List of national parks
Encyclopedia
This is a list of national park
s as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ordered by nation. Nearly 100 countries around the world have lands classified as a national park by this defintion.
*refers to European part only
By region
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...
s as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ordered by nation. Nearly 100 countries around the world have lands classified as a national park by this defintion.
Africa
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Algeria | 1972 | 22 | ||
Botswana | 1968 | 4 | 56,258 | 9.67% |
Burkina Faso | 1954 | 4 | ||
Burundi | 1934 | 3 | ||
Chad | 1963 | 4 | 14,540 | 1.13% |
Côte d'Ivoire | 1953 | 8 | ||
Egypt | 1983 | 3 | 4,353 | 4.3% |
Ethiopia | 1959 | 13 | 2,026 | 1.8% |
Gabon | 2002 | 13 | 10.0% | |
Gambia | 1978 | 3 | ||
Ghana | 1971 | 8 | ||
Kenya | 1946 | 23 | ||
Madagascar National parks of Madagascar The protected areas network of Madagascar is managed by the Madagascar National Parks Association . The network includes three types of protected areas: Strict Nature Reserves , National Parks and Wildlife Reserves... |
1958 | 18 | ||
Malawi | 1966 | 9 | ||
Morocco | 1942 | 10 | ||
Mozambique | 1960 | 6 | ||
Namibia | 1907 | 8 | 10,878 | 13.2% |
Niger | 1954 | 1 | ||
Nigeria | 1979 | 8 | 20,156 | 3.0 % |
Sierra Leone | 1986 | 2 | ||
South Africa | 1916 | 27 | ||
Tanzania | 1951 | 16 | 42,000 | 4.44% |
Uganda | 1952 | 10 | ||
Zambia | 1971 | 19 | ||
Zimbabwe | 1926 | 11 |
Asia
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan Band-e Amir Band-e Amir is a series of six deep blue lakes separated by natural dams made of travertine, a mineral deposit. The lakes are situated in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Central Afghanistan at approximately 3000 meters of elevation, west of the famous Buddhas of Bamiyan.They were created by the carbon... |
2009 | 1 | ||
Azerbaijan National Parks of Azerbaijan National Parks of Azerbaijan refers to the situation and the listing of national parks in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The national parks of Azerbaijan are run by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The first national park that was established in Azerbaijan, is the Zangezur National Park... |
2003 | 8 | ||
Bhutan | ||||
Burma | 7 | |||
Cambodia | ||||
People's Republic of China | 1982 | 208 | ||
India | 1936 | 102 | 1.16% | |
Indonesia | 1980 | 50 | ||
Iran | ||||
Israel | 41 | |||
Japan | 1934 | 29 | 20,482 | 5.4% |
Kazakhstan | 10 | |||
Korea | ||||
Malaysia | 4 | |||
Mongolia | 1965 | 24 | ||
Nepal | 10 | |||
Pakistan | 1972 | 25 | ||
Philippines | 54 | |||
Russia | 1983 | 41 | 71,700 | |
South Korea National parks of South Korea The national parks of South Korea are preserved parcels of public land in South Korea, on which most forms of development are prohibited. They cover a total of 3.7% of the country's area, and are typically located in mountainous or coastal regions... |
1967 | 20 | 3.7% | |
Sri Lanka | 22 | |||
Republic of China (Taiwan) | 7 | 3,124 | 8.6% | |
Thailand | 1961 | 138 | ||
Turkey | 1958 | 41 | ||
Vietnam | 1962 | 30 |
Europe
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albania | 14 | 1,177 | 4.1% | |
Austria National parks of Austria There are seven national parks in Austria. These parks have a combined area of 2,376 km², which is 2.8% of the total area of Austria. They include each of Austria's most important natural landscape types — alluvial forest, Alpine massif, Pannonian steppe and rocky valleys.Austria's national parks... |
1981 | 7 | 2,521 | 3.0% |
Belarus | 1939 | 3 | 2,222 | 1.0% |
Belgium | 2006 | 1 | 57 | 0.2% |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1965 | 3 | 404 | 0.8% |
Bulgaria | 1963 | 3 | 1,930 | 1.8% |
Croatia | 1949 | 8 | 994 | 1.8% |
Czech Republic | 1963 | 4 | 1,190 | 1.5% |
Denmark | 1974 | 3* | 1,889 | |
Estonia | 1971 | 5 | 1,927 | 4.3% |
Finland | 1956 | 37 | 8,873 | 2.7% |
France | 1963 | 9 | 9,055 | 1.7% |
Georgia | 8 | |||
Germany | 1970 | 14 | 9,620 | 2.7% |
Greece | 1938 | 10 | 6,960 | 3.6% |
Hungary | 1972 | 10 | 4,819 | 5.2% |
Iceland | 1928 | 3 | 12,407 | 12.1% |
Ireland | 1932 | 6 | 590 | 0.8% |
Italy | 1922 | 24 | 15,000 | 5.0% |
Kazakhstan | 1985 | 10 | 18,876 | 0.7% |
Latvia | 1973 | 4 | 2,065 | 3.2% |
Lithuania | 1974 | 5 | 1,554 | 2.4% |
Macedonia | 1948 | 3 | 974 | 3.8% |
Montenegro | 1952 | 5 | 1,096 | 7.9% |
Netherlands | 1930 | 20 | 1,251 | 3.0% |
Norway | 1962 | 36 | 24,060 | 6.3% |
Poland | 1932 | 23 | 3,149 | 1.0% |
Portugal | 1971 | 1 | 702 | 0.8% |
Romania | 1935 | 12 | 3,158 | 1.3% |
Russia | 1983 | 40 | 73,000 | 0.4% |
Serbia | 1974 | 5 | 1,775 | 2.3% |
Slovakia | 1949 | 9 | 3,690 | 7.5% |
Slovenia | 1961 | 1 | 838 | 4.1% |
Spain | 1918 | 14 | 3,447 | 0.7% |
Sweden | 1909 | 28 | 6,326 | 1.4% |
Switzerland Swiss National Park The Swiss National Park is located in the canton of Graubünden in the east of Switzerland between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy.... |
1914 | 1 | 170 | 0.4% |
Turkey | 2* | |||
Ukraine | 1980 | 17 | 7,020 | 1.2% |
United Kingdom National parks of the United Kingdom National parks of the United Kingdom are a devolved matter with each of the countries of the United Kingdom having its own policies and arrangements. There are 15 of these managed areas of outstanding landscape where habitation and commercial activities are restricted, with 10 in England, 3 in... |
1951 | 14 | 19,989 | 8.2% |
*refers to European part only
By region
- the Alps
- the Baltics
- England and WalesNational parks of England and WalesThe national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
- Northern IrelandNational parks of Northern IrelandThere are, at present, no national parks in Northern Ireland and moves to establish a national park in the Mourne Mountains have proved to be controversial. If established, it would stretch from Carlingford Lough to Newcastle and Slieve Croob, creating a tourism boom and up to 2,000 jobs...
- ScotlandNational parks of ScotlandNational parks of Scotland are managed areas of outstanding landscape where habitation and commercial activities are restricted. At present, Scotland has two national parks: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, created in 2002, and the Cairngorms National Park, created in 2003...
North America and Caribbean
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bahamas Bahamas National Trust The Bahamas National Trust is a non-profit organisation in the Bahamas that manages the country's twenty-five national parks. Its headquarters is at the located in New Providence at The Retreat Gardens on Village Road... |
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Canada | 1885 | 43 | 377,000 | 3.78% |
Dominica | 1975 | 3 | 107 | |
Dominican Republic | 1956 | 12 | ||
Haiti | 1983 | 2 | ||
Mexico | 1917 | 67 | ||
United States | 1872 | 58 | 210,000 | 2.18% |
- For Guadeloupe: see France
- For Greenland: see Northeast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National ParkNortheast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of , making the park larger than 163 countries. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world, its most northerly point reaching slightly further than the most...
Central America
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Costa Rica | 1955 | 26 | ||
Guatemala | 1955 | 12 | ||
Panama | 1976 | 15 |
South America
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | 1934 | 33 | 35,844 | 1.30% |
Bolivia | 1939 | 17 | ||
Brazil | 1937 | 67 | ||
Chile | 1926 | 32 | ||
Colombia | 1975 | |||
Ecuador | 1959 | 11 | ||
Guyana | 1929 | 1 | ||
Paraguay | 1966 | 16 | ||
Peru | 1961 | 11 | ||
Uruguay | 1916 | 7 | ||
Venezuela | 1937 | 43 | 21.76% |
Oceania
Country | Oldest (year) | Number of parks | Total area km² | Percentage of country area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 1879 | 685 | 335,062 | 4.36% |
Fiji | 6 | |||
New Zealand National parks of New Zealand The national parks of New Zealand are 14 protected areas administered by the Department of Conservation "for the benefit, use, and enjoyment of the public". These are popular tourist destinations, with three-tenths of tourists visiting at least one national park during their stay in New Zealand... |
1887 | 14 | 25,000 | 10% |
- Hawaii: see United States
- Easter Island: see Chile