The American television channel CNN has compiled a rating of the 30 most beautiful national parks in the world. The evaluation criteria were the beauty of nature and picturesque places, safety and hospitality of local residents. The TV channel noted that US parks are not included in the rating.

30 PHOTOS

1. Received first place in the ranking National Park Iguazu Falls in Argentina. It is believed that the waterfalls on the Iguazu River, surrounded by tropical nature, are one of the most beautiful and spectacular places on Earth. (Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Adorno).
2. Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina took second place in the ranking. 30 percent of the park's territory is covered with ice, which is why it is also called the Patagonian Glacier Park. (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: national reserve Gandoca Manzanilla 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, 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 to be the most geographically remote inhabited island in the world from other islands and lands. (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 southeast Venezuela. This is where the tallest waterfall in the world, Angel Falls, is located. (Photo: Flickr/Heather Thorkelson)
9. Ninth place: Galapagos Islands National Park in Ecuador. The famous Galapagos tortoises, which give the islands their name, are the longest-living animal record holders - they live for more than two hundred years. (Photo: 123 RF).
10. Tenth place: Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. The park has extensive heathland where birds nest. (Photo: Flickr).
11. Eleventh place: Goreme National Park in Turkey, which is also a museum under open air— there are 350 Byzantine churches carved from rocks here. (Photo: 123 RF).
12. Twelfth place: Tatrzansky or Tatra 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 the Canyons Biosphere Reserve. (Photo: 123 RF).
16. Sixteenth place: Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia. Covering almost 50,000 square kilometers of mostly desert, it 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 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 protects the beautiful areas of the canyon, inhabited in the times of the first Christians by monks and Nabateans. (Photo: 123 RF).
21. Twenty-first place: Zhangjiajie National Park in China. This is where the famous movie Avatar was filmed. (Photo: 123 RF).
22. Twenty-second place: Naejangsan National Park in South Korea— it is especially beautiful in autumn. The park is hidden in the Naejangsan Mountains 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 waterfalls appeared, two twins lived in this place. One day, after a severe drought, one of them died, then the second twin climbed high rocks and began to curse the gods, when suddenly a spring began to flow from under his feet, which laid the foundation for the waterfalls. (Photo: 123 RF).
24. Twenty-fourth place: Minneriya National Park in Sri Lanka, whose main pride is its large population of elephants. (Photo: 123 RF).
25. Twenty-fifth place: Sundarbans National Park - a 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 strictly protected. There is also an animal rescue center here. (Photo: Flickr/Nisha D).
27. Twenty-seventh place: Bandhavgarh National Park, home to the largest population of tigers in all of India. (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 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 is the pancake limestone cliffs, as well as beautiful caves. (Photo: 123 RF).

Nature has created natural corners where peace and complete balance reign. There are many such places on Earth and they are all beautiful and interesting in their own way. Anyone who can feel this beauty and harmony has the right to consider himself truly happy. Preserving the integrity of nature and leaving it untouched is becoming increasingly difficult. Man and his economic activity upset this balance. Those corners that remain untouched are protected and called nature reserves. The most beautiful nature reserves in the world are presented in this article.

Yellowstone Nature Reserve

This place on Earth can be called one of the most beautiful. The Yellowstone Nature Reserve is located in the USA. For a long time they could not believe in the existence of such a corner on the planet. The lands had not yet been fully explored North America. This reserve includes 3,000 geysers of incredible beauty and height. This is two thirds of all sources in the world. There are also about 300 waterfalls, the height of which exceeds 4.5 meters.

The reserve is located among two huge canyons. Here you can meet a large number of representatives of flora and fauna. Such parks and reserves around the world are included in the list of natural sites World Heritage UNESCO. This unique park amazes with its beauty. Rivers, ravines, waterfalls, rocky mountains, thermal springs - all of this together represents a magnificent ensemble created by nature. The largest geyser is located here, which is called Parokhod. One of the springs, Old Faithful, is notable for the regularity of its eruptions. The height of the pillar reaches 40 meters. Most beautiful waterfall The Nizhny Nature Reserve has a height of 94 meters, which is twice as high as Niagara. The largest lake has an area of ​​350 square meters. Its depth exceeds 115 meters.

Karst lakes of Croatia

Natural reserves of the world are unusual and amazingly beautiful places. Plitvice is one of the unique corners of the planet created by nature. It consists of a huge forest area with 16 interconnected lakes. The park is located in the karst mountain region of Croatia. The territory of the reserve is 297 square kilometers. The lakes are located on the Plitvice plateau between two mountains.

The lakes are two groups that are interconnected by drainage. The total area of ​​the lakes is 2 square kilometers. Between the lakes there are dams created by nature. Plants and bacteria accumulate to form barriers. These natural barriers are growing at a rate of 1 centimeter per year. The lakes have an unusual color, from azure to blue. Their color may change depending on the fall sun rays and activity of microorganisms. Like many nature reserves around the world, this park is included in the World Heritage List.

Snowdonia

UK Snowdonia National Park is amazing corner of our planet. On its territory, with an area of ​​2 square kilometers, is located the most high mountain Wales - Snowdon. Places unique in their beauty do not leave any tourist indifferent. There are 2,381 kilometers of trails within the park. 264 kilometers of them are intended for walking, horseback riding and cycling. The fauna and flora of the reserve amazes with its diversity. Very rare birds and animals can be found here.

Serengeti National Park

The area is home to the Serengeti National Park. It is located between two attractions: Lake Victoria and Mount Kilimanjaro. All things considered, the Serengeti is the most beautiful pearl in this necklace.

The uniqueness of this park lies in the fact that a large number of animal species are represented here, including unique ones. It is considered very rare if there are buffalo, lion, giraffe, elephant and leopard in the territory. During the rainy season, herds of hundreds of thousands of zebras and wildebeest gather in the savannas in the east of the park. searching for water and food in such quantities is an unforgettable and majestic sight. The landscape in the park is also varied, from desert lands to green hills and wooded areas. Africa's reserves are among the most ancient on Earth.

Canada Canada Park

Banff National Park of Canada is one of the most beautiful places on the ground. It has everything: rocky mountains, eternal glaciers, picturesque landscapes, stormy rivers with crystal clean water, coniferous forests, mountain lakes, and many representatives of flora and fauna. The nature here is virgin and untouched by man. Therefore, animals feel free and safe here. The park is located on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

This is the largest nature reserve on the American continent. Its area is about 6.6 thousand kilometers. Rocky mountains of different origins alternate with deep valleys, which are covered with glacial formations. There are three climatic zones here: forest mountain, alpine and subalpine. Every corner of this park opens up beautiful landscapes that delight the tourist's eyes. All nature reserves in the world can be called unique in their own way. These are corners untouched by man, in which their own laws and rules reign.

Some governments make great efforts to protect certain areas in order to preserve the cultural and natural resources of their people for future generations.

There are more than 160 thousand protected areas in the world. In total, they occupy 10% of the entire surface of the planet. Here are the biggest ones:

The largest nature reserves in the world

1. Papahanaumokuakea (area – 1.5 million km²)

He was the first to propose the idea of ​​creating a conservation area in Hawaii. ex-president USA Theodore Roosevelt back in 1909. But only 100 years later, in 2006, George W. Bush, with the support of the US Departments of Commerce and the Interior, which allocated funding, created the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument.

And in 2016, Barack Obama nearly quadrupled the amount of protected area, making Papahānaumokuākea the largest nature reserve in the world.

It is home to more than 7 thousand species of various plant and animal species, including the endangered Hawaiian monk seal.

2. Northeast Greenland National Park (area – 972 thousand km²)

Considering that the national park covers the entire northern part of Greenland, it is recognized as one of the largest national parks in the world. Its dimensions are larger than area 163 of 195 existing states peace.

This national park is home to polar bears, walruses, arctic foxes, snowy owls and many other species, some of which are critically endangered. The park was created in 1974, over time its territory increased, and in 1977 it already received the status of a biosphere reserve of international importance.

3. Marine protected area of ​​the Chagos Archipelago (area – 544 thousand km²)

The territory of the world's largest marine protected area is under the patronage of Great Britain and is the largest reserve of marine flora and fauna on the planet.

The area of ​​the region is larger than France and is located 500 km south of the Maldives. The reserve covers seven atolls and coral islands with the most beautiful and diverse underwater natural world, playing a key role in the formation of the local ecosystem.

Chagos is home to more than 1,200 species of coral, various fish and one of the rarest species of sea turtles.

4. Kavango-Zambezi Transboundary Nature Reserve (area – 444 thousand km²)

The reserve covers the territory of several African countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There are several national parks here, including Chobe, Nhai Pan and Bwabwata, the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls.

Kavango-Zambezi was founded to protect the migration of animals from one country to another. The region's biological resources include one of the largest elephant populations on the African continent.

5. Phoenix Islands Protected Area (area – 408 thousand km²)

The protected area is located in the Republic of Kiribati and is the largest natural reserve of marine life in the Pacific Ocean.

These sites are connected to the mystery of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, a famous female pilot whose plane is believed to have disappeared in these waters in 1937.

Five of the eight protected islands are home to extremely rare and endangered bird species, attracting attention from tourists and researchers. Some areas of the reserve can be visited, but only with special permission.

6. Great Barrier Reef (area – 344.4 thousand km²)

One of Australia's most interesting natural attractions is undoubtedly the Great Barrier Reef, the largest collection of coral in the world. Many live here in one place exotic species marine flora and fauna.

The area was declared a national park because the corals were rapidly disappearing due to pollution. environment. Now, for example, tourists and surfers visiting a nature park are required to follow strict rules of conduct.

The Great Barrier Reef is located near the state of Queensland and consists of a chain of more than 900 islands and 2,900 individual reefs stretching over 2,600 kilometers in length.

Tourism in this region generates billions of dollars in revenue for Australia.

7. Galapagos Marine Reserve (area – 133 thousand km²)

The islands of the archipelago are located a thousand kilometers off the coast of Ecuador. The reserve is home to many species of sharks, whales, turtles, and fish. The remote location, the mixing of warm and cold sea currents, fresh and salty waters, contributed to the development of an extraordinary animal world.

Charles Darwin studied in detail different kinds animals that lived on these islands, and subsequently, based on the analysis of the data obtained, he developed his theory of evolution.

The greatest threat to the conservation of the region's biodiversity today is illegal fishing of fish, lobsters, sea cucumbers (holothurians) and some species of sharks.

8. Air and Tenere National Reserve (area – 77.36 thousand km²)

The protected area is located in Niger and is protected by UNESCO. The name appeared as a result of a combination of the names of the two regions where the reserve is located: the eastern part on the Air plateau, and the western part in the Tener Desert (part of the Sahara).

The reserve is home to various endangered species, and only some parts of it are accessible to tourists.

A distinctive feature of this territory are dunes, caves, canyons, underwater caves and other geographical features of various shapes and types that are found only in this part of the world.

There is a mountain made of real marble, as well as sand dunes with an ever-changing appearance.

9. Rangel St. Elias (area – 53.3 thousand km²)

This national park and wildlife refuge was created in 1980 and is located in southern Alaska and nine US states.

The park's 16 mountain peaks are the highest in the United States, and the landscapes are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.

10. Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (area – 37.6 thousand km²)

The protected area of ​​the park continues to expand and currently covers lands in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, uniting several national parks.

Animals inhabiting the area: African elephants, giraffes, leopards, hyenas, white rhinoceroses, cheetahs, mongooses, etc.

Tourism is developed here and various safaris are held. In addition to standard jeep tours, there are canoe tours, walking tours, and various events and festivals are held for guests.

As you can guess from the title, National Park Snowdonia is located in the Snowdon mountains. The elevation of 3,560 feet offers scenic views of the park. Lakes and rivers are set against a backdrop of trees and rocks, making the park an ideal place for relaxation and photo opportunities. Within the boundaries of Snowdonia Park, visitors can also admire ancient castles. History is the realm of legends and tales, which makes the park an even more fascinating place to visit. Sleep music is easy and relaxing to listen to

Grand Canyon, USA

Over hundreds of years, the Colorado River created this amazingly complex Grand Canyon. Every year, tourists flock to this place to admire its beauty, travel to the bottom of the canyon and set up camp. The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world and has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Canyon extends over 1,200,000 acres.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

One of the biggest national parks in the world, the Kruger Park covers millions of acres of land. It is home to a huge number of African animal species, including elephants, giraffes and many more. You can observe these animals from observation towers scattered throughout the park. The Kruger National Park also offers 9 different routes, including at night.

Deosai, Pakistan

Every spring, thousands of flowers and butterflies begin to bloom in Deosai National Park, forming a living carpet, and this riot of colors makes this place fabulously beautiful. Of course, it is advisable to visit the park in the spring, although it is beautiful all year round.

Kakadu National Park, Australia

The Australian government and Aboriginal people work together to care for such a beautiful national park Cockatoo. The park is a World Heritage Site and its stunning views attract tourists all year round. One of the most interesting attractions of the park is the Aboriginal rock art that can be found in the area. It is also home to a range of animals, including the saltwater crocodile.

Hortobagy, Hungary

Hortobagy became the first national park in Hungary. It was declared as a national park in 1973. In 1999, the park was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. Home to wild horses and a range of endangered birds, Hortobagy Park is home to over 342 bird species and is a true birdwatcher's paradise.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

This area of ​​Croatia is ideal for holidays and hiking, with stunning mountainous terrain dotted with lakes and streams. The uniqueness of the reservoirs of this park is that the water contains travertine. This gives the water perfect clarity as well as a very vibrant blue-green hue.

Madain Saley National Historical Park, Saudi Arabia

While many parks have dense vegetation, Madain Salei consists almost entirely of desert and rocks. The amazing oases and attractions of the park will blow your mind. The ancient burial ground in the park is also beautiful. More than 125 graves and facades were carved into the rock sometime between 500 BC. and 100 AD. They are still in excellent condition and are certainly worth a visit if you are in the area.

Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Here you can admire Everest, as well as its adjacent mountains, monasteries and villages. National Park serves as a home for mountain goats, which balance perfectly while climbing dangerous sheer cliffs.

Iguazu National Park, Argentina and Brazil

National Park Iguazu is located in Argentina and Brazil. Iguazu Falls is actually made up of hundreds of waterfalls in a circle of curved rock. The park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including howler monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and caimans.