What are the national parks of the world. Fuji Hakone Izu, Japan. Swiss National Park, Switzerland

Protecting natural societies appeared in the 16th century. However, the first national park was discovered only at the end of the 19th century, in the USA. This really high honor was awarded to the unique Yellowstone Plateau, rich in geysers and hot mineral springs where Yellowstone National Park was opened in 1872. In 1916, the United States created the Service national parks. Such National parks USA like the Grand Canyon, Jasper, Olympic and others are now well known outside of North America.

The best reserves and national parks in the world

Since then, many national parks. The first national park in Europe was established in 1914 in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. Then, in 1922, the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy was opened. First national park in France there was Vanoise, created in 1963. It borders the Italian Gran Paradiso for 14 kilometers. There are seven national parks in France, three of which are located in the Alpine crescent that stretches from France to Austria. The alpine crescent also contains other famous national parks of the world: Berchtesgaden in Germany, Hohe Tauern in Austria, Stelvio in Italy and Triglav in Slovenia.

Yellowstone - US national park

Yellowstone National Park- probably the most world famous national park. It is located on the border of the US states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The park, founded on March 1, 1872, is famous for its numerous geysers, and Yellowstone Lake - one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America - is located in the crater of the largest supervolcano on the continent. That's why most of The territory of the park is covered with frozen lava.

There are almost 3,000 geysers in Yellowstone, which is two-thirds of all geysers in the world. The world's largest geyser Steamboat is located here, as well as one of the most famous geysers in the world - the Old Faithful geyser. The latter throws out jets hot water to a height of more than forty meters, and the interval between eruptions is from 45 to 125 minutes. Besides Yellowstone, there are only four geyser fields- Valley of Geysers in Kamchatka, as well as fields in Iceland, Chile and New Zealand.

In addition to geysers, the park has about ten thousand different geothermal sources, including hot and hydrogen sulfide springs and mud volcanoes. Half of all geothermal sources in the world are concentrated in Yellowstone. In addition, about two thousand species of plants grow here, there are several hundred species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Name " Plitvice lakes” was first recorded in 1777, in 1949 the lakes received the status national park, and 30 years later were listed world heritage UNESCO. On the territory of the park there are 16 large karst lakes, 140 waterfalls, 20 caves. Moreover, Plitvice Lakes is one of the few national parks world where new waterfalls are born every year. A characteristic feature of the park is the color of the water. Pictures of the lakes look like a photomontage, but the water here is really azure. You can admire it from wooden decks, the total length of which reaches 18 km.

The park also has hiking trails, the shortest of which takes two hours to walk, and the longest takes eight. A boat also runs on the lakes, and mountain roads can be viewed using an electric train with observation cars. It is strictly forbidden to swim in the lakes of the park, as well as to have picnics, make fires, and bring dogs. In addition, a unique beech and coniferous forest grows here, which has been preserved since ancient times and has the ability to self-repair.

Snowdonia, UK

Snowdonia National Park, located in the north of Wales, was created 60 years ago and became one of the first three national parks in England and Wales. The park owes its name to Mount Snowdon (1085 m), which is the highest point in Wales.

Unlike reserves in other countries, Snowdonia, like other national parks in the world, includes both public and private lands. Moreover, about 26 thousand people live in the park, while about 6 million tourists visit it annually. Snowdonia has 2,381 km of open hiking trails, 264 km of trails for walkers and horseback riders and 74 km of other trails. open roads. Moreover, Mount Snowdon can be reached both along a picturesque hiking trail 13 km long and by funicular. At the same time, the routes of several historical railways pass through the park.

Grand Canyon, USA

The Grand Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world located on the Colorado Plateau, in the US state of Arizona. Its length is 446 km, and the depth reaches 1600 m. The canyon was cut by the Colorado River in the thickness of limestone, shale and sandstone about 5-6 million years ago. These arguably the most complete geological outcrops in the world represent the history of the Earth over 1.5 billion years. Moreover, the canyon continues to grow today.

Approximately 2 million people visit the Grand Canyon Reserve every year, with the most popular among tourists being rafting down the Colorado on inflatable rafts. The climate on the plateau and at the bottom of the canyon differs sharply - when it is about fifteen degrees of heat above, at the bottom of the gorge, among the red-hot stones, the temperature rises to plus forty. Therefore, most tourists prefer to admire the canyon from observation platforms located on its banks. Indeed, in order to descend to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, it will take more than one hour.

Serengeti, Tanzania

Serengeti National Park is famous for the huge number of animals living in this area. According to scientists, about five hundred species of birds and three million large animals live here. Moreover, a significant part of the animals (wildbeests and zebras) annually migrate from the north of the park, where drought sets in, to the south. With the onset of the rainy season in April-June, animals migrate to the west and north. In addition, the largest population of lions on the planet of all the national parks in the world lives here. The Serengeti is also home to thousands of elephants, gazelles, hyenas, hippos and rhinos. And the name of the park in the Masai language means “endless plains”, because most of the territory of the Serengeti is an endless savannah.

Fiordland, New Zealand

Fiordland National Park- the largest in New Zealand, it occupies most of the mountainous southwestern part of the South Island. Here are the most deep lakes New Zealand, and the mountains in this part of the island reach a height of 2746 meters. Fiordland is still one of the most inaccessible areas of New Zealand. In addition to picturesque fjords, waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers, the park is famous for its rich flora and fauna.

Rare species of birds live in dense forests, for example, cockatoo parrots. During a visit to Fiordland, you can see a bottlenose dolphin or penguins. One of the most popular places in the park is Milford Sound, which the famous writer Rudyard Kipling called "the eighth wonder of the world." The bay, about 16 km long, is surrounded by majestic mountains over a kilometer high. Moreover, this is one of the wettest places on the planet: only every third day is not marked by rain.

Iguazu, Argentina-Brazil

Name Iguazu Falls comes from the Guarani words y (water) and guasu (large). Legend has it that God wanted to marry a beautiful Aboriginal woman, but she ran away with her lover in a canoe. In anger, God cut the river, creating waterfalls, dooming the lovers to an eternal fall.

Today, a complex of 270 waterfalls has formed on the Iguazu River. Par is located on the border of the Brazilian state of Parana and the Argentinean province of Misiones. The border between the countries is marked by the Devil's Throat waterfall, which is 150 m wide and 7000 m long. This is the largest waterfall of the complex. The height of the water fall on Igausa reaches 82 meters, but on most waterfalls it does not exceed 60 meters. You can see the waterfalls thanks to the bridges, the total length of which is about 2 km.

Banff National Park, Canada

The oldest banff national park canada was founded in 1885. Two trans-Canada highways pass through the southern part of the park - the railway and the highway. Just when laying railway in 1883, hot springs were accidentally discovered in caves on the eastern slopes of the mountains. Two years later, these places were recognized as unique and taken under protection.

The park was named rocky mountain park” and became the first national park in Canada and the second created in North America, after Yellowstone National Park. Today it is one of the most visited national parks in the world. After all, here you can find everything that is associated with Canada: landscapes of extraordinary beauty and the smell of fir trees. There are glaciers, hot springs, hiking trails, ski slopes. The center of the park is the highest settlement in Canada, the city of Banff, located at an altitude of 1463 m above sea level.

Torres del Paine, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park located in southern Chile, in Patagonia. The name of the park, translated from the language of the Araucan Indians, means "Blue Towers". It is the three needle-like granite mountains, whose height ranges from 2600 to 2850 m, that have become the symbol of the national park. The highest point of Torres del Paine is Mount Paine Grande, whose height is 3,050 m.

There are two trails in the park. One of them takes 4 days, the second - about a week. At the same time, the park is one of the most visited tourist sites in Chile. After all, there are glaciers, high mountains, lakes, forests, many animals and birds live here, and even orchids can be found among the flowers.

Tatras, Poland-Slovakia

Two Tatra National Parks - one in Poland, the other in Slovakia - have common border 64 km long. This is the most high part Carpathians, the length of which is approximately 60 km. These mountains were formed by glaciers, so there are many U-shaped valleys in the Tatras, mountain lakes with incredible clean water. Green areas and bare rocks occupy more than a quarter of the national park.

The flora of the Tatras is made up of more than a thousand species of plants, and the chamois can be called a living symbol of the park. This is a small animal from the subfamily of goats weighing 30-35 kg, covered with thick wool. Despite conservation efforts, these animals are still on the verge of extinction. There are also deer, wild boars, roe deer, and also wolves, bears and lynxes in the park. Due to its diverse relief, the Tatras are a favorite vacation spot for skiers.

The diversity of wildlife is the key to our well-being.

The nature of our planet is amazingly rich and diverse. The world is full of amazing creations. Where man does not interfere, nature lives and forms according to the perfect laws established by the Creator. But with the advent of civilization, everything changes. Unfortunately, since time immemorial man has killed animals and cut down forests. Over time, people populated almost the entire planet. As a result of human activity, many plants and animals have lost their usual habitats or even disappeared from the face of the Earth.

Purpose of creating national parks.

The main purpose of the creation of national parks and reserves is the protection of living organisms, balancing on the verge of extinction. If there were no protected areas, elephants, rhinos, bison and bison would remain only in zoos, and some animals, such as Komodo dragons - giant monitor lizards that live only in Komodo National Park (on the island of the same name), would disappear altogether. However, despite the common name, national parks were created each for its own specific purpose.

Introduction

1. The purpose of creating national parks

2. Rationale for the choice of topic

3. Main idea of ​​the work

4 Main body

• National parks of the world
• Paanajärvi National Park
• Taganay National Park
• Zabaikalsky National Park
• Olympic National Park
• yellowstone national park
• Monteverde National Park

5. Information sources

Main part

A national park is an area where, for the purpose of protection environment human activities are limited.

Unlike nature reserves, where human activity is almost completely prohibited (hunting, tourism, etc. are prohibited), tourists are allowed into the territory of national parks, and economic activities are allowed on a limited scale.

There are over 1000 national parks in the world. There are 29 of them in Russia.

Paanajärvi National Park. Russia.

Paanajärvi National Park is located in the north-west of the Republic of Karelia, in its most elevated part. The Paanajärvi National Park was founded on May 20, 1992 by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. The area of ​​the national park is 104,473 hectares.

Flora is the main attraction of the park. Its originality is determined by three factors - the low-mountain nature of the relief, the presence of carbonate rocks (dolomites) favorable for the growth of many calciphilous plants, and, finally, the presence of large natural massifs untouched by man.

217 species of vertebrates are registered in the area of ​​the national park: 36 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 3 species of amphibians and reptiles, 17 species of fish and 1 species of cyclostomes.

The pearl of the park is Lake Paanajärvi, characterized by its small size (1.5 by 24 km) and exceptional depth (128 m). There are many rapids on the rivers, there are significant waterfalls. Reservoirs abound with valuable species of fish.

The natural and historical value of the park is unique. Beautiful landscapes, rich flora and animal world, the opportunity to relax in pristine silence, rich fishing - all this attracts tourists, researchers, photographers, and many nature lovers to visit the park. Currently, about 2.5 thousand visitors a year visit the national park. It is planned to increase the number of tourists in the next three years to 6-8 thousand per year.

Taganay National Park(Russia)

Taganay National Park was organized in 1991. It is located in the western part of the Chelyabinsk region, on the territory of the Zlatoust and Kusinsky administrative districts. The length of the park from north to south is 52 km, from west to east an average of 10-15 km.

Taganay National Park is located in one of the most the most unique corners Southern Urals- in the area of ​​the Taganay mountain junction, a little north of the ancient Ural city of Zlatoust. Many valuable ecological systems, such as mountain tundra and meadows, have been preserved almost untouched here.

About 800 species of higher vascular plants have been noted in the flora, of which 28 are rare and endangered. Roe deer, wild boar, elk, beaver, brown bear, lynx, wolf, marten, ermine, weasel, otter live.

On the territory of the national park there are ancient mineral mines, the wealth of which is presented in the collections of many mineralogical museums both in Russia and abroad. In a word, the Taganay National Park is a small mountainous country with its peaks and intermountain valleys, swift mountain rivers and swampy swamps, tundra and small taiga, the place is perhaps one of the most beautiful in the Southern Urals.

Zabaikalsky National Park (Russia)

The Zabaikalsky National Park was established in 1986 on the territory of the Republic of Buryatia in order to preserve the unique natural complex of the Baikal basin. The national park is located on east coast lake Baikal, in the central part of the Republic of Buryatia, on the territory of the Barguzinsky district. In the north, the territory of the Barguzinsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve adjoins the border of the national park.

The flora includes many endemic, rare and relict plants. According to preliminary estimates, the flora of the park is more than 700 species of vascular plants. There are habitats of many species listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, 19 endemic species, 9 species rare in Baikal.

291 species of terrestrial vertebrates are registered on the territory of the national park: 44 species of mammals, 241 species of birds, 3 reptiles and 3 species of amphibians. The most common types of mammals of medium and large sizes: hare, squirrel, muskrat, sable, ermine, brown bear, red deer, elk. 49 species of terrestrial vertebrates found in the park are listed in the Red Books of the Russian Federation.

Olympic National Park. (USA)

Olympic National Park is located in the northwestern United States, in the state of Washington, famous for its amazing nature. The total area of ​​the park is 350,000 hectares. Here, in the Pacific fog that shrouds the coast and the forest, they hide big trees, as well as a broken coastline. The climate of this area is one of the wettest on the planet. The park has mountains snow-capped peaks and with slowly sliding glaciers, as well as rain forests, as mysterious and dark as rainforests in the Amazon region.

In 1788, an English captain, in honor of the legendary home of the mythical gods of Ancient Greece, named the highest of these mountains (its height is almost 2,500 meters) Olympus. And in 1938, in order to preserve the inviolability of the virgin nature of these places, the Olympic National Park was created.

Virunga National Park (Africa)

Virunga is one of the oldest national parks in Africa. It is located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For 300 kilometers, the border of the park coincides with the state borders of Rwanda and Uganda. The official birth year of Virunga Park is 1929. Then it was named Albert and Kivu National Park. In 1969, a separate Virunga National Park was separated from the Albert and Kivu single conservation area.

Currently, the territory of the park borders on the lands of the Ruwenzori National Park in Uganda and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. A few years ago, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda took the initiative to create a transboundary biosphere reserve in the border area, which was supposed to include the Virunga National Park.

The area of ​​the Virunga National Park is 790 thousand hectares. Landscapes in the national park are very diverse. Here you can find grassy and woody savannahs, undersized permanently wet forests, bamboo thickets, swamps, meadows and glaciers.

Yellowstone National Park (USA)

Yellowstone National Park - founded by the US Congress in 1872, it became the first national park in the country. The park occupies almost 900 thousand hectares and is located mainly on the lands of the state of Wyoming.

The main attractions of the park - geysers and Mammoth hot springs - make a huge number of tourists flock here from all over the world.

The geysers of Yellowstone are considered unsurpassed in their grandeur. The colossal power of geysers is hard to imagine - some of them throw out about 5 thousand tons of water at a time to a height of up to 100 meters. Each ejection lasts a few seconds, then the column of water falls and the geyser subsides until the next time.

Another attraction of the park is Mammoth Hot Springs. Over the centuries and millennia, hot waters saturated with various chemical impurities have formed deposits of complex and diverse shapes - streaks, stepped terraces, pyramids and even something like stalactites that suggest a cave located on the surface of the earth.

Most of the park is occupied coniferous forests, in which many animals have found refuge, close to extinction in other areas.

Here you can meet black, bison, elk and deer, as well as many smaller animals and a huge number of birds.

Monteverde National Park (Costa Rica)

In the 1960s, a group of scientists and local residents founded the Cloud Forest Reserve in Monteverde, which eventually included the watershed zone. Since then, the reserve has been expanded several times, and now it covers approximately 10,500 hectares.

This reserve is one of the most attractive places in Costa Rica. Every year, about 50,000 tourists climb the steep, winding dirt road to reach Monteverde. Numerous bird lovers and naturalists come here to observe all kinds of birds, animals and plants that have found refuge in the reserve and nearby areas.

Conclusion

In the 20th and 19th centuries, environmental pollution became a real problem for almost the entire planet. Waste can enter underground water supplies and cause serious harm to human and animal health. “We don't know what to do with all the chemicals produced by modern industry,” admitted a Hungarian scientist from the Budapest Institute of Hydrology. “We can't even keep track of them.”

Our goal is to preserve unique geothermal phenomena, grassy prairies, unique glaciers, breathtaking views, an abundance of life forms.

Information sources

1. www.nparks.ru
2. www.vokrugsveta.ru
3. Disks - Golden Globe "US National Parks
4. Dorysheva V. A. “National parks and reserves”
5. Zaikin S. N. “Wonders of the World”
6. Marchenkova A. V. “This wonderful world”
7. Shcherbakov V. I. “National parks of the world”

The American television channel CNN has ranked the 30 most beautiful national parks in the world. The evaluation criteria were the beauty of nature and picturesque places, the safety and hospitality of local residents. The TV channel drew attention to the fact that US parks do not participate in the rating.

30 PHOTOS

1. The first place in the ranking was given to the Iguazu Falls National Park in Argentina. Surrounded by tropical nature, the waterfalls on the Iguazu River are considered to be one of the most beautiful and spectacular places on Earth. (Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Adorno).
2. The second place in the ranking was taken by Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. 30 percent of the park is covered with ice, which is why it is also called the Glacier Park in Patagonia. (Photo: 123 RF).
3. Third place: another National Park of Argentina - Nahuel Huapi, which is located in the Andes at an altitude of 767 meters above sea level. (Photo: 123 RF).
4. Fourth place: Gandoca-Manzanilla National Reserve in Costa Rica.
5. Fifth place in the ranking: Tikal National Park in Guatemala. It includes one of the largest and most famous archaeological sites in the world - the most important center of the Mayan civilization of Tikal. (Photo: 123 RF).
6. Sixth place in the ranking: Rapa Nui National Park, which is located on Easter Island (Chile) and is famous for its stone sculptures - moai. It is believed that this is the most geographically remote from other islands and lands inhabited island in the world. (Photo: 123 RF).
7. Seventh place: Torres del Paine National Park located in the Chilean part of Patagonia. According to scientists, the park is 11 million years old. (Photo: 123 RF).
8. Eighth place: Canaima National Park, located in the southeast of Venezuela. This is where the most high waterfall in the world - Angel. (Photo: Flickr/Heather Thorkelson).
9. Ninth Place: National Park Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. famous Galapagos tortoises, which gave the name to the islands, are record holders of longevity among animals - they live for more than two hundred years. (Photo: 123 RF).
10. Tenth place: Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. The park has vast wastelands where birds nest. (Photo: Flickr).
11. Eleventh place: Göreme National Park in Turkey, which is also a museum under open sky- there are 350 Byzantine churches carved from the rocks. (Photo: 123 RF).
12. Twelfth place: Tatzhansky or Tatrinsky National Park is the only high-mountain park in Poland created to protect unique mountain landscapes, flora and fauna. (Photo: Marek Podmokly/Agencja Gazeta).
13. Thirteenth place: Croatian Plitvice Lakes National Park, which includes 16 beautiful karst lakes connected by waterfalls. (Photo: 123 RF).
14. Fourteenth place: Victoria Falls National Park - located on the Zambezi River in Zambia. (Photo: 123 RF).
15. Fifteenth place: Kruger National Park is the oldest park in South Africa, which is part of the Kruger-to-Canyons Biosphere Reserve. (Photo: 123 RF).
16. Sixteenth place: Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia. Its area is almost 50 thousand square kilometers, mostly desert, and is one of the largest protected areas in the world. (Photo: 123 RF).
17. Seventeenth place: Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe. Even in the dry season, there is a lot of moisture left here, which is very important for the ecosystem and animals. (Photo: Flickr / ninara).
18. Eighteenth place: Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, on its territory there are many water cascades that waterfowl love. (Photo: 123 RF).
19. Nineteenth place: Halgurd Sakran National Park in Iraq, which includes Mount Halgurd with a height of 3607 meters. (Facebook/press materials).
20. Twentieth place: the deserted Ein Avdat National Park in Israel, which guards the beautiful territories of the canyon, inhabited during the time of the first Christians by monks and Nabataeans. (Photo: 123 RF).
21. Twenty-first place: Zhangjiajie National Park in China. It was here that the famous film "Avatar" was filmed. (Photo: 123 RF).
22. 22nd Place: Najangsan National Park in South Korea It is especially beautiful in autumn. The park is hidden in the mountains of Najangsan south of Seoul. (Photo: 123 RF).
23. Twenty-third place: Pagsanhan Gorge National Park in the Philippines. It includes the largest waterfalls in the country. According to legend, before the appearance of the waterfalls, two twins lived in this place. One day, after a severe drought, one of them died, then the second twin climbed onto high cliffs and began to curse the gods, when suddenly a spring began to beat from under his feet, which laid the foundation for the waterfalls. (Photo: 123 RF).
24. Twenty-fourth place: Minneriya National Park in Sri Lanka, the main pride of which is a large population of elephants. (Photo: 123 RF).
25. 25th place: Sundarbans National Park - tiger and biosphere reserve in India. (Photo: 123 RF).
26. Twenty-sixth place: Bannerghatta National Park in India. Part of the park is a nature reserve, where more than a hundred species of birds, many mammals (including elephants, bears, leopards) and insects are under strict protection. There is also an animal rescue center here. (Photo: Flickr / Nisha D).
27. Twenty-seventh place: Bandhavgarh National Park, the largest population of tigers in all of India lives here. (Photo: 123 RF).
28. Twenty-eighth place: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia. The famous red-brown mountain Uluru (Ayers Rock) changes its color depending on the angle of the light. (Photo: 123 RF).
29. Twenty-ninth place: Blue Mountains National Park in Australia. The name "Blue Mountains" comes from the blue eucalyptus trees growing on the slopes of the mountains. (Photo: 123 RF).
30. Thirtieth place: Paparoa National Park in New Zealand, the main attraction of which are pancake limestone rocks, as well as beautiful caves. (Photo: 123 RF).

Such parks can cover vast areas with impenetrable forests, islands, coastal waters, and even mountain ranges and volcanoes. Unlike nature reserves and reserves, the protection regime in natural parks the least strict. And these parks are a great opportunity for tourists to get acquainted with natural resources country or region. And here is a list of the most beautiful and impressive national parks in the world.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Japan

The park, located southwest of Tokyo, is one of Japan's most popular parks. Within the park is active volcano Fuji with its five lakes, the Izu Peninsula and the islands around it, as well as waterfalls, hot springs and ancient temples. Especially beautiful is the volcano of the most symmetrical shape, wrapped in clouds in spring and summer - its greatness is immortalized in the works of many poets and artists.

Grand Canyon National Park, USA

This is probably the most famous national park in the world, and, as a result, the most photographed. The Grand Canyon in Arizona achieved national park status in 1919, three years after the founding of the US National Park Service. About five million people visit this park every year to see with their own eyes the amazing beauty of the canyon, which the Colorado River has carved for millions of years. The southern edge of the canyon is the most visited, the most numerous observation platforms are located here. On the northern edge of the canyon, located 300 meters higher, there is much less people, but it is good for its wild flowering meadows, spruce forests and aspen groves. The rest of the canyon is remote and difficult to access, although some areas can be reached by foot. hiking trails and country roads.

Guilin National Park, China

Located in southeast China, the park is famous for its karst and limestone natural formations and beautiful hills with colorful names like "Elephant's Trunk" and "Dragon's Head". The nature of the park inspired many Chinese poets and artists, and some parts of the park were even depicted on local banknotes. To see all the beauty of Guilin, it is best to take a 50-kilometer cruise on the Lijiang River, from Guilin to Yangshuo.

Banff National Park, Canada

This is the oldest national park in Canada, created in 1885 in Canadian rocky mountains. Lonely Planet describes Banff like this: “Mountains, high mountains, mountains everywhere. Fast rivers carry their waters between beautiful hills. Huge glaciers slide down from the peaks and practically touch the ground. Lakes with turquoise water shimmer in the sun - so saturated that it seems as if the water has been tinted.

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The oldest and most popular national park in Tanzania is a World Heritage Site. The Serengeti is world famous for its annual migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles, and buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, swamps, impalas, lions and leopards run between amazing acacias. And here, probably, the most enchanting sunsets in the world.

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Considered by many to be the most spectacular national park in the world. South America. Located on the edge of the continent, the park is known for its granite peaks and emerald forests, shining blue glaciers and azure lakes. Many tourists come here for walks and hikes.

Swiss National Park, Switzerland

Founded in 1914, the Swiss National Park is the oldest national park in the Alps and central Europe, as well as the only national park in the country. It is famous for its unique alpine plants - in particular, edelweiss, which grows only high in the mountains. And in this park there are alpine animals - chamois, deer and marmots. Through the park, an 80-kilometer network of trails is laid, which turns these areas into a paradise for hikers.

Lake District National Park, England

The land that inspired artist William Turner and writer Beatrix Potter became a national park in 1951. The park is a valley with granite boulders and 16 amazing beautiful lakes resting in the lowlands. These places are chosen by cyclists and lovers of water sports - windsurfing, kayaking and fishing.

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

located on south island The park is the largest national park in the country. It spans rugged mountain ranges, 14 magnificent fjords and world famous waterfalls. Two of the park's most famous attractions are Milford Sound Fjord, which Rudyard Kipling called "the eighth wonder of the world" and Doubtful Sound Fjord, which can only be reached by water. People come to the national park for bird watching, boating, kayaking, mountain biking and hiking.

Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

The first national park in the world today is one of the smallest national parks in Costa Rica. But, despite its size, it shows the world a chic nature - lush rainforests, beaches and rocky headlands. There are sloths, iguanas and squirrel monkeys in the jungle, colorful fish swim in the waters, bright butterflies flutter in the air - a real idyll!

The reserve is located in the northeastern part of the Russian Plain. All rivers of the reserve are left tributaries of the Volga, the largest of which are Kostroma and Unzha. Quite extensive areas of the reserve are occupied by swamps and wetlands, which is primarily due to the flat, leveled relief. There are small forest rivers in the reserve and no large lakes and rivers, which causes a significant density of animals whose life is directly connected with water bodies - this is, first of all, the otter, mink, beaver.

The territory of the Katunsky and Altaisky reserves is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List under the name "Golden Mountains of Altai" (1998). Absolute heights Katunsky Reserve fluctuate from 1300 to 3280 m a.s.l. On the territory there are 135 lakes with an area of ​​151,664 hectares or more. In the highlands is a large number of glaciers with a total area of ​​283 sq. km.

State nature reserve Shulgan-Tash in Bashkortostan, which has federal status. It is located in the western foothills of the Southern Urals, in the mountain-forest belt, within the Burzyansky district. Total area - 225 sq. km. The rich landscape mosaic also determines the high diversity of the plant world. The relief is low-mountainous. Mixed broad-leaved and coniferous-broad-leaved forests occupy 92 percent of the territory.

The natural architectural and archaeological museum-reserve Divnogorye is located on the territory of Russia, in the Liskinsky district of the Voronezh region. The area of ​​the museum-reserve is more than 11 km². From a geological point of view, the reserve is a Cretaceous deposit on the surface of the earth. Max Height the plateau above sea level reaches 181 meters, relative - 103 meters (the mouth of the Quiet Pine River at the confluence with the Don, which flows at the foot of the plateau, is located at an altitude of 78 m above sea level). Due to a rather significant difference in height between the plateau and the floodplain of the Don and Tikhaya Sosna rivers, its microclimate differs significantly from the surrounding floodplain lowland.

The State Reserve "Kuznetsk Alatau" is located in the south of Central Siberia, at its highest point - on the western slope of the ridge, at the intersection of Mezhdurechensky, Tisulsky and Novokuznetsky districts Kemerovo region. The Kuznetsky Alatau ridge itself extends over almost a third of the Kemerovo region. This ridge is a relief consisting of medium and high mountain ranges dissected by rivers.

The Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve is located in the Khasansky district of Primorsky Krai, between west coast Amur Bay and the border with China, on the spurs of the East Manchurian mountain ranges Sukhorechensky and Gakkelevsky ridges, separating the basin of the Cedar River from the basins of the Barabashevka and Narva rivers flowing near the boundaries of the reserve.

The Lazovsky Reserve is located on the southern spurs of the Sikhote-Alin, between the rivers Kievka and Chernaya. By size and mode of moisture mainland territory of the Lazovsky Reserve, located northwest of the Zapovedny Ridge. Almost the entire territory of the reserve is divided between two independent drainage basins of the Kievka and Chernaya rivers, which flow into the Sea of ​​Japan. Rest numerous rivers and streams of different size, direction and nature are either tributaries of these rivers, or independently collect water from a narrow coastal strip, the average width of which is about 10 km, and flow directly into the Sea of ​​Japan.

What to photograph: rivers, mountains, relic yew grove. Some of the lakes have unique vegetation and other natural features.

The main part of the territory of the reserve is represented by taiga forests of various types. Fragments of ancient relic steppes have been preserved on the coast of Lake Baikal; 50 species of mammals and about 240 species of birds live. The reserve is also famous for the high number of bears. In addition, here you can meet such rare and interesting birds as the white-tailed eagle, black stork, hook-nosed scoter, ruddy shelduck, gray crane.

What to photograph: the source of the Lena River, Cape Ryty, a section of the coast sacred to local residents with a grandiose gorge, the remains of the oldest volcanoes on Earth - Mountain peaks Baikal Ridge in the area of ​​capes Sredny and Upper Kedrovy. 50 species of mammals, about 240 species of birds. Known for its high population of otters and brown bears.

The national park is located in Greater Sochi: from the borders with the Tuapse region, between the mouths of the Shepsi and Magri rivers in the northwest to the borders with Abkhazia in the southeast and from the Black Sea coast to the watershed line of the Main Caucasian Range. Most of the territory of the park is occupied by mountains, dissected by river valleys. The foothill zone occupies a narrow strip along the Black Sea. About 40 rivers and streams of the Black Sea basin flow through the park.

What to photograph: diverse landscape, unforgettable views and many exotic animals. A feature is the abundance of rivers and streams that create a huge number of canyons and waterfalls.

The Altai Reserve is located in the mountains of Southern Siberia. This is the land of mountains and swift mountain rivers, the kingdom of giant trees and the country of ancient wild animals. A walk through the mountain-taiga landscapes of the reserve fascinates with its unpredictability. Vertical belts, steppe, forest, subalpine and alpine, replacing each other when climbing the mountains, hide their secrets. Even the forests in the reserve are different. In the north, almost only fir trees grow, to the south - cedars, in the south - deciduous species.

What to photograph: vertices Altai mountains, Teletskoye lake, alpine meadows. Lynxes, bears, wolverines and 323 species of birds also live on the territory.

UK national parks

Brecon Beacons National Park

The Brecon Beacons is located on a mountain range in South Wales, it occupies a national park of about 1345 square meters. km., in the park is the most high mountain in southern Britain. Brecon Beacons is translated as "Brecon Beacons", the name comes from ancient times, when people signaled to each other about the approach of enemies with the help of fires lit on the tops of the mountains.

What to photograph: The mountains of the park and the moorlands look very breathtaking. In the mountains you will find many waterfalls. The park also houses many ancient monuments and castles.

Norfolk Broads

Broads National Park covers the county of Norfolk and Suffolk. This is a vast, protected wetland area in the UK and is home to some of the UK's rarest plants and animals. This is the third largest park in the UK, which occupies vast expanses of water. The park includes seven main rivers and 63 remains of medieval peat excavations.

What to photograph: The flat terrain makes the Norfolk Broads a very windy place, and the countryside is dotted with windmills that sit picturesquely at the water's edge. The park has small yachts and boats that will take you around the most beautiful areas for a small fee, where you will certainly be inspired by the richness of the wetlands and the variety of birds.

The beautiful expanses of the Dartmoor swamps in Devon occupy huge area Great Britain. Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of British Bronze Age artefacts, with many ancient stones and other monuments.

What to photograph: beautiful landscapes, rocks, granite stones, all this makes the National Park incredibly picturesque place. famous rock Dartmoor Park attracts the attention of photographers from all over the world.

The largest British national park, with an area of ​​4528 km2. On the territory there is a high and massive mountain range, four of the five highest mountains in Scotland are located within the park, there are 55 peaks over 900 m high. In general, the Cairngorms occupies about six percent of Scotland.

What to photograph: massive mountain landscape cross clean rivers with sparkling water. On the territory of the park is the lake Nestle. Vast forests occupy the lower slopes, and ice lies on the peaks most of the time. The park is home to many rare animals, with about 25 percent of endangered species living in the Cairngorms. Here you can meet red squirrel, deer, osprey, snowy owls, red partridge and eagles.

The Lake District, often compared to the sea, the park is located in a mountainous region in the county of Cumbria, in the north-west of England. The entire territory of England with a height of more than three thousand meters above sea level is located on the territory of the National Park, including Scafell, the highest mountain in England. There are also deep and long lakes of England.

What to photograph: You can shoot landscapes and lakes, they are very breathtaking, especially in autumn.

This park in the west of Scotland is located in the district of Loch Lomond, which is the largest reserve fresh water in the UK mainland. On the territory of the park there are 21 peaks, more than 1000 meters high and 19 peaks, more than 2500 meters high, as well as two forest parks - Queen Elizabeth and Argyle.

What to photograph: numerous small lakes, mountains, beautiful woodlands, small clearings wildlife. Ben Lomond is one of the most photogenic mountain peaks. On the territory of the national park you can meet deer, squirrel, otter and osprey.

The oldest national park in the UK. It attracts about 10 million visitors a year, thanks in large part to its proximity to the major cities V northern England, making it one of the busiest national parks in the UK. Peak District is conditionally divided into the northern Dark Peak, where most of the territory is occupied by swamps and the South Peak, where most of the territory is occupied by limestone rocks.

What to photograph: The hills and cliffs of the park attract the attention of visitors and photographers, there are many valleys, streams, lakes and waterfalls. The Peak District has many interesting objects created during the industrial revolution, artificial fences, roads and the remains of mills will make the photos even more attractive.

US national parks

Grand Canyon, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is one of the iconic places in the United States of America. Grand Canyon extends almost 450 km in length. It was formed as a result of the impact of the Colorado River over thousands of years. The National Park is famous for its picturesque desert landscapes.

Yellowstone, Wyoming

The first national park in the world, famous for its geysers, hot springs burst out of the ground, making a unique impression on the audience. The park is home to many wildlife including grizzly bears and moose.

Rocky Mountain, Montana

On the Canadian border is Rocky Mountain Park, which has about 130 lakes and is home to thousands of plant species and hundreds of animal species.

Everglades, Florida

Everglades Park is a network of wetlands and forests, the park is home to 36 protected animal species, including panthers and American crocodiles.

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its unique geological structures that cut the sky with narrow peaks. The structures were formed as a result of weathering and erosion by the flow of sedimentary rocks.

Death Valley, California-Nevada border

Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. Here you will find a harsh desert landscape that, despite everything, attracts many species of animals.

Denali, Alaska

Denali is located around the highest mountain in North America. The landscape of Denali is a mixture of forest, tundra, glaciers and rocks.

This dramatic landscape includes two active volcanoes: Kilauea, one of the most active in the world, and Mauna Loa.

Yosemite, California

Yosemite is famous for its attractive El Capitan and Half Dome cliffs. There are beautiful steep waterfalls and ancient sequoias.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

The underground park is huge cave, with an area of ​​1220 m, 191 m wide and 78 m high. Photographers here will be amazed by the beautiful limestone cave landscapes.

National parks of Europe

Saxon Switzerland, Germany

The park features extremely beautiful rocky landscapes and canyons. IN Saxon Switzerland ancient coniferous trees grow.

The Swiss National Park is the oldest park in the Alps and provides protection to many rare animals. Mountain goats, marmots and countless varieties of birds live here.

Teide, Tenerife, Spain

The Teide Volcanic Peak is the most visited national park in Spain. It is known for its surreal landscapes and amazing views of the surrounding Canary Islands.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

A series of 16 lakes of different colors amaze the imagination of visitors to the Croatian National Park. The shades of water in the lakes change from crystal green to deep blue.

Vatnajokull, Iceland

Europe's largest glacier is located in Vatnajökull National Park. The glacier occupies about 8% of the entire territory of the country.

Cevennes, France

Cévennes is located in the mountainous region of France. Here you will see picturesque mountain scenery and gorges. There is a chain of cave systems in the park.

Olympus, Greece

Here is famous mountain Olympus, the highest mountain and the legendary home Greek gods. The park is rich in history, culture and ecological diversity.

Abruzzo, Italy

On the territory of the Abruzzo Park there are huge granite peaks and beech forests. Brown bear, wild lynx, wolves and royal eagles live in this mountainous wilderness.

Tatras, Slovakia

The oldest national park in Slovakia covers 741 square kilometer area. Pine and other coniferous trees grow here. There are many lakes in the park, and lives here big variety wild animals.

The Burren, Ireland

The Burren is the smallest of Ireland's six national parks. The area of ​​the park is only 15 square kilometers, but despite this there is something to see.

National parks of the world

Fiordland, New Zealand

The snow-capped mountain peaks of the national park will inspire any photographer. Most of the plots of the film The Lord of the Rings were filmed here. Dolphins, fur seals and penguins live in the park.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

This park is one of the best places, which are worth visiting in order to see the whole flavor of the African continent. Lions, African elephants, buffaloes, leopards and rhinos live here.

Banff, Canada

This is Canada's oldest National Park and is impressive for the wealthy. mountain ranges, densely wooded regions, glaciers and ice fields. Banff is home to grizzly bears, moose and bighorn sheep.

Goreme, Turkey

Turkey's National Park inspires photographers all over the world with its surreal landscapes, caves and oddly shaped hills.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The island's wildlife has evolved in isolation over millions of years, resulting in the park being home to unique animals and rare plant species.

Most of the park is occupied by mountains, one of which is the highest point on our planet - Mount Everest. The territory of the park strikes the imagination with rivers, glaciers and beautiful mountain landscapes.

Torres del Paine, Chile

The Torres del Paine National Park is home to the spectacular Andean peaks. Lakes, glaciers and mountain glades are presented to the attention of photographers. Here you can meet guanacos, cougars and rare birds.

Kakadu, Australia

Kakadu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The territory of the park is rich in spectacular waterfalls, rivers and swamps, and is home to many wild animals, including saltwater crocodiles.

Iguazu, Argentina / Iguazu, Brazil

We are talking about two Iguazu parks at once, one of which is located in Brazil, and the second in Argentina. calling card parks is a chain of beautiful waterfalls surrounded by jungle. The huge variety of birds living around the Iguazu Falls impresses the attention of visitors.

Serengeti, Tanzania

The Serengeti National Park is famous for the annual wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migration that passes through the park.

Fuji Hakone Izu, Japan

The most popular national park in Japan includes views of the dormant Mount Fuji, located in the center of the park. Fuji Hakone Izu is shrouded in clouds in spring and summer.

Zhangjiajie, China

Unique and inimitable mountain landscapes open to the eyes of visitors to Zhangjiajie Park in China. Within the park are tall pillars made of sandstone, resulting from many years of erosion caused by the expansion of ice.

The national park is named after a hunter who gave up his job and began to protect nature in order to save the Bengal tiger. It is the oldest national park in India and is home to Himalayan bears, leopards and elephants.

Canaima, Venezuela