National parks of Venezuela - Parchi nazionali del Venezuela

National parks of Venezuela

THE National parks of the Venezuela they are protected areas covered by a wide range of habitats that include many of the best natural attractions in the country.

Already in 1935 the first national park was created in a strip of mountainous land along the northern coast already owned by the Venezuelan dictator Gómez, who died that year. Since then, many more parks have been created, alongside biosphere reserve and wetland protection laws. Today, over a fifth of the country is covered by national parks and every federal state has at least one.

The national parks of Venezuela are under the administration of the ministerial body in charge: Instituto Nacional de Parques (INPARQUES).

Although many parks are (at least partially) open to the public, small entrance tolls are common and some of them have limited access, such as by air only. A number of parks, especially those close to large cities and those with beautiful beaches, have become popular national destinations for vacations or day trips. As a result, a range of services and activities are being developed in the parks, ranging from walking trails and visitor centers, tramways and hotels.

As of 2019, 43 national parks have been established, for a total area of ​​approximately 207 745 km², equal to approximately 22% of the Venezuelan territory.

The parks with the largest extension are the El Caura National Park with 75,340 km², the Parima-Tapirapeco National Park, with 39,000 km² and the Canaima National Park, with 30,000 km². The smallest are the Cueva de la Quebrada del Toro National Park, with 48.85 km², and the Cerro El Copey-Jóvito Villalba National Park, with 71.30 km²

List of national parks

National parks of Venezuela

First name	State	Year of establishment	Surface (km²)	Image
Henri Pittier National Park	Aragua Carabobo	1937	1 078
Sierra Nevada National Park	Mérida   Barinas	1952	2 764,46
Guatopo National Park	Miranda   Guárico	1958	1 224,64
Waraira Repano National Park	Capital District Miranda Federal Dependencies	1958	851,92
Yurubí National Park	Yaracuy	1960	236,70
Canaima National Park	Bolívar	1962	30 000
Yacambú National Park	Lara	1962	269,16
Cueva de la Quebrada del Toro National Park	Falcón	1969	48,85
Archipelago de Los Roques National Park	Federal Dependencies	1972	2 211,20
Macarao National Park	Capital District Miranda	1973	150
Mochima National Park	Sucre Anzoátegui	1973	949,35
Laguna de La Restinga National Park	Federal Dependencies	1974	188,62
Médanos de Coro National Park	Falcón	1974	912,80
Tacarigua Lagoon National Park	Miranda	1974	391
Cerro El Copey-Jóvito Villalba National Park	Federal Dependencies	1974	71,30
Aguaro-Guariquito National Park	Guárico	1974	5 690
Morrocoy National Park	Falcón	1974	320,90
El Guácharo National Park	Monagas	1975	627
Terepaima National Park	Lara Portuguesa	1976	186,5
Jaua-Sarisariñama National Park	Bolívar	1978	3 300
Serranía La Neblina National Park	Vargas	1978	13 600
Cerro Yapacana National Park	Vargas	1978	3 200
Duida-Marahuaca National Park	Vargas	1978	3 737,4
Paria Peninsula National Park	Sucre	1978	375
Sierra de Perijá National Park	Zulia	1978	2 952,88
El Tamá National Park	Táchira   Apure	1979	1 390
Santo Stefano National Park	Carabobo	1987	445
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón National Park	Falcón	1987	200
Santos Luzardo National Park	Apure	1988	5 843,68
Guaramacal National Park	Trujillo Portuguesa	1988	214,66
Dinira National Park	Lara   Portuguesa Trujillo	1988	453,28
General Juan Pablo Peñaloza National Park	Mérida Táchira	1989	952
Chorro El Indio National Park	Táchira	1989	170
Sierra de La Culata National Park	Mérida Trujillo	1989	2 004
Cerro Saroche National Park	Lara	1989	322,94
Turuépano National Park	Sucre	1991	726
Mariusa National Park	Delta Amacuro	1991	3 310
Catatumbo National Park	Zulia	1991	2 261,3
Parima-Tapirapeco National Park	Vargas	1991	39 000
Río Viejo-San Camilo National Park	Apure	1992	800
El Guache National Park	Lara Portuguesa	1992	125
Tapo-Caparo National Park	Barinas Mérida Táchira	1993	2 050
El Caura National Park	Bolívar Vargas	2017	75 340

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