan it had a population of 2,433,091 of which 27.01% were urban Bahawalpur district covers 24,830 km². Approximately two-thirds of the district is covered by the Cholistan Desert, which...	Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...	29.397409°N 72.025811°E
Lulusar-Dudipatsar	2003		Mansehra Mansehra District Mansehra District is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, an area still unofficially known as the Northwest Frontier. Mansehra district and town are named after Man Singh, a leading general of Mughal Emperor Akbar...	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	35.090698°N 73.929749°E
Machiara	1996		Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad District Muzaffarabad district of Azad Kashmir is located on the banks of the Jhelum and the Neelum rivers, and is very hilly. The district is bounded to Pakistan in the west and to Kupwara and Baramulla districts that comes under the Kashmir section which is part of the greater dispute between India and...	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	34.506557°N 73.565140°E
Margalla Hills Margalla Hills National Park The Margalla Hills National Park is located in Northern Pakistan at the foothills of the Himalayas and is a National Park. It is approximately 17,386 hectares in size.-Location:...	1980		Rawalpindi Rawalpindi District Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...	Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...	33.754317°N 72.956429°E
Pir Lasura	2005		Kotli Kotli District Kotli is one of the eight districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Kotli the chief town of the district, was originally a minor town between Mirpur and Muzaffarabad, but has recently seen major growth.- Administration :...	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	33.639204°N 73.846664°E
Saiful Muluk	2003		Mansehra Mansehra District Mansehra District is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, an area still unofficially known as the Northwest Frontier. Mansehra district and town are named after Man Singh, a leading general of Mughal Emperor Akbar...	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	34.880862°N 73.698349°E
Shandur-Hundrup	1993		Ghizer Ghizer District Ghizer District is northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Its capital is Gakuch. Ghizer is also a contact point between Gilgit and Chitral and also it is contact point to China, Tajikistan via Qurumber pass through Ishkomen/Darkut Yasin . Ghizer is a multi ethnic district and three...	Gilgit Baltistan	36.006340°N 72.616882°E
Sheikh Buddin	1993		Dera Ismail Khan Dera Ismail Khan District Dera Ismail Khan is one of the 24 districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The capital of the district is the town of Dera Ismail Khan...	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	32.382281°N 70.949707°E
Toli Pir	2005		Poonch	Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir...	34.12090°N 73.633118°E