National Parks around the world
National Parks: UK – Europe – The World
UK National Parks in world context
National Park or Protected Landscape?
International National Parks - Examples
Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa © Brian Snelson
National Parks in the UK, Europe and the world
The 15 members of the National Park family in the UK are represented by ANPA (the Association of National Parks Authorities), which is headed by the 15 Chairmen.
Protected areas across Europe are represented by Europarc, which represents 500 protected areas in 39 countries.
Protected areas around the world are represented by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), which represents over 100,000 protected areas.
The IUCN was the world’s first global environmental organisation and was founded in 1948.
"to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable"
In other words: To help and encourage people all over the world to look after nature and not destroy it and make sure that we share what we take from nature fairly and that we take only what we can reproduce again, so that all wildlife has a home to live in and there is enough left for our future generations.
A protected landscape is an area of land where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and cultural values.
UK National Parks in world context
The IUCN represents many different types of protected areas around the world. It divides protected areas into 6 categories.
The IUCN category II is called 'National Parks'. But the UKs National Parks are not in this category, because they are places where people live and work.
The UKs National Parks are in cateogry V, called 'Protected Landscapes'. The landscape in our National Parks has been shaped by nature and by people over thousands of years, and they have been protected to help preserve both natural and cultural heritage.
See all 6 IUCN cateogries with descriptions and examples
There are lots of other protected areas around the world that are also in category V. Here are what a few other 'Protected Landscapes' are called:
- China: Scenic Areas and Country Parks
- Spain: Nature Parks
- Cuba: Touristic Natural Areas
- UK: National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Scenic Areas
People have shaped the land in UK's National Parks
National Park or Protected Landscape?
| National Parks internationally (IUCN Category II) | UK National Parks - Protected Landscapes (IUCN Cateory V) |
| large natural areas mostly untouched by humans, hardly no-one lives there | lived in and working landscapes shaped by the interaction between people and nature |
| mostly publicly owned | most land belongs to private landowners |
| educational and recreational visitor opportunities | accessible to everyone to enjoy and learn about their special qualities |
| protecting large ecosystems and species | protecting landscapes with special character and our cultural and natural heritage |
Adapted from Discover your National Parks pack © Council for National Parks 1994
International National Parks - Examples
The table below gives you facts and figures of some National Parks around the World. See how they compare with the facts and figures of the three UK National Parks that are also part of this list.
The World's First National Park, Yellowstone National Park, USA © Caroline Talavera
| National Park Name | Country |
IUCN Category |
Year of Designation |
Area (sq kilometers |
Highest Point (meters) |
| Hohe Tauern | Austria, Europe | II | 2006 (as category II) | 1812 |
Grossglockner 3798 |
| Yellowstone |
USA, Wyoming/ Montana/Idaho |
II | 01st March 1872 (World's 1st NP) | 8992 |
Eagle Peak 3462 |
|
Denali National Park and Preserve |
USA Alaska | Ib | 1980 (as caetgory 1b) | 24584 |
Mount McKinley 6193.50 |
| Serengeti | Tanzania, Africa | II | 1951 | 14763 | n/a |
| Komodo | Indonesia | II | 1980 | 1815 |
Gunung Satalibo 735 |
| Cairngorms | Scotland, UK | V | 2003 | 3800 |
Ben Macdui 1309 |
| Lake District | England, UK | V | 1951 | 2292 |
Scafell Pike 978 |
| Pembrokeshire Coast | Wales, UK | V | 1952 | 621 |
Foel Cwmcerwyn 536 |
Further information
- Europarc Federation
- European Charter for Sustainabe Tourism in Protected Areas
- IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature
- IUCN Category V Protected Areas - best practice guidelines
- United Nations 2003 List of Protected Areas - pdf
- World Heritage Sites
- World Commission on Protected Areas, WCPA
- World Database for Protected Areas, WDPA
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre - protected area cateogry definitions and examples
Examples of international National Parks
- Yellowstone National Park Factsheet
- Denali National Park and Preserve Factsheet
- National Park Service USA
- Serengeti National Park
- Komodo National Park Factsheet
- Komodo National Park Homepage
- Hohe Tauern National Park
- National Park Service Public Use Statistic Office source for USA National Parks Visitor numbers
