What are national parks? Reserves and national parks of the world

The real paradises of our planet are national parks, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, protected and preserved by man - this is an integral part of the wealth of the natural world. Striking with their relief beauty, they have a large range of plants and animals living in their characteristic territory. Huge squares with picturesque landscapes are open to tourists and travelers who want to make memories positive emotions and impressions from visiting these amazing places. The most beautiful national parks in the world presented later in the article.

1. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite national park (Yosemite) is a nature reserve with an area of ​​3081 km², located in the western Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, USA. The wide and abundant composition of natural attractions, as well as the large number of hiking trails and routes, allow it to be the second most visited park in the country.

Mighty granite rocks, vast valleys and meadows combine with fast rivers and blue lakes. Gorgeous waterfalls, dense groves and forests are an ideal find for lovers natural beauty. The park is home to more than 250 species of vertebrate animals, the most famous of which are the baribal bear, gray fox, black-tailed deer, and red lynx. Among the vegetation in large quantities Coniferous trees predominate: fir, sequoia, and various pine families.

Yosemite Park attracts tourists with its most soulful and fabulous views on winter days, when frozen rivers and waterfalls along with snowy mountain ranges and forests give an unforgettable feeling of delight and tranquility.

IN American state Arizona is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful national parks in the world. Since 1979, it has been a center of beauty, peace and scenic grandeur. Asymmetrical forms of naked ancients rocks parks represent one of the bright examples soil erosion. The area of ​​the Grand Canyon is 4927 km².

The nature of the park is quite diverse, including forests and stone peaks of cliffs, overgrown with small bushes. Lodgepole pine, Utah juniper, and mountain oak are the numerically dominant trees present. The warm, sunny areas of the canyon are home to desert plants such as bananas, yuccas and cacti. Adapted to favorable living conditions, many species of animals have a wide composition characteristic of a given area. The most common mammals found are black-tailed deer, bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyotes, beavers, ground squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits and bats.

Divided by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon is unparalleled for its panoramic views, impressive cliff sizes and unique landscapes. Rocks are made up of thick rocks of different ages, are perfectly preserved and clearly stand out in the canyon walls.

3. Banff Park

Canada's first and oldest national park is the Nature Reserve. Banff, having an area of ​​6641 km² and founded in 1885 in the province of Alberta.

The park is located on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, which with their mighty snowy peaks inspire travelers and tourists from all over the world. Stone rocks, clean mountain air, waterfalls, dense coniferous forests with crystal-clear lakes Louise, Peita, Bow and Moraine truly beckon with their beauty and grandeur. In some places there are several hot springs with mineral water, used by visitors for preventive and therapeutic procedures.

For wild animals such as bears, wolverines, goats and chipmunks, forest and mountainous areas have become a permanent habitat. The flora is represented mainly by evergreen trees and shrubs.

The city of Banff itself annually welcomes a huge number of lovers of outdoor activities and extreme sports. The Rocky Mountains are literally dotted with trails, slopes and roads for snowboarders, skiers, ATVs, sleds and snowmobiles.

4. Los Glaciares Park

Beautiful in Argentina Los Glaciares National Park known for its eternal glacial blocks and massifs, occupying almost a third of the entire territory. The park has existed since 1937, founded in the province of Santa Cruz and located along the border with Chile and the southern part of the mountain range on the Argentine side.

The picturesque and harsh region of ice covers an area of ​​4459 km² with complex relief cliffs up to 3.5 km. The name of the park comes from the huge ice cap, which is represented by 47 glaciers sliding from the Andes mountains to the Atlantic coast. Glacial margins usually end in small and large lakes.

The vegetation of Los Glaciares is represented by a variety of herbs, shrubs and trees that have the ability to tolerate quite low temperatures. The largest population among animals is represented by herbivorous species: llama, Andean deer, guanaco, chinchillas. The main predator here is the mountain puma.

Tourists can visit the park's main features year-round, such as Mount Fitz Roy, Lago Argentino and Viedma lakes, and the great Patagonian Ice Sheet.

5. Goreme Park

One of the ten most beautiful natural reserves in the world is a historical and unique place in the Turkish province of Cappadocia, which covers an area of ​​300 km² and is famous for its original landscapes with pointed rock formations resembling stone cones. The valleys of Goreme, formed as a result of volcanic eruptions and the influence of natural elements, have amazing and bizarre relief forms. The most famous valleys of Love, Red, Pink and Blue deserve special attention as well as the park's local shrines. The randomly scattered small rocks and peaks are made of tuff, a volcanic rock material that can be easily processed.

The collection of churches and monasteries constitutes a Museum under open air with centuries-old history and culture. All religious institutions are accessible to visitors and are comfortable havens for all Christians.

Throughout many years, residents of other countries who fled from government oppression, built many caves with winding passages in the high tuff hills, which later turned into a real city. Small villages and cave structures with their ancient past attract tourists from all over the world.

6. Namib-Naukluft Park

Namib-Naukluft National Park- the fourth largest nature reserve in the world, located in the heart of the African Namib Desert. The park's territory is about 50,000 km², located between a central high plateau and a vast plain.

The landscape design is represented by granite Naukluft cliffs with sparse vegetation, gypsum and quartz plains, as well as sand dunes and shallow canyons.

Due to the hot climate and lack of rain, which can last for several decades, the plant world has a small population. However, some endemic species, such as the Welwitschia tree, are quite adapted to arid areas. Among the animals, the most popular are large mammals: elephants, lions, rhinoceroses and ungulate species. Reptiles, birds and insects also predominate in large numbers.

The main attractions of the park are: the Sossusvlei clay plateau, Sesrim Canyon, Welwitschia Plains and the Dead Valley with the skeletons of dried trees. The desert region of Namib-Naukluft has little attraction for tourists, as difficult and long routes are combined with lifeless places and unfavorable conditions.

7. Swiss National Park

The most beautiful natural reserves include Swiss national park. It was founded on August 1, 1914 in the canton of Graubünden, and is a protected site with strict rules visits for tourists. It covers an area of ​​172.4 km², which is located at an altitude of 1400 to 3175 meters above sea level. Switzerland's only nature reserve and the first park in Central Europe is located in the foothills of the Alps and the Engadin Valley.

Wide alpine meadows, snowy peaks, clean lakes and pine forests lure nature lovers from all countries with their splendor. There are 21 hiking trails in the reserve, each approximately 80 km long. Tourist routes provide the opportunity to see many species of various animals and a rich flora. Among the mammals there are brown bears, mountain goats, lynx, martens, and marmots. The fauna is represented by deciduous and evergreen forests, wild flowers and grasses, which have favorable conditions for life in the alpine region.

A visit to the park at any time of the year is wonderful in its own way, and walks in the fresh mountain air add an unforgettable dose of positivity for any visitor.

8. Torres del Paine Park

Known for its spectacular landscapes, forests, jagged rock peaks and scattering of waterways, the beautiful Torres del Paine National Park deserves the attention of every traveler who comes to southern Patagonia. Located in the Torres del Paine and Cuernos del Paine mountain ranges, the park occupies 2,420 km² of territory in southern Chile and is a biosphere reserve.

The granite snow-capped cliffs, as part of the sprawling Andes range, are dotted with glaciers, waterfalls, fast-flowing rivers and lakes with iridescent hues of color from the bright sunlight. The park's most unique features include Glacier Gray, the Horns, French Valley and the Tower Mountains.

Amazing landscapes with stony deserts, grassy tundras and plains, as well as a vast composition of flora and fauna give the combination perfect beauty and harmony.

Among the wild animals in the reserve, the most common are pumas, skunks, foxes, guanacos and the Chilean deer, which is depicted on the country's coat of arms. The park is home to many birds, including birds of prey: hawks, condors, owls.

The vegetation here, as a decoration for any area, is represented by numerous mosses, shrubs, evergreen trees and colorful flowers and herbs.

Excellent conditions have been created for tourists to have a wonderful time in the reserve. Convenient routes and small wooden rest houses provide comfort and coziness during long journeys around the park.

9. Jasper Park

Picturesque Jasper national park, founded in 1907, is located in the Canadian province of Alberta. Occupying total area more than 10,878 km², the park combines the mountain landscapes of the Main and Front Ranges, as well as the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Main natural resources The park includes snow-capped mountains, river valleys, glaciers, roaring waterfalls, clear lakes and meadows. The glacier and waterfall, collectively known as Athabasca, together complete a colorful picture among the park's main attractions.

Favorable climatic conditions in the Jasper Nature Reserve have created a permanent habitat for a large composition of animals and flora. The extensive forests contain varieties of evergreen trees that are quite common in these areas, such as larch, yellow and Weymouth pines, Engelmann and Douglas fir, and juniper.

Among the animals, the largest populations are grizzly bears, wolves, moose, beavers, wolverines, deer, and Canadian lynxes.

Canada's largest natural site delights its visitors with the opportunity to organize various types activities - fishing, sports game events, extreme sports, hiking and horseback riding, biking and canoeing, rafting, as well as many other recreation options depending on the choice of visiting guests.

10. Zhangjiajie Park

Zhangjiajie- one of the most beautiful national parks in China. It is located in the scenic area of ​​Wulingyuan and is the first national forest reserve in China, founded in 1982. The park has become world famous for its landscapes of lush subtropical forests, clear mountain streams, caves and more than 3,000 quartzite rocks resembling tall stone pillars up to 200 m high.

Zhangjiajie's area is about 479.15 km². Thanks to the humid climate and vegetation, the quartzite rocks scattered throughout the park are the result of centuries of erosion.

The complex topography, deep ravines, as well as heavy rainfall and dense forests, provide excellent habitat for animals and plants. The park has 116 species of vertebrates, about 720 species of plants and trees, as well as 30 rare endemic flora and fauna.

There are more than a hundred large and small karst caves in the mountain ranges. There are convenient walking paths for tourists, as well as a glass bridge on Tianmen Mountain at an altitude of 1430 m. The park has unique natural attractions such as Tianzi Mountain and the Heavenly Gate, Suoxi Valley, Golden Whip Stream and Yellow Dragon Cave.

What is a reserve? Is it significantly different from a national park? In both cases, these are protected areas created with the aim of preserving natural areas in an unchanged form and preserving their flora, fauna, geological or other natural features, as well as the gene pool of animals and plant species. Such zones provide unique opportunity for observation and scientific research their natural environment and inhabitants. The main difference: in the reserves the admission of unauthorized persons is prohibited and any human activity, except for conservation and scientific ones, and tourism and limited economic activities are allowed in national parks.

Jurisdiction

Nature reserves (reserves) can be designated and supervised by government and research institutions, charitable organizations, and in some cases, private landowners. Depending on their level of protection, nature reserves fall into different categories of the IUCN, that is, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, represented by local legislation. In case of unique global significance, the object falls under the protection of UNESCO. IN Russian Federation 100 nature reserves and 50 national parks are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

History of modern reserves

The world's first modern nature reserve was created in 1821 by naturalist explorer Charles Waterton around his family estate in West Yorkshire. He spent £9,000 (an incredible amount at the time) building a 3-mile, 9-foot-high wall to keep poachers out of his park. Then for the first time the concept was applied: what is a reserve. In this territory, Waterton created favorable conditions mainly for the life and reproduction of wild birds, of which he made scientific observations.

The first state reserve was Drachenfels, established in Germany in 1836, when the Prussian government bought the site to protect it from mining.

Yellowstone in Wyoming, USA - the first largest national reserve park, based on an area of ​​8991 sq. km in 1872. It was followed by: the Royal National Park near Sydney in Australia (1879) and the Barguzin Nature Reserve of Imperial Russia (1916), first created by the government entirely for scientific study nature.

Biosphere Reserve

A natural park or reserve can belong to one of three types: biosphere, botanical and mineralogical, or be complex.

There are 669 biosphere reserves created on the planet, of which 564 reserves make up the World Wide Web: a special international project, developed and organized under the UNESCO program. Its main task is to preserve a stable ecosystem, plant and animal gene pool of various natural zones of the planet, and also to comprehensively study natural environment and the biological diversity of these and adjacent areas. Biosphere reserves are created on the basis of existing natural national parks and reserves. 120 countries took part in the program. There are 37 reserves of this kind in Russia.

What is a botanical reserve?

This is an area where it is important to preserve the unique flora: endangered, relict and endemic species listed in the national or international Red Book. For this purpose, the natural landscape is preserved and natural conditions for the propagation of these plants, for example, the Khomutovskaya steppe reserve, where 1028 hectares of the steppe zone are preserved in pristine condition.

Mineralogical reserves

These are reserves where the natural state of special natural standards is preserved: valuable from a scientific point of view, geological and mineralogical formations. Such reserves are mainly created in places with karst caves, mineral springs, salt lakes, waterfalls, geyser and volcanic geolandscapes, caves, ore veins with a rich variety of minerals and other interesting geological objects and phenomena. The first specialized object of this kind in the world was Yellowstone, and in Russia - the Ilmensky Nature Reserve (1920) in the Urals.

Complex reserves

The term “museum-reserve” appeared in Soviet Russia, since 1922 it was first applied to the “Pushkin Corner”. And since the 50s it has become established state uniform assigning to some historical and cultural complexes, with their adjacent territories, the status of museum-reserves, which determined their preservation and financing.

Now in Russia there are about a hundred museum-reserves, which can be divided into several types, based on what objects are located on their sites. This can be a combination of objects and territories of historical, architectural, archaeological, artistic, military, and even scientific and technical origin. But what are complex reserves? Each of these museums, in addition to the main profile, combines several purposes: artistic-historical, architectural-historical, historical-archaeological, military-historical and others. Therefore, all museum-reserves can be considered complex.

Natural national parks and reserves can also be complex, when a scientifically interesting landscape with geological and mineralogical formations forms a special environment for unique flora and habitats of rare species of animals. And such a combination is not often found on the planet.

Each country has special state-protected areas - natural national parks. The definition of this place is special meaning, since their territory contains important natural, cultural or environmental sites under the protection of the state. Parks have different purposes, but they all have one thing in common common features- these places are interesting for tourists to visit; along their paths it is pleasant to contemplate beautiful landscapes, and unique nature delights with its uniqueness. Let's figure out what national parks are. Let's look at the definition further.

What is it?

The general interpretation of the concept has been accepted. It defines what a national park is - a part of land or body of water in which there are natural unique objects that have environmental, historical and aesthetic value. Their purpose is to perform one of the functions: environmental, recreational, educational or cultural.

There are three ramifications in connection with which states felt the need to create national parks. Each country chose the definition (what it is) based on the purposes of its creation. So, these goals were:

1. Creation of a park exclusively for tourism and recreation. For example, Yellowstone Park (USA), Banff (Canada). What these national parks are is determined by their purpose, which is to entertain people. Today, Yellowstone Park is visited by several thousand tourists a day. This is a huge territory where there are geysers, volcanoes, canyons, waterfalls, forests with wild animals and much more. Visiting this place is a real adventure.

2. Designation of a certain territory that has already been a place of tourist pilgrimage, and in the future will be a national park. This transition is associated with the presence of natural objects that need to be additionally protected by the state. For example, the Bavarian Forest on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic, or Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus. The latter was created to protect the unique European forest, the history of which dates back to ancient times.

3. Organization of the territory under the ban on the use of its wealth. Consider from this point of view, the definition of a protected area is associated with the presence of important plants, animals, or historical objects in which scientific interest is expressed. The park is created solely for the purpose of studying such objects.

Ecology

What is a national park (definition from the point of view of ecological importance) is a purposeful fencing of a territory, limiting its visits by people to preserve a unique ecosystem, a habitat of rare animals or plants.

Ecotourism has been gaining popularity lately. This is a journey into natural areas with the goal of exploring and gaining a greater understanding of the world that surrounds us. Life in cities traps people within stone walls, and they become further and further from nature. Ecotourism aims to connect people, flora and fauna. Traveling for this purpose, tourists turn off gadgets, leave computers and work, and retire with Mother Earth.

Types of ecotours

Depending on the object of visit, ecotours are divided into the following types:

• Those who study only plants.
• For the purpose of observing animals.
• Separately, there are eco-tours for watching wild birds (very popular in Europe).
• Geological - the study of the earth's interior, stones, soil.
• Ethnographic - visiting original settlements that have preserved their ancient foundations. In Russia, such parks have been preserved on the territory of the Chuvash Republic and the Mari El Republic.
• Archaeological. For example, it stores the remains of the largest settlements of Volga Bulgaria of the 9th-12th centuries.
• Tours to visit historical places. Interesting objects in such structures are architectural buildings, architectural monuments, and museums.

In biology

Let's look at the definition for children. A national park is a place where people and Mother Nature can retire. This area is a model of natural landscape, where there are bizarre waterfalls, unusual trees, endangered animals or beautiful mountain peaks.

Parks play a vital role in biology. It is easy to conduct research on their territory; special groups are created for this purpose. Here they are saved and restored rare species flora and fauna. Environmental education and scientific activities are carried out for children.

Difference from the reserve

Let's consider the definition by geography. A national park is an area where human activity is limited for the purpose of protecting environment.

In the reserve, human activity is not only limited, it is completely prohibited. While tourism is encouraged in the national park, it is strictly limited in the reserve. It is prohibited to hunt, gather, fish, etc. The ecosystem has exclusively scientific value, and only people with permission can study it. Nature reserves are created in places where there is a halo of habitat for endangered species of plants and animals.

What are complexes: definition

A national park often does not stand alone. Infrastructure for entertainment and recreation of people is being developed around it. Thus, restaurants, hotels, places for camping and equipment rental, cultural and educational centers, museums, etc. are often located near the entrance to the territory. Such infrastructure is called a complex.

For example, the museum complex of the Curonian Spit National Park. Here is the main exhibition, which tells about the nature of the Curonian Spit, about the role of man in the destruction and restoration of the fragile ecosystem of the peninsula.

The complex includes the museums "Ancient Sambia" and the museum "Superstition". Nearby is the cafe "Kurena".

The largest national parks in Russia

1. “Yugyd Va” - spread out across the forest and mountain expanses of the Komi Republic. Its area is 18917.01 km2.

2. "Beringia" in Chukotka. This distant region preserves unique northern relics - plants and trees from ancient times. The territory area is 18194.54 km2.

3. It so happened that the largest parks occupied the northern latitudes. Another unique museum nature - "Russian Arctic" in Arkhangelsk region. Occupies such natural zones as tundra, forest-tundra and taiga. The total territory is 14260 km 2.

Characteristic features of natural parks

Features that distinguish this protected area from a reserve:

• The flora and fauna have unique features that differ from the characteristic natural zone of the region. It is of scientific interest and subject to study.
• Economic activity did not damage the fragile natural world this zone.
• The country's authorities prohibit or restrict economic activities, including cutting down trees, using the riches of the earth's subsoil, hunting, fishing to preserve geomorphological, environmental and aesthetic features.
• Visits to the park are permitted only for strictly defined purposes: recreation, excursions, scientific activities.

Thus, we see what a national park is. Its definition characterizes the features of the territory described above. These places with unique natural objects need to be preserved and studied. The main difference from the reserve is the number of people visiting it. In the national park it is practically unlimited; it is more difficult to get into the reserve. Researchers or tourists are allowed there in strictly limited numbers to study biological systems.

Regarding common features, then these two territories are protected by law, it is impossible to conduct business in them economic activity, and you can make fires and put up tents only in designated areas.

national park

NATIONAL PARK (natural national park) is a territory (water area) in which landscapes and unique natural objects are protected. It differs from the reserve in allowing visitors for recreation. The world's first Yellowstone National Park was founded in 1872 in the USA. By 1982, more than 1,200 national parks and other protected areas similar to them in organization had been created in the world, an area of ​​more than 2.7 million km2, incl. Banff, Gauja, Kaziranga, Corbett, Lahemaa, Serengeti, Tsavo.

National Park

a protected area of ​​territory (water area) with an intact natural complex, often with unique objects (waterfalls, canyons, picturesque landscapes, etc.). In some cases, a national park is an analogue of a nature reserve, from which it fundamentally differs in the admission of visitors for recreation. At first, rural settlements were created as areas protected by the state (nation) from private entrepreneurs who predatorily exploited natural resources. The first National Park - Yellowstone (USA) - was created in 1872. By 1973, there were over 1000 National Parks in 98 countries (see the map at the station of the Reserve). In many countries, N.P. are established by the highest legislative body of the state. In a number of countries (USA, Japan, etc.), excessive visits to the village create a threat to unique natural objects, therefore measures are being taken to appropriately organize the territory of the village and adjacent areas. In the USSR, the villages of Lahemaa in Estonia (1969) and Gauja in Latvia (1973) were created by resolutions of the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR and the Latvian SSR. Lit.: United Nations List of National Parks and equivalent reserves, 2 ed Brux., 197

V. L. Borisov.

Wikipedia

National Park

National park- a territory where human activity is limited for environmental protection purposes.

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 activity is allowed on a limited scale.

For example, the definition of the Moscow National Park is given in Moscow Law No. 48 “On Specially Protected Natural Areas in Moscow” dated September 26, 2001: National Park - specially protected natural area of federal significance, located on the territory of the city of Moscow and having special environmental, environmental, educational and recreational significance as a unique natural complex exceeding 500 hectares in area, characterized by high natural diversity and the presence of rare or well-preserved typical natural communities, rare and vulnerable plant species and animals. The use of the territory of the national park is permitted for environmental, educational, scientific purposes and for regulated rest population in places specially designated for this purpose.

Yellowstone, established in 1872, is considered the first national park, although specially protected areas have been known since the Middle Ages. The largest is Northeast Greenland National Park, with an area of ​​972 thousand km², which exceeds the area of ​​163 countries in the world. This is approximately a fourth of the European part of Russia. At the same time, the area of ​​Hot Springs National Park in the USA is only 22 km².

First national parks, 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 truly high honor was given to the unique Yellowstone Plateau, rich in geysers and hot mineral springs, where Yellowstone National Park was opened in 1872. In 1916, the Service was created in the USA national parks. US national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Jasper, Olympic and others are now well known outside of North America.

The best nature reserves and national parks in the world

Since then, many have been discovered on all continents national parks. The first national park in Europe was created 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 American states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The park, founded on March 1, 1872, is famous for its numerous geysers, and Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest alpine lakes in North America– located in the crater of the largest supervolcano on the continent. Therefore, most of the park is covered with solidified lava.

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

In addition to geysers, the park contains about ten thousand different geothermal springs, including hot and hydrogen sulfide springs and mud volcanoes. Yellowstone is home to half of all geothermal springs in the world. In addition, about two thousand species of plants grow here, and several hundred species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish are found.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Name " Plitvice Lakes" was first recorded in 1777, in 1949 the lakes received the status national park, and 30 years later they were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are 16 large karst lakes, 140 waterfalls, and 20 caves in the park. Moreover, Plitvice Lakes is one of the few national parks a world where new waterfalls are born every year. What is especially characteristic of the park is the color of the water. The pictures of the lakes look like a photo montage, but the water here really has an azure color. You can admire it from wooden decks, the total length of which reaches 18 km.

The park also contains walking routes, a walk along the shortest of which takes two hours, and along the longest - eight. A boat also runs along 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, there is a unique beech and coniferous forest that has been preserved since ancient times and has the ability to regenerate itself.

Snowdonia, UK

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

Unlike nature reserves in other countries, Snowdonia, like other national parks around 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 walking trails, 264 km of trails for walkers and riders and 74 km of others open roads. Moreover, Mount Snowdon can be reached either along a picturesque 13 km long walking trail or by cable car. 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 its depth reaches 1600 m. The canyon was cut by the Colorado River through limestone, shale and sandstone about 5-6 million years ago. These are perhaps the most complete geological outcrops in the world, representing the history of the Earth over 1.5 billion years. Moreover, the canyon continues to grow today.

About 2 million people visit the Grand Canyon Reserve every year, and the most popular among tourists is rafting down the Colorado on inflatable rafts. The climate on the plateau and at the bottom of the canyon differs sharply - when at the top it is about fifteen degrees Celsius, at the bottom of the gorge, among the hot stones, the temperature rises to plus forty. Therefore, most tourists prefer to admire the canyon with observation platforms located on its banks. After all, in order to go down 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 territory. According to scientists, about five hundred species of birds and three million large animals live here. Moreover, a significant part of the animals (wildebeest and zebra) migrate annually 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. It is also home to the largest population of lions on the planet of any national park in the world. The Serengeti is also home to thousands of elephants, gazelles, hyenas, hippos and rhinoceroses. And the name of the park in the Maasai language means “endless plains,” because most of the Serengeti is 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 deepest lakes in 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 in New Zealand. In addition to picturesque fjords, waterfalls and rushing rivers, the park is famous for its rich flora and fauna.

Rare species of birds live in dense forests, for example, cockatoos. While visiting Fiordland, you might see bottlenose dolphins or penguins. One of the most popular places in the park is Milford Sound, which famous writer Rudyard Kipling called “the eighth wonder of the world.” The bay, about 16 km long, is surrounded by majestic mountains more than a kilometer high. Moreover, this is one of the wettest places on the planet: only every third day here is not marked by rain.

Iguazu, Argentina-Brazil

Name "Iguazu" comes from the Guarani words y (water) and guasu (big). 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, condemning 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 Argentine 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 in the complex. The height of the water fall on Igausa reaches 82 meters, but at most waterfalls it does not exceed 60 meters. You can view the waterfalls thanks to the bridges, the total length of which is about 2 km.

Banff National Park, Canada

Oldest Banff National Park Canada was founded in 1885. Two trans-Canada highways pass through the southern part of the park - a railway and a road. It is during 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, and ski slopes. The center of the park is the highest locality 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 Araucan Indian language means “Blue Towers”. It is the three needle-shaped granite mountains, whose height ranges from 2600 to 2850 m, that have become the symbol of the national park. The same high point Torres del Paine is the Paine Grande mountain, whose height is 3,050 m.

There are two routes through the park. One of them takes 4 days, the second – about a week. Moreover, the park is one of the most visited tourist sites in Chile. After all, there are glaciers here, high mountains, lakes, forests, many animals and birds live, and among the flowers you can even find orchids.

Tatra Mountains, Poland-Slovakia

Two Tatra national parks - one in Poland, the other in Slovakia - have common border length 64 km. This is the highest part of the Carpathians, the length of which is approximately 60 km. These mountains were formed by glaciers, so the Tatras have many U-shaped valleys, 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 consists 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 goat subfamily, weighing 30-35 kg, covered with thick hair. Despite conservation measures, these animals are still on the verge of extinction. The park also contains deer, wild boars, roe deer, as well as wolves, bears and lynxes. Thanks to its varied topography, the Tatra Mountains are a favorite holiday destination for ski lovers.