Ecology-and-environment / Biodiversity & Biodiversity Conservation / What is a National Park?
What is a National Park?
- An area, whether within a sanctuary or not, can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National Park, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment. No human activity is permitted inside the national park except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state under the conditions given in CHAPTER IV, WPA 1972. There are 101 existing national parks in India covering an area of 40,564.00 km2, which is 1.23% of the geographical area of the country (National Wildlife Database, December, 2019).
| S. No | Name of State | Name of Protected Area | Year of Notification | Area (in km2) |
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Papikonda | 2008 | 1012.8588 |
| 2 | Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) | 2005 | 2.3952 | |
| 3 | Sri Venkateswara | 1989 | 353.62 | |
| 4 | Arunachal Pradesh | Mouling | 1986 | 483 |
| 5 | Namdapha | 1983 | 1807.82 | |
| 6 | Assam | Dibru-Saikhowa | 1999 | 340 |
| 7 | Kaziranga | 1974 | 858.98 | |
| 8 | Manas | 1990 | 500 | |
| 9 | Nameri | 1998 | 200 | |
| 10 | Rajiv Gandhi (Orang) | 1999 | 78.81 | |
| 11 | Bihar | Valmiki | 1989 | 335.65 |
| 12 | Chhattisgarh | Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) | 1981 | 1440.71 |
| 13 | Indravati (Kutru) | 1982 | 1258.37 | |
| 14 | Kanger Valley | 1982 | 200 | |
| 15 | Goa | Mollem | 1992 | 107 |
| 16 | Gujarat | Blackbuck (Velavadar) | 1976 | 34.53 |
| 17 | Gir | 1975 | 258.71 | |
| 18 | Marine (Gulf of Kachchh) | 1982 | 162.89 | |
| 19 | Vansda | 1979 | 23.99 | |
| 20 | Haryana | Kalesar | 2003 | 46.82 |
| 21 | Sultanpur | 1989 | 1.43 | |
| 22 | Himachal Pradesh | Great Himalayan | 1984 | 754.4 |
| 23 | Inderkilla | 2010 | 94 | |
| 24 | Khirganga | 2010 | 705 | |
| 25 | Pin Valley | 1987 | 675 | |
| 26 | Col. Sherjung Simbalbara | 2010 | 27.88 | |
| 27 | Jharkhand | Betla | 1986 | 226.33 |
| 28 | Karnataka | Anshi | 1987 | 417.34 |
| 29 | Bandipur | 1974 | 872.24 | |
| 30 | Bannerghatta | 1974 | 260.51 | |
| 31 | Kudremukh | 1987 | 600.57 | |
| 32 | Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) | 1988 | 643.39 | |
| 33 | Kerala | Anamudi Shola | 2003 | 7.5 |
| 34 | Eravikulam | 1978 | 97 | |
| 35 | Mathikettan Shola | 2003 | 12.82 | |
| 36 | Pambadum Shola | 2003 | 1.32 | |
| 37 | Periyar | 1982 | 350 | |
| 38 | Silent Valley | 1984 | 89.52 | |
| 39 | Madhya Pradesh | Bandhavgarh | 1968 | 448.842 |
| 40 | Dinosaur Fossils | 2011 | 0.897 | |
| 41 | Fossil | 1983 | 0.27 | |
| 42 | Pench | 1975 | 292.857 | |
| 43 | Kanha | 1955 | 941.793 | |
| 44 | Kuno | 2018 | 748.761 | |
| 45 | Madhav | 1959 | 375.23 | |
| 46 | Panna | 1981 | 542.66 | |
| 47 | Sanjay | 1981 | 464.643 | |
| 48 | Satpura | 1981 | 528.729 | |
| 49 | Van Vihar | 1979 | 4.452 | |
| 50 | Maharashtra | Chandoli | 2004 | 317.67 |
| 51 | Gugamal | 1975 | 361.28 | |
| 52 | Nawegaon | 1975 | 133.88 | |
| 53 | Pench (Jawaharlal Nehru) | 1975 | 257.26 | |
| 54 | Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli) | 1983 | 86.96 | |
| 55 | Tadoba | 1955 | 116.55 | |
| 56 | Manipur | Keibul-Lamjao | 1977 | 40 |
| 57 | Shiroi | 1982 | 100 | |
| 58 | Meghalaya | Balphakram | 1986 | 220 |
| 59 | Nokrek Ridge | 1997 | 47.48 | |
| 60 | Mizoram | Murlen | 1991 | 100 |
| 61 | Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) | 1992 | 50 | |
| 62 | Nagaland | Intanki | 1993 | 202.02 |
| 63 | Odisha | Bhitarkanika | 1988 | 145 |
| 64 | Simlipal | 1980 | 845.7 | |
| 65 | Rajasthan | Desert | 1992 | 3162 |
| 66 | Keoladeo Ghana | 1981 | 28.73 | |
| 67 | Mukundra Hills | 2006 | 200.54 | |
| 68 | Ranthambhore | 1980 | 282 | |
| 69 | Sariska | 1992 | 273.8 | |
| 70 | Sikkim | Khangchendzonga | 1977 | 1784 |
| 71 | Tamil Nadu | Guindy | 1976 | 2.7057 |
| 72 | Gulf of Mannar Marine | 1980 | 526.02 | |
| 73 | Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) | 1989 | 117.1 | |
| 74 | Mudumalai | 1990 | 103.23 | |
| 75 | Mukurthi | 1990 | 78.46 | |
| 76 | Telangana | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy | 1994 | 1.425 |
| 77 | Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali | 1994 | 14.59 | |
| 78 | Mrugavani | 1994 | 3.6 | |
| 79 | Tripura | Clouded Leopard | 2007 | 5.08 |
| 80 | Bison (Rajbari) | 2007 | 31.63 | |
| 81 | Uttar Pradesh | Dudhwa | 1977 | 490 |
| 82 | Uttarakhand | Corbett | 1936 | 520.82 |
| 83 | Gangotri | 1989 | 2390.02 | |
| 84 | Govind | 1990 | 472.08 | |
| 85 | Nanda Devi | 1982 | 624.6 | |
| 86 | Rajaji | 1983 | 820 | |
| 87 | Valley of Flowers | 1982 | 87.5 | |
| 88 | West Bengal | Buxa | 1992 | 117.1 |
| 89 | Gorumara | 1992 | 79.45 | |
| 90 | Jaldapara | 2014 | 216.34 | |
| 91 | Neora Valley | 1986 | 159.8917 | |
| 92 | Singalila | 1986 | 78.6 | |
| 93 | Sunderban | 1984 | 1330.1 | |
| 94 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Campbell Bay | 1992 | 426.23 |
| 95 | Galathea Bay | 1992 | 110 | |
| 96 | Mahatama Gandhi Marine (Wandoor) | 1983 | 281.5 | |
| 97 | Mount Harriett | 1987 | 46.62 | |
| 98 | Rani Jhansi Marine | 1996 | 320.06 | |
| 99 | Saddle Peak | 1987 | 32.54 | |
| 100 | Jammu & Kashmir | City Forest (Salim Ali) | 1992 | 9.07 |
| 101 | Dachigam | 1981 | 141 | |
| 102 | Kazinag | 2000 | 90.88 | |
| 103 | Kishtwar High Altitute | 1981 | 2191.5 | |
| 104 | Ladakh | Hemis | 1981 | 3350 |
