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Overview
The first time in history that a federal government actually set aside scenic lands simply to protect them and to allow all people to enjoy it was in the US during the end of the 19th century. This developed into Yellowstone becoming the first official national park a few years later, in 1872. In Europe the first national parks were a set of nine parks in Sweden in 1909. Europe has approximately 359 national parks at the moment. After World War II, national parks were founded all over the world. Some countries were rather late with establishing national parks. (introduction by Lolli)
Links to other National Park pages in Europe
This page has been complied by jck (some countries that used to be here were relocated to the Central and Eastern Europe page). It is part of a bigger family, presenting Europe's National Parks on SummitPost. These sister pages are:
Belarus
There are 4 national parks in Belarus.
List of National Parks in Belarus with short description.
| National Park name | Location (Region) Map of Belarus | What kind of place |
| Belovezhskaya Pushcha | Brest | Primaeval Forest- the only remaining part of the immense forest in Europe. Big oaks. Wisent- the symbol of the park. UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. |
| Braslav Lakes National Park | Vitebsk | Post glacial landscape: lakes, ravines and hiils. Rich in flora and fauna (rare and endangered species). Established in 1995. |
| Narochansky National Park | Minsk | Over 40 lakes including the famous Naroch Lake (surrounded by sandy beaches and forests). Very rich flora (about 900 species, some of them being endangered) and fauna. Historical site. Set up in 1999. |
| Pripyatsky National Park | Gomel | Over 30 lakes and several rivers. Floodplains with unique forests. Famous birds reserve (over 250 species). |
Estonia
There are 5 national parks in Estonia:
| National Park name | Location (County) | What kind of place |
| Karula National Park | South (Valga) | Forests, lakes, bogs, fens and meadows. |
| Lahemaa National Park | North (Harju/Lääne-Viru) | First national park in the Soviet Union. Forests, coastal plain, the biggest waterfall in Estonia. |
| Matsalu National Park | West (Lääne) | Floodplains, reedbed, coastal meadows, wooded meadows and islets. |
| Soomaa National Park | South (Pärnu/Viljandi) | Land of great swamps and mighty rivers. |
| Vilsandi National Park | South- West (Saare) | Vilsandi Island, the western coast of Saaremaa and approximately 160 small islands . |
Latvia
There are 3 national parks in Latvia:
Gouja National Park was founded in 1973, Ķemeri National Park in 2001 and Slitere National Park in 2000.
| National Park name | Location | What kind of place |
| Gauja National Park | NE from Riga | Primeval valley of the Gauja River- the biggest Devonian outcrops in Latvia – sandstone cliffs, rocks and caves. |
| Ķemeri National Park | W from Riga | Forests, rows of inland dunes and shallow lakes. |
| Slitere National Park | Cape Kolka | Coast and sea. |
Lithuania
There are 5 national parks in Lithuania.
They were established in 1991, after Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Info about National Parks from Lithuanian Touristic site (in English)
| National Park name | Location Map of Lithuania | What kind of place |
| Aukštaitija National Park | East (Ignalina dst) | Vegetation: from steppe to tundra species, many rare bird and animal species. |
| Dzūkija National Park | South (Varena dst) | Natural and cultural complexes of Dainava land, cultural traditions of Dzukija. |
| Kuršių Nerija National Park | West (Curonian Spit) | The most valuable complex of Lithuanian seaside (dune ridge etc). |
| Trakai National Historic Park | South- east (Vilnus- Trakai) | An ancient Lithuanian political centre and a unique natural landscape. |
| Žemaitija National Park | North- west (Plunge dst) | System of lakes and forests. |
Poland
There are 23 national parks in Poland.
The oldest one is Białowieski National Park established in 1921, the most recent: Ujście Warty National Park (2001).
| National Park name | Location Map of Poland | What kind of place |
| Babiogórski National Park | Małopolskie | The second highest mountain area of Poland- Babia Góra (”the Queen of the Beskidy”). UNESCO biosphere reserve. |
| Białowieski National Park | Podlaskie | Primaeval Forest- the only remaining part of the immense forest in Europe. Big oaks. Wisent- the symbol of the park. UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. |
| Biebrza National Park | Podlaskie | Biebrza River Marshes. Unique species of plants and animals. |
| Bieszczadzki National Park | Podkarpackie | Bieszczady Mountains. Precious wildlife areas. Mountain meadows. Rare flora and fauna. UNESCO East Carpathian Biosphere Preserve. |
| Bory Tucholskie National Park | Pomorskie | Untouched forests. Wild Brda river. Unique animals and plants. |
| Drawieński National Park | Zachodniopomorskie/ Lubuskie/ Wielkopolskie | Drawsk Plain. Rivers, water channels, peat bogs, lakes. 210 species of mushroms. |
| Gorczański National Park | Małopolskie | Mountains (Turbacz- 1310m). Alpine and Subalpine plants. Forests. Folk architecture. |
| Kampinoski National Park | Mazowieckie | Kampinos Wilderness. Sand dunes and swamp lands. 1245 species of plants. 16000 species of animals (an elk- the symbol of the park). UNSECO biosphere reserve. |
| Karkonoski National Park | DolnoŚlaskie | Mountains-Karkonosze (Snezka- the highest peak), entails lakes in post-glacial depressions, steep cliffs, lively streams forming numerous cascades and waterfalls, and sub-crown plateaux. UNESCO biosphere reserve. |
| Magurski National Park | Małopolskie/Podkarpackie | Beskid Niski mountains (Watkowa- 847 m). Geological curiosities. Wisloka river ravines. Forests. |
| Narwiański National Park | Podlaskie | Swampy area in the upper part of Narew river. Rushes, meadows, forests. 179 species of birds. |
| Ojcowski National Park | Małopolskie | Karst area. Limestone cliffs, ravines, and over 400 caves (the biggest- Lokietko cave). Rock formations (Hercules' club- 25 m). |
| Pieniński National Park | Małopolskie | Mountains- Pieniny, Dunajec Gorge, rare plants and animals. |
| Poleski National Park | Lubelskie | Former peat-bogs preserves. Tundra-like flora- characteristic of Russian Siberia. |
| Roztoczański National Park | Lubelskie | A picturesque Roztocze Środkowe Region (upper Wieprz river valley). Unique tree formations. Interesting fauna. |
| Słowiński National Park | Pomorskie | Sand dunes "on the move" (up to 30 meters high). Three big lakes: Lebsko (third biggest in Poland), Gardno and Dolgie Wielkie. UNESCO biosphere reserve. |
| Stołowe Mountains National Park | DolnoŚlaskie | Unique shape of mountains- sophisticated system of corridors which creates rock labyrinths. Notable rock formations. |
| Świętokrzyski National Park | Świętokrzyskie | The highest ridge of the Holy Cross Mountains- the oldes mountains in Poland. Forests. Benedict Abbey on the Holy Cross peak. |
| Tatrzański National Park | Małopolskie | Mountains- the highest part of Carpathian Mountains. Two parts of Tatry in Poland: Vysoke Tatry and Zapadne Tatry . UNESCO biosphere reserve. |
| Ujście Warty National Park | Lubuskie | Lies in the delta of twi great Polish rivers: Warta and Odra. The most important regions of birds’ lairs in Poland. Heterogeneus plant life. |
| Wielkopolski National Park | Wielkopolskie | Small lakes and tunnel valleys. Huge rocks. Over three thousand animal species. |
| Wigierski National Park | Podlaskie | Mazurskie Lakeland and Augustow Wilderness. Lakes, forests. Rare flora (beech trees) and fauna (32 species of fish). |
| Woliński National Park | Zachodniopomorskie | Wolin Island- the biggest Polish island. Sea cliffs. Forests, rare fauna (an eagle- the symbol of the park). |
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There are also plans to establish three new national parks:
Jurajski National Park- near the city of Cracow
Mazurski National Park- Mazurian Lake District
Turnicki National Park- little bit north from Bieszczadzki National Park
Russia (European Part)
currently under construction...
There are 36 National Parks in Russia, 27 of which lie clearly on the territory of the European continent.
| National Park name | Location | What kind of place |
| Alaniya | 1998; North Osetia in the Caucasus | Description |
| Bashkiriya | 1986; Bashkortostan | Description |
| Chavash Varmane | 1993; Chuvashia | Description |
| Kalevalsky | 2006; Karelia | Description |
| Kenozersky | 1991; Arkhangelsk area | Description |
| Khvalynsky | 1994; Saratov Oblast' | Description |
| Kurshskaya Kosa | 1987; Kaliningrad Oblast' | Description |
| Losiny Ostrov | 1983; Moscow | Description |
| Marii Chodra | 1985; Zvenigovsky District | Description |
| Meshchora | 1992; Vladimir Oblast' | Description |
| Meshchorsky | 1992; Ryazan' Oblast' | Description |
| Nechkinsky | 1997; Udmurt Republic | Description |
| Nizhnyaya Kama | 1991; Tatarstan | Description |
| Orlovskoye Polesye | 1994; Orlovskaya Oblast' | Description |
| Paanayarvi | 1992; Karelia | Description |
| Pleshcheevo Ozero | 1988; Yaroslavl' Oblast' | Description |
| Prielbrusye | 1986; Kabardino-Balkaria in the Caucasus | Description |
| Russky Sever | 1992; Vologodskaya Oblast' | Description |
| Samarskaya Luka | 1984; Samarskaya Oblast' | Description |
| Sebezhsky | 1996; Pskov Oblast' | Description |
| Smolenskoye Poozerye | 1992; Smolensk Oblast' | Description |
| Smolny | 1995; Mordovia | Description |
| Sochinsky | 1983; Krasnodar Kray | Description |
| Ugra | 1997; Kaluga area | Description |
| Valdaysky | 1990; Novgorod Oblast' | Description |
| Vodlozersky | 1991; Karelia | Description |
| Yugyd Va National Park | 1994; Komi Republic | Description |
The following National Parks are located in the Ural Mountains, a border between Europe and Asia:
| Pripyshminskiye Bory ??? | 1993; Sverdlovsk Oblast' on the Urals | Description |
| Taganay ??? | 1991; Chelyabinsk Oblast' | Description |
| Zyuratkul' ??? | 1993; Chelyabinsk Oblast' | Description |
External Links
List of protected areas on parks.it:
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Belarus
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Estonia
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Latvia
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Lithuania
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Poland
- Parks, Reserves, and Other Protected Areas in Russia
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