National Parks of India

India is a country in which the list of national parks is as big as this nation and its population. There are a total of 104 national parks in India. Due to which, India bags the third position in the list of the highest number of national parks in Asia, after China and Thailand. National parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India vary greatly, including the Tiger Reserve, Desert Sanctuary, Bird Sanctuary, Marine Park, and even a floating National Park. A national park is a group of one or more ecosystems that are protected from human access. At national parks, plants, trees, and conservation of many organisms and their habitats, as well as special scientific research related to them, are done. The boundaries of the national park are determined under Indian law.

What are National Parks?

An area, whether within a sanctuary or not, can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National Park because of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association, which is needed for the purpose of protecting, propagating, or developing wildlife to achieve environmental benefits. Most national parks are open to visitors restricted to sight-seeing purposes. 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.

National parks of India are IUCN category II protected areas. Hailey National Park is the first national park in India, which was established in the year 1936, at present the park is known as Jim Corbett National Park. There were only five national parks in India until 1970.

Projects like the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger were passed in the year 1972 and implemented strictly for the protection of wildlife. As a result, a total of 104 national parks have been established in India, whose total area is about 1.2% (40,501.13 sq km area) of the territory of India.

National Parks of India are further classified by state. These national parks are:

Andaman & Nicobar Island

Campbell Bay National Park: This national park is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is the main National Park of the state.
Galathea Bay National Park: The major attraction of the park is the variety of trees present here.
Mahatma Gandhi Marine (Wandoor) NP: This park is an extensive park spread over 281 sq km.
Middle Button Island National Park: This park was established in 1987 and is spread over 0.44 square km.
Mount Harriet National Park: Mount Harriet National Park is quite famous due to the birds present here. It is spread over 46 sq km and was built in 1987.
North Button Island National Park: Established in 1979, it is an island park.
Rani Jhansi Marine National Park: An extensive park spread over 256 km, which is founded in 1996.
South Button Island National Park: The park is spread over a total of 30 meters, and its main attraction is the aquatic creatures.
Saddle Peak National Park: Saddle Peak National Park is a national park in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. It was set up in 1979.

Andhra Pradesh

Papikonda National Park: This park was built in 2008, and is spread over a total of 1,013 sq km.
Sri Venkateswara National Park: This park was established in 1989 and is spread over 353 sq km.
Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram) National Park: Established in 2005, the park has a sand dune ecosystem.

Arunachal Pradesh

Mouling National Park: Established in 1986, and is spread over 483 sq km.
Namdapha National Park: The park was established in 1974, which is spread over 1985.24 sq km.

Assam

Dibru Saikhowa National Park: This park was established in 1999 and is spread over a total of 340 sq km. Its main attraction is the feral horses found here.
Kaziranga National Park: Known for the tiger present here, the park is spread over 858 km square and was established in 1974.
Manas National Park: This park has been declared as a heritage site by UNESCO.
Nameri National Park: This park was established in 1978, and is spread over a total of 137 sq km.
Orang National Park: Established in 1999, the park is spread over 78.81 sq km.

Bihar

Valmiki National Park: This park was established in 1976 and is spread over a total of 898.45 sq km.

Chhattisgarh

Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay) National Park: This park was established in 1981, and is spread over a total of 1440.71 square kilometers.
Indravati (Kutrue) National Park: Beautiful park is famous for its wild Asian buffaloes, and tiger conservation.
Kanger Valley National Park: This park was established in 1982, and is spread over a total of 200 sq km.

Goa

Mollem National Park: It is the only National Park in Goa, which was established in 1978. The park is spread over a total of 107 square kilometers.

Gujarat

Blackbuck National Park Velavadar: Established in 1976 and spread over a total of 34.08 sq km, the main attraction of this park are tigers, black deer, and other animals present here.
Gir Forest National Park: This park is spread over 1412 square kilometers and was established in 1975. This park is famous for Asiatic lions.
Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch: This park was established in 1980 and is spread over a total of 162 square kilometers.
Vansda National Park: Established in 1979, and it is spread over a total of 23.33 sq km.

Haryana

Kalesar National Park: Spread over a total of 100.8 square kilometers, the park was established in 2003.
Sultanpur National Park: Amazing park was established in 1989 and is spread over a total of 1.43 square kilometers.

Himachal Pradesh

Great Himalayan National Park: Established in 1984, the park is spread over a total of 754.40 square kilometers. It is a major park in Himachal Pradesh and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Indrakila National Park: Worthvisiting park of Himachal Pradesh, which was established in 2010. It is spread over a total of 104 square kilometers.
Khirganga National Park: This park was established in 2010 and is spread over a vast area of 710 square kilometers. The park is also spelled as KheerGanga Park.
Pin Valley National Park: The park was established in 1987 and is spread over a total of 807.36 square kilometers.
Simbalbara National Park: Established in 2010, it is spread over a total of 27.88 sq km.

Jammu & Kashmir

Dachigam National Park: It is the only national park in India where Kashmiri stags (Deer) are found.
Hemis National Park: It is the largest national park in India and spread over 4400 sq km.
Kishtwar National Park: Amazing park of Jammu & Kashmir was established in 1981 and is covered an area of 400 sq km.
Salim Ali National Park: Established in 1992, the park covered 9.07 sq km area.

Jharkhand

Betla National Park: It is the only national park in Jharkhand and has a variety of animals such as elephant, tiger, monkey, and leopard.

Karnataka

Anshi National Park: Mainly Great hornbill, lion, leopard, elephant, bear, deer, and black leopards are found here.
Bandipur National Park: This park is well known for the Bengal tiger, Indian giant squirrel, and grey langurs.
Bannerghatta National Park: Established in 1974, the park is famous for its sloth bear, and sambar deer.
Kudremukh National Park: This park was established in 1987 and spread over a total of 600.32 sq km.
Nagarhole National Park: This park was established in 1988 and covered an area of 643.39 sq km.

Kerala

Anamudi Shola National Park: Established in 2003, the park is spread over an area of 7.50 sq km.
Eravikulam National Park: Established in 1978, the park is spread over a total of 97 sq km.
Mathikettan Shola National Park: This park was established in 2003 and is spread over a total of 12.82 sq km.
Pampadum Shola National Park: This park was established in 2003 and is spread over a total of 1.32 square kilometers.
Periyar National Park: Established in 1982, the park is spread over a total of 305 sq km.
Silent Valley National Park: British named it, ‘Silent Valley,’ because of a perceived absence of noisy cicadas.

Madhya Pradesh

Bandhavgarh National Park: 1336 species of endemic plants are found in this park.
Kanha National Park: This park was established in 1955 and is spread over a total of 940 sq km.
Madhav National Park: The wonderful park was established in 1959, and spread over a total of 375.22 sq km.
Mandla Plant Fossils National Park: This park was built in 1983, and is spread over a total of 0.27 sq km.
Panna National Park: This park was established in 1981 and is spread over a total of 542.67 sq km.
Pench National Park: This park was established in 1977 and is spread over a total of 758 sq km.
Sanjay National Park: This park was established in 1981 and is spread over a total of 466.67 sq km.
Satpura National Park: Established in 1981, the park is spread over a total of 524 sq km.
Van Vihar National Park: This park was established in 1979, but the Government declared it National park in 1983, which is spread over a total of 4.45 sq km.

Maharashtra

Chandoli National Park: This park was established in 2004, and is spread over a total of 317.67 square kilometers.
Gugamal National Park: Established in 1974, the park is spread over a total of 361.28 sq km.
Navegaon National Park: This park was established in 1975, and is spread over a total of 133.88 square kilometers.
Sanjay Gandhi National Park: The park is famous for the Asian Lion, Indian Leopard, Hanuman Langur, Barking deer and Indian Hare present here.
Tadoba National Park: Established in 1995, this park is known for tigers.

Manipur

Keibul Lamjao National Park: It is the only floating park in the world.

Meghalaya

Balphakram National Park: This park is famous for the huge species of wild aquatic buffalo and cats present here.
Nokrek National Park: This park has been declared as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Mizoram

Murlen National Park: This park was established in 1991 and the park is spread over a total of 100 square kilometers.
Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park: This park was established in 1992 and is spread over a total of 50 square kilometers.

Nagaland

Ntangki National Park: This is the only park in Nagaland, which was established in 1993 and is spread over a total of 202.02 square kilometers.

Odisha

Bhitarkanika National Park: This park is famous for its white crocodile, wild pigs, and chital.
SimliPal National Park: This park is well known for the Asian elephant, jungle cat, wild boar, and sambar.

Rajasthan

Desert National Park: Great Indian Bustard is the main attraction of this park.
Keoladeo National Park: This park has been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Mukundra Hills National Park: This park is situated near the hills and looks very beautiful.
Ranthambore National Park: It is the most popular park in Rajasthan.
Sariska Tiger Reserve National Park: This park is known for the protected tigers here.

Sikkim

Khangchendzonga National Park: Established in 1974, the park has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Tamil Nadu

Guindy National Park: This park was established in 1976 and is spread over a total of 2.82 square kilometers.
Gulf of Mannar, Marine National Park: The park has a high diversity of plants and animals in its marine, intertidal and nearshore habitats.
Indira Gandhi Wildlife Conservation and National Park: Established in 1989, the area of the park is 117.1 sq km.
Mudumalai National Park: The park was established before independence and is the largest park in Tamil Nadu.
Mukurthi National Park: This park is built between the Nilgiri Mountains.

Telangana

Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park: This park was built in 1994.
Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park: It is the largest park in Telangana.
Mrugavani National Park: This park is spread over a total of 3.60 square kilometers.

Tripura

Bishan National Park: Established in 2007, It is the largest park in Tripura.
Clouded Leopard National Park: This park was established in 2007.

Uttar Pradesh

Dudhwa National Park: It is the only national park in Uttar Pradesh and is famous for the tiger, sambar deer, and hog Deer.

Uttarakhand

Govind Pashu Vihar National Park: This park was established in 1990.
Jim Corbett National Park: It is the first National Park in India.
Nanda Devi National Park: It is one of the UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site.
Rajaji National Park: This national park is mainly known for the elephants present here.
Valley of Flower National Park: It has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Gangotri National Park: Established in 1989, the biggest national park of Uttarakhand.

West Bengal

Buxa Tiger Reserve: This park is known for tigers.
Gorumara National Park: This park was established in 1994.
Jaldapara National Park: It is famous for the Indian rhinoceros.
Neora Valley National Park: This park is spread over a wide area of 88 square kilometers.
Singalila National Park: This park was established in 1986.
Sundarbans National Park: It is one of the World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO.