The top 10 largest parks in the world ranked by size
Nature protection and conservation are important for the survival of future generations of plants and animals. Establishing parks, preserves, and protected areas is one of the ways governments worldwide are adopting to ensure sustainable conservation and recreation. Find out about the largest parks in the world.
Source: UGC
Different types of parks are established for different reasons. Urban parks ensure nature conservation and recreation inside major cities, national and state parks are mostly established in the countryside, while amusement parks are mainly for recreational purposes.
The largest parks in the world
The majority of the world's largest parks are national parks. They are established to conserve wildlife, plants, geological features, and historical monuments. These are the top 10 largest parks in the world;
10. Manú National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 17,162.95 km sq (1,716,295 hectares)
- Location: Cusco and Madre de Dios, Peru
The Manú reserve was established in 1973 to protect a diverse ecosystem, including Andean grasslands, cloud forests, and lowland rainforests. It is located at the meeting point of the Tropical Andes and the Amazon Basin in Southwestern Peru. The park is home to over 4000 plant species, about 100 bird species, 155 amphibian species, 132 reptile species, 210 fish species, and 160 mammal species. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
9. Kruger National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 19,633 sq km (1,962,300 hectares)
- Location: Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces in northeastern South Africa
- Average annual visitors: Over 1.7 million people
The Kruger National Park was declared in 1926 and is home to all the 'Big Five' game animals. It also protects the endangered African wild dog, which is on the verge of extinction, and only about 400 are found in South Africa. The famous park has webcams to observe wildlife and curb poaching.
8. Kafue National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 22,400 sq km (2,240,000 hectares)
- Location: Zambia
Kafue National Park was declared in the 1950s, and its notable feature is the Kafue River. The park is home to over 152 mammal species, 500 bird species, and several plant species. The area is mostly covered by the miombo woodlands that have adapted to the region's periodic wildfires.
7. Denali National Park and Preserve
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 24,463.87 sq km (2,446,387 hectares)
- Location: Matanuska-Susutna Borough and Denali Borough, Alaska, United States
- Average annual visitors: Over 594,000
The Denali National Park and Preserve was established in 1917. It protects the higher elevations of the central Alaska Range, including Denali, the highest peak in North America with a summit elevation of 20,321 feet (6,194 m) above sea level. The park has glaciers, bare rock and snow at its highest elevation, tundra in the middle, and forest at the lowest elevation. Visitors access the park and preserve via Denali Park Road.
6. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 34,287.02 sq km (3,428,702 hectares)
- Location: Bettles, Alaska
- Average annual visitors: Over 2,800
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve was established in 1980 in northern Alaska to protect the central Brooks Range. The area has no access roads and is the least visited national park in the United States. The park has several mountains, six Wild and Scenic Rivers, about 132 brown bears, rec and arctic fox, Dall sheep, and wolverines.
5. Wood Buffalo National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 44,807 sq km (4,480,700 hectares)
- Location: Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada
Wood Buffalo National Park was declared in 1922. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and the world's largest dark-sky preserve in 2013. It is the largest National Park in Canada, and its prominent feature is karst sinkholes. It was established to protect the free-roaming wood bison species that currently has a population size of around 3,000. The park is also home to the endangered whooping cranes and several wildlife species.
4. Namib Naukluft National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 49,768 sq km (4,976,800 hectares)
- Location: Between the edge of the Great Escarpment and the Atlantic Ocean shoreline in Namibia
Namib Naukluft Park was established in 1907 and contains the Namib Desert, Sandwich Harbour lagoon, and the Naukluft mountain range. It is home to desert wildlife, including jackals, caracals, African wildcats, snakes, and others. Iconic attractions include salt and clay pans and dunes.
3. Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 53,320.57 sq km (5,332,057 hectares)
- Location: Southcentral Alaska, United States
Wrangell-St Elias was established in 1980 and is the largest national park in the United States, covering about 15% of the land designated for national parks. It contains the Wrangell range and parts of the Saint Elias Mountains, Chugach Mountains, and Nutzotin Mountains. The park's protected areas are designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Tassili n'Ajjer National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 72,000 sq km (7,200,000 hectares)
- Location: Southeastern Algeria
Tassili n'Ajjer National Park is located in the Sahara Desert and is known for its prehistoric cave art. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The park is covered by sandstones and scattered woodlands, including the Tassili cypress, the Sahara cypress, and the Sahara myrtle.
1. Northeast Greenland National Park
Source: Getty Images
- Size: 972,000 sq km (97,200,000 hectares)
- Location: Greenland and Kingdom of Denmark
Northeast Greenland National Park was established in 1974 and is the largest park in the world. It is Greenland's only park and home to over 10,000 musk oxen, several walruses, polar bears, arctic fox, Greenland wolf, ringed and bearded seals, pink-footed goose, and great northern diver. There is no permanent human settlement in the area, and the ice in the region is melting due to climate change. Park visitors must have SAR mountain insurance and the required expedition equipment.
Largest amusement parks in the world
These are the top 10 world's largest amusement parks;
| Rank | Park | Size | Location |
| 1 | Walt Disney World Resort | 25,000 acres | Orlando, Florida, United States |
| 2 | Beto Carrero World | 3,459 acres | Penha, Santa Catarina, Brazil |
| 3 | Disneyland Paris | 1,700 acres | Paris, France |
| 4 | Shanghai Disneyland | 963 acres | Pudong, Shanghai, China |
| 5 | Alton Towers Resort | 910 acres | Alton, Staffordshire, England |
| 6 | Universal Orlando Resort | 541 acres | Orlando, Florida, United States |
| 7 | Carowinds | 407 acres | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States |
| 8 | Universal Studios Hollywood | 400 acres | Los Angeles, California |
| 9 | Cedar Point | 364 acres | Sandusky, Ohio, United States |
| 10 | Kings Dominion | 280 acres | Doswell, Virginia, United States |
What is the world's largest national park?
Northeast Greenland National Park in Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark is the biggest national park in the world. It covers an area of 972,000 sq kilometres (97,200,000 hectares).
What is the biggest park in Europe?
Yugyd Va National Park in Russia is Europe's largest national park covering 18,917 sq kilometres. Losiny Ostrov National Park, also in Russia, is the biggest urban park in Europe, with an area of 116 sq kilometres.
What is the largest city park?
Chugach State Park in Anchorage, Alaska, is the largest urban park in the world, covering an area of 200,400 hectares (2,004 km²). It was established in 1978 to ensure the safety of the water supply in Anchorage, preserve the scenic value of the Chugach Mountains, and provide recreational opportunities. The second largest urban park is the Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, covering 22,100 hectares (221 km²).
Is Central Park the biggest park in the world?
Central Park in New York City is the most visited urban park in the United States, but it is not the biggest. It has an area of about 341 hectares, making it New York's fifth-biggest park.
Is City Park bigger than Central Park?
City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, covers an area of 530 hectares, while New York's Central Park covers an area of 341 hectares.
The world's biggest parks help preserve nature since they hold thousands of fauna and flora species. They also offer the best spots for outdoor recreational activities.
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