National Parks:
They are the areas that are set by the government to conserve the natural environment.
- AÂ national park has more restrictions as compared to a wildlife sanctuary.
- Their boundaries are fixed and defined.
- The main objective of a national park is to protect the natural environment of the area and biodiversity conservation.
What is allowed and what is not allowed inside National Parks:
- Here, no human activity is allowed.
- Grazing of livestock and private tenurial rights are not permitted here.
- Species mentioned in the Schedules of the Wildlife Act are not allowed to be hunted or captured.
- No person shall destroy, remove, or exploit any wildlife from a National Park or destroy or damage the habitat of any wild animal or deprive any wild animal of its habitat within a national park.
- They cannot be downgraded to the status of a ‘sanctuary’.
Declaration of National Parks:
- National parks can be declared both by the Central Government and State governments. No alteration of the boundaries of a national park shall be made except on a resolution passed by the State Legislature.
Important facts about the National Parks in India
- Number of National 105
- Total area covered 40,501 sq.km.
- Maximum National Park state P. (9), Andaman & Nikobar (9)
- First National Park Jim Corbett National Park
- Largest National Park Hemis National Park
- Smallest National Park South Button National Park
- Latest National Park Kuno National Park
There are 104 existing national parks in India covering an area of 43,716 km2, which is 1.33% of the geographical area of the country
List of National Parks in India
As per the studies, India possesses more than 100 National Parks with an immense variety of fauna.
In the table below, we are giving the complete list of National Parks in India with their location, which will be helpful for your exam:
| Year of Establishment | Â Â Â Â Name of National Park | State |
| 1936 | Corbett National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1955 | Kanha National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1955 | Tadoba National Park | Maharashtra |
| 1959 | Madhav National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1968 | Bandhavgarh National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1974 | Kaziranga National Park | Assam |
| 1974 | Bandipur National Park | Karnataka |
| 1974 | Bannerghatta National Park | Karnataka |
| 1975 | Gir National Park | Gujarat |
| 1975 | Gugamal National Park | Maharashtra |
| 1975 | Navegaon National Park | Maharashtra |
| 1975 | Pench National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1976 | Blackbuck National Park | Gujarat |
| 1976 | Guindy National Park | Tamil Nadu |
| 1977 | Keibul-Lamjao National Park | Manipur |
| 1977 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim |
| 1977 | Dudhwa National Park | Uttar Pradesh |
| 1978 | Eravikulam National Park | Kerala |
| 1979 | Vansda National Park | Gujarat |
| 1979 | Van Vihar National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1980 | Simlipal National Park | Odisha |
| 1980 | Ranthambore National Park | Rajasthan |
| 1980 | Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park | Tamil Nadu |
| 1981 | Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) National Park | Chhattisgarh |
| 1981 | Dachigam National Park | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 1981 | Hemis National Park | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 1981 | Kishtwar National Park | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 1981 | Panna National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1981 | Sanjay National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1981 | Satpura National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1981 | Keoladeo Ghana National Park | Rajasthan |
| 1982 | Indravati National Park | Chhattisgarh |
| 1982 | Kanger Valley National Park | Chhattisgarh |
| 1982 | Marine National Park | Gujarat |
| 1982 | Periyar National Park | Kerala |
| 1982 | Nanda Devi National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1982 | Valley of Flowers National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1983 | Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1983 | Namdapha National Park | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 1983 | Fossil National Park | Madhya Pradesh |
| 1983 | Sanjay Gandhi National Park | Maharashtra |
| 1983 | Rajaji National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1984 | Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh |
| 1984 | Silent Valley National Park | Kerala |
| 1984 | Sunderban National Park | West Bengal |
| 1985 | Balpakram National Park | Meghalaya |
| 1986 | Mouling National Park | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 1986 | Betla National Park | Jharkhand |
| 1986 | Nokrek Ridge National Park | Meghalaya |
| 1986 | Neora Valley National Park | West Bengal |
| 1986 | Singalila National Park | West Bengal |
| 1987 | Middle Button Island National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1987 | Mount Harriet National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1987 | North Button Island National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1987 | Saddle Peak National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1987 | South Button Island National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1987 | Pin Valley National Park | Himachal Pradesh |
| 1987 | Anshi National Park | Karnataka |
| 1987 | Kudremukh National Park | Karnataka |
| 1988 | Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park | Karnataka |
| 1988 | Bhitarkanika National Park | Odisha |
| 1989 | Sri Venkateswara National Park | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1989 | Valmiki National Park | Bihar |
| 1989 | Sultan National Park | Haryana |
| 1989 | Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) National Park | Tamil Nadu |
| 1989 | Gangotri National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1990 | Manas National Park | Assam |
| 1990 | Mudumalai National Park | Tamil Nadu |
| 1990 | Mukurthi National Park | Tamil Nadu |
| 1990 | Govind National Park | Uttarakhand |
| 1991 | Murlen National Park | Mizoram |
| 1992 | Campbell Bay National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1992 | Galathea Bay National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1992 | Mollem National Park | Goa |
| 1992 | City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park | Jammu & Kashmir |
| 1992 | Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park | Mizoram |
| 1992 | Desert National Park | Rajasthan |
| 1992 | Sariska National Park | Rajasthan |
| 1992 | Buxa National Park | West Bengal |
| 1992 | Gorumara National Park | West Bengal |
| 1993 | Intanki National Park | Nagaland |
| 1994 | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park | Telangana |
| 1994 | Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali National Park | Telangana |
| 1994 | Mrugavani National Park | Telangana |
| 1996 | Rani Jhansi Marine National Park | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| 1998 | Nameri National Park | Assam |
| 1999 | Dibru-Saikhowa National Park | Assam |
| 1999 | Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park | Assam |
| 2003 | Kalesar National Park | Haryana |
| 2003 | Anamudi Shola National Park | Kerala |
| 2003 | Mathikettan Shola National Park | Kerala |
| 2003 | Pampadum Shola National Park | Kerala |
| 2004 | Chandoli National Park | Maharashtra |
| 2005 | Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) National Park | Andhra Pradesh |
| 2006 | Mukundra Hills National Park | Rajasthan |
| 2007 | Clouded Leopard National Park | Tripura |
| 2007 | Bison National Park | Tripura |
| 2008 | Papikonda National Park | Andhra Pradesh |
| 2010 | Inderkilla National Park | Himachal Pradesh |
| 2010 | Khirganga National Park | Himachal Pradesh |
| 2010 | Simbalbara National Park | Himachal Pradesh |
| 2014 | Jaldapara National Park | West Bengal |
Hemis National Park in Ladakh is the largest National Park in India. Hemis National Park is globally famous for its snow leopards, it is believed to have the highest density of them in any protected area in the world.
Ans. The first Marine National Park is located in the Gulf of Kutch and was created in 1982. It is situated on the southern shore of the Gulf of Kutch in the Devbhumi Dwarka district of Gujarat state.
Ans. The Keibul Lamjao National Park is a national park in the Bishnupur district of the state of Manipur in India. It is the only floating National Park in the world.
The Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest National Park in India. It is located in Uttrakhand and was established in 1936.
Ans. There are a total of 104 National Parks (as in January 2021) in India. They cover a total area of 40,564 km2, which is 1.23% of the geographical area of the country.