National parks · countries

Countries with the Most National Parks

Australia has the most national parks — 912, many of them created by its states — followed by Thailand and India. In total 3,487 national parks are spread over 169 countries.

3,487

National parks worldwide

169

Countries with national parks

994,000 km²

Largest total: Greenland

Largest total national park area

994,000 km²

423,442 km²

343,007 km²

280,463 km²

242,299 km²

223,784 km²

190,572 km²

186,515 km²

163,543 km²

129,547 km²

Top 5%
Top 15%
Top 30%
Top half
Lower half
Bottom 25%

All countries by number of national parks

Rank	Country	National parks	Total area	Oldest park
1	Australia	912	423,442 km²	1898
2	Thailand	152	70,909 km²	1962
3	India	116	61,702 km²	1897
4	Brazil	87	280,463 km²	1937
5	United States	77	186,515 km²	1861
6	Mexico	70	163,543 km²	1917
7	Russia	64	190,572 km²	1925
8	Israel	60	69 km²	1
9	Indonesia	59	223,784 km²	1931
10	Türkiye	57	30,666 km²	1958
11	Ukraine	55	15,404 km²	1974
12	Canada	53	343,007 km²	1885
13	Chile	48	129,547 km²	1926
13	Norway	48	70,287 km²	1962
15	Finland	47	10,184 km²	1956
16	Pakistan	43	28,310 km²	1959
17	Venezuela	42	128,418 km²	1937
18	Philippines	41	57,250 km²	1904
19	Japan	40	27,095 km²	1934
20	Argentina	39	37,991 km²	1934
20	Colombia	39	123,202 km²	1964
22	China	38	58,133 km²	1978
23	Vietnam	34	115,079 km²	1960
24	Iran	32	20,360 km²	1964
24	Sweden	32	7,303 km²	1909
26	Greece	29	7,087 km²	1938
26	Italy	29	16,525 km²	1922
26	Kenya	29	32,034 km²	1593
29	Malaysia	28	8,988 km²	1957
30	Costa Rica	27	6,333 km²	1955
31	Sri Lanka	26	8,711 km²	1937
32	Guatemala	24	6,702 km²	1955
32	South Africa	24	50,239 km²	1926
34	Cameroon	23	33,732 km²	1932
34	Poland	23	3,139 km²	1932
36	South Korea	22	7,949 km²	1967
37	Tanzania	21	91,277 km²	1940
38	Zambia	20	60,221 km²	1938
39	Bangladesh	19	534 km²	1962
39	Belize	19	1,788 km²	1986
39	Honduras	19	8,017 km²	1959
39	Mongolia	19	100,367 km²	1965
39	United Kingdom	19	22,953 km²	1951
44	Ethiopia	18	91,349 km²	1959
45	Spain	17	4,814 km²	1918
45	Tunisia	17	8,208 km²	1977
47	Albania	16	3,295 km²	1956
47	Germany	16	7,452 km²	1970
47	Peru	16	95,256 km²	1961
50	Dominican Republic	15	5,054 km²	1956
51	Cuba	14	4,582 km²	1930
51	Ecuador	14	34,171 km²	1959
51	Kazakhstan	14	23,618 km²	1985
51	Nigeria	14	26,350 km²	1949
55	Bolivia	13	63,942 km²	1938
55	France	13	26,096 km²	1963
55	Gabon	13	28,833 km²	1994
55	Georgia	13	5,562 km²	1912
55	Nepal	13	13,359 km²	1973
55	New Zealand	13	28,856 km²	1887
55	Romania	13	2,799 km²	1988
55	Zimbabwe	13	33,927 km²	1926
63	Angola	12	242,299 km²	1957
63	Bahamas	12	2,055 km²	—
63	Madagascar	12	6,251 km²	1927
63	Panama	12	8,736 km²	1966
63	Uzbekistan	12	37,142 km²	1926
68	Morocco	11	26,920 km²	1942
68	Paraguay	11	7,859 km²	1975
68	Uganda	11	10,143 km²	1932
71	Algeria	10	1,824 km²	1983
71	Azerbaijan	10	3,344 km²	2003
71	Côte d'Ivoire	10	36,622 km²	1953
71	Egypt	10	94,429 km²	1983
71	Hungary	10	4,802 km²	1973
71	Myanmar	10	12,114 km²	1893
71	Slovakia	10	2,982 km²	1949
78	Austria	9	3,311 km²	1981
78	Cambodia	9	12,617 km²	1993
78	Haiti	9	305 km²	1983
78	Namibia	9	89,644 km²	1907
78	Taiwan	9	7,515 km²	1984
83	Croatia	8	977 km²	1949
83	DR Congo	8	93,859 km²	1925
83	Ireland	8	640 km²	1932
83	Mozambique	8	33,078 km²	1960
83	Uruguay	8	472 km²	1908
88	Belgium	7	441 km²	2006
88	Ghana	7	11,774 km²	1971
88	Guinea-Bissau	7	6,818 km²	1980
88	Serbia	7	1,725 km²	1960
92	Burkina Faso	6	5,387 km²	1967
92	Chad	6	19,918 km²	1961
92	Denmark	6	2,322 km²	2007
92	Kyrgyzstan	6	3,382 km²	1976
92	Libya	6	514 km²	1975
92	Montenegro	6	1,196 km²	1952
92	Republic of the Congo	6	30,732 km²	1935
92	Senegal	6	10,120 km²	1954
92	South Sudan	6	57,390 km²	1939
101	Central African Republic	5	32,300 km²	1960
101	Czechia	5	1,190 km²	1963
101	Latvia	5	2,161 km²	1973
101	Lithuania	5	1,555 km²	1974
101	Malawi	5	7,059 km²	1965
101	Seychelles	5	7 km²	1973
107	Armenia	4	2,335 km²	1978
107	Belarus	4	5,004 km²	1991
107	Bhutan	4	3,692 km²	1966
107	Bosnia and Herzegovina	4	470 km²	1962
107	El Salvador	4	60 km²	1987
107	Guinea	4	14,072 km²	1
107	Liberia	4	5,620 km²	1977
107	Mali	4	31,421 km²	1982
107	Nicaragua	4	231 km²	1971
107	North Macedonia	4	1,748 km²	1948
107	Rwanda	4	2,240 km²	1934
107	Somalia	4	3,340 km²	—
107	Sudan	4	24,010 km²	1935
120	Afghanistan	3	6,323 km²	2009
120	Benin	3	18,571 km²	1954
120	Botswana	3	19,180 km²	1967
120	Bulgaria	3	1,911 km²	1962
120	Burundi	3	998 km²	1933
120	Comoros	3	237 km²	—
120	Djibouti	3	14 km²	1939
120	Dominica	3	110 km²	1975
120	Equatorial Guinea	3	3,130 km²	1990
120	Gambia	3	170 km²	1978
120	Iceland	3	395 km²	2001
120	Mauritius	3	71 km²	1994
120	Sierra Leone	3	1,820 km²	1986
120	Tajikistan	3	320 km²	1991
120	Togo	3	2,143 km²	1954
135	Curacao	2	20 km²	1978
135	Eritrea	2	—	—
135	Greenland	2	994,000 km²	1974
135	Jamaica	2	—	1993
135	Kosovo	2	1,158 km²	2012
135	Lesotho	2	65 km²	1969
135	Mauritania	2	12,130 km²	1976
135	Moldova	2	338 km²	2013
135	Niger	2	2,200 km²	1937
135	Palestine	2	0 km²	103
135	Samoa	2	55 km²	2003
135	Saudi Arabia	2	46,500 km²	1981
135	Timor-Leste	2	1,236 km²	2007
135	Trinidad and Tobago	2	—	—
135	United Arab Emirates	2	1 km²	1982
150	Anguilla	1	—	—
150	Antigua and Barbuda	1	—	—
150	Aruba	1	—	2000
150	Barbados	1	—	—
150	Brunei	1	550 km²	1991
150	Cape Verde	1	85 km²	—
150	Eswatini	1	300 km²	1967
150	Fiji	1	35 km²	1989
150	Guyana	1	627 km²	1929
150	Isle of Man	1	—	1979
150	Jersey	1	—	—
150	Oman	1	220 km²	1997
150	Portugal	1	696 km²	1971
150	Qatar	1	—	2006
150	Saint Kitts and Nevis	1	0 km²	1987
150	Slovenia	1	840 km²	1981
150	Solomon Islands	1	—	—
150	Switzerland	1	170 km²	1914
150	Syria	1	—	—
150	Tonga	1	—	—

Data: Wikidata (CC0); park areas cross-checked with English Wikipedia.

Why some countries have so many

National parks are designated differently around the world: in Australia the states create their own national parks, while most countries have a short national list. Area tells a different story — the biggest protected landscapes are in Greenland, Australia, Canada and Brazil.

Related rankings

Frequently asked questions

Which country has the most national parks?

Australia with 912, then Thailand (152), India (116), Brazil (87) and United States (77).

How many national parks are there in the world?

About 3,487 national parks in 169 countries are listed in Wikidata.