List of national parks of Denmark
Encyclopedia
As of October, 2011, there are three national parks in Denmark, another one in Greenland
, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark
.
Greenland has its own National Park since 1974. It stretches over the northern three fifths of Greenland
's east coast and, since its expansion in 1988, the eastern two thirds of Greenland's north coast. From these coasts, the park's limits go inland until they meet in the island's centre, so that the park covers the island's entire, almost uninhabited north-eastern quarter (see map of Greenland's protected areas). For more information, see Northeast Greenland National Park
.
The first national park in Denmark is Thy National Park , established in 2008. It is located in Thisted Municipality
, Nordjylland
. The park is a narrow stretch of land running down the North Jutlandic Island's west coast from Hanstholm
southward to Agger Tange, excluding Hanstholm, Klitmøller, Nørre Vorupør, Stenbjerg and Agger. Thy National Park is named after Thy
, an area that includes not only today's national park but also adjacent land further east. The park has dunes, heath
, forests and grassland and also covers several small lakes and a small part of the Limfjord
, which is the fjord that separates the North Jutlandic Island from the Cimbrian Peninsula
.
From August, 2009, there is a second National Park in Denmark proper: Mols Bjerge National Park. The third National Park (Vadehavet National Park) was inaugurated on mid-October, 2010.
Another two areas in mainland Denmark were selected on 17 January 2008 to become national parks; see the table below for details; they are supposed to become National Parks during the year 2011.
Like Greenland, the Faroe Islands
are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark that manages its own affairs
. As of 2008, the Faroes have not set aside any areas as national parks.
* Official English, Greenlandic or Danish name unknown. A WCMC
webpage uses “North-east Greenland National Park”.http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/pa/0352v.htm
** About 150 km² land and about 30 km² sea.
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark
Kingdom of Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark or the Danish Realm , is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state consisting of Denmark proper in northern Europe and two autonomous constituent countries, the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic and Greenland in North America. Denmark is the hegemonial part, where the...
.
Greenland has its own National Park since 1974. It stretches over the northern three fifths of Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
's east coast and, since its expansion in 1988, the eastern two thirds of Greenland's north coast. From these coasts, the park's limits go inland until they meet in the island's centre, so that the park covers the island's entire, almost uninhabited north-eastern quarter (see map of Greenland's protected areas). For more information, see Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast 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...
.
Thisted municipality
Thisted municipality is a municipality in North Denmark Region, Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,072 km², and has a total population of 45,549 . Its mayor is Erik Hove Olesen, a member of the Social Democrats...
, Nordjylland
Region Nordjylland
North Denmark Region or North Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger...
. The park is a narrow stretch of land running down the North Jutlandic Island's west coast from Hanstholm
Hanstholm
Hanstholm is a small town and a former island, now elevated area in Thisted municipality of Region Nordjylland, located in the northern part of Denmark. Coordinates:...
southward to Agger Tange, excluding Hanstholm, Klitmøller, Nørre Vorupør, Stenbjerg and Agger. Thy National Park is named after Thy
Thy (district)
Thy is a traditional district in northwestern Jutland, Denmark. It is situated north of the Limfjord, facing the North Sea and Skagerrak, and has a population of around 50,000. The main towns of Thy are Thisted, Hanstholm and Hurup....
, an area that includes not only today's national park but also adjacent land further east. The park has dunes, heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, forests and grassland and also covers several small lakes and a small part of the Limfjord
Limfjord
The Limfjord is a shallow sound in Denmark that separates the island of Vendsyssel-Thy from the rest of the Jutland Peninsula. It extends from Thyborøn Channel on the North Sea to Hals on the Kattegat. It is approximately 180 kilometres long and of an irregular shape with several bays, narrowings,...
, which is the fjord that separates the North Jutlandic Island from the Cimbrian Peninsula
Jutland Peninsula
The Jutland Peninsula or more historically the Cimbrian Peninsula is a peninsula in Europe, divided between Denmark and Germany. The names are derived from the Jutes and the Cimbri....
.
From August, 2009, there is a second National Park in Denmark proper: Mols Bjerge National Park. The third National Park (Vadehavet National Park) was inaugurated on mid-October, 2010.
Another two areas in mainland Denmark were selected on 17 January 2008 to become national parks; see the table below for details; they are supposed to become National Parks during the year 2011.
Like Greenland, the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark that manages its own affairs
Rigsfællesskabet
Rigsfællesskabet is a semi-official Danish term for the relations between continental Denmark and its two self-governing insular regions, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which collectively make up the Kingdom of Denmark.-Legal status:Both the Faroe Islands and Greenland enjoy far-reaching home...
. As of 2008, the Faroes have not set aside any areas as national parks.
| Name | Danish Danish language Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language... name |
Region Regions of Denmark The Regions of Denmark were created as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform. The five regions replace the former sixteen counties . At the same time, the number of municipalities was cut from 270 to 98. The reform was made effective on 1 January 2007.- List of regions :The names of the regions... |
Area in km² | Establishment | External link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (NE Greenland National Park Northeast Greenland National Park Northeast 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... )* |
(Grønlands Nationalpark)* | (Greenland) | 972000 | 1974 | — |
| Thy National Park | Nationalpark Thy | Nordjylland Region Nordjylland North Denmark Region or North Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger... |
243.7 | 2008 | SNS |
| Mols Bjerge National Park | Nationalpark Mols Bjerge (“Mols Mountains”) | Midtjylland Region Midtjylland Central Denmark Region or Central Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger... |
180 (approx.)** | 2009 | SNS |
| Wadden Sea National Park Wadden Sea National Park (Denmark) Wadden Sea National Park was named a Danish national park on 17 January 2008, starting from 2010 . The national park covers the Danish part of the Wadden Sea from Ho Bugt until the German border, and consists of the islands of Fanø, Mandø and Rømø, as well as Skallingen, Varde Å valley and many of... |
Nationalpark Vadehavet | Southern Denmark | 1466 | 2010 | SNS |
| Skjern Å National Park | Nationalpark Skjern Å (“Skjern River”) | Midtjylland Region Midtjylland Central Denmark Region or Central Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger... |
248.7 | SNS | |
| Kongernes Nordsjælland National Park | Nationalpark Kongernes Nordsjælland | Hovedstaden Region Hovedstaden The Capital Region of Denmark is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger units, cutting the... |
390 (approx.) | SNS |
* Official English, Greenlandic or Danish name unknown. A WCMC
World Conservation Monitoring Centre
The United Nations Environment Programme's World Conservation Monitoring Centre is an executive agency of the United Nations Environment Programme, based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. UNEP-WCMC has been part of UNEP since 2000, and has responsibility for biodiversity assessment and support...
webpage uses “North-east Greenland National Park”.http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/sites/pa/0352v.htm
** About 150 km² land and about 30 km² sea.
External links
- Danish Forest and Nature Agency's website on the national parks of mainland Denmark
- Avatangiisinut Pinngortitamullu Aqutsisoqarfik (Greenlandic) = Miljø- og Naturstyrelsen (Danish).
Operates under Greenland Home Rule's new ministry for domestic affairs (Greenlandic · Danish) - Faroese Ministry of the Interior (Faroese)