The system of national parks in Brazil started in 1937 with the creation of Itatiaia National Park

Itatiaia National Park

Itatiaia National Park , established in 1937, is the oldest national park in Brazil. It is located on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, between 22º16’ - 22º28’ S and 44º34’ - 44º42’ W....

. Another two national park

National park

A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...

s have been created in 1939, and after a period of 20 years, the program of park creation has been restarted. Since than the number of parks increased steadily to 33 by 1990 and 67 by 2010.

The size of the parks varies vastly between the 3,300 ha Tijuca National Park and the 3,800,000 ha Tumucumaque National Park

Tumucumaque National Park

The Tumucumaque National Park is situated in northwestern Brazil inside the Amazon Rainforest state of Amapá. It’s bordered to the north by French Guyana and Suriname....

. Of the 67 national parks, 19 are protecting an area representing 5% of the original Amazon Rainforest

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...

 and another 22 protect 1% of the original Atlantic Forest. Seven parks are protecting the Caatinga

Caatinga

Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...

 ecoregion and twelve the Cerrado

Cerrado

The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...

 ecoregion. There are only six coastal and marine parks, one protecting the Pantanal

Pantanal Matogrossense National Park

The Pantanal Matogrossense National Park is a national park of Brazil, in the southern state of Mato Grosso.The park is in the Pantanal, a World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Convention significant wetlands habitat. The Cuiabá River runs through Pantanal Matogrossense National Park....

 wetland and none which would protect the Pampas.

Only parks with a management plan and a public use plan can be accessed by visitors. By 2010 only 30 parks were accessible to the public. Of these the two most visited were the Tijuca National Park with 1.7 million visitors and the Iguaçu National Park

Iguaçu National Park

Iguaçu National Park is a national park in Paraná State, Brazil.Created by federal decree nr. 1035 of January 10, 1939, the Park comprises a total area of 185,262.5 hectares and a length of about 420km, 300km of which are natural borders by bodies of water and the Brazilian and Argentinean sides...

 with 1 million visitors, together accounting for 71% of all visitors to national parks in Brazil in 2009.

Name	Year	Area (km²)
Abrolhos Marine National Park Abrolhos Marine National Park The Abrolhos Marine National Park is a Marine Park located in the Abrolhos Archipelago since 1983.The Abrolhos are an archipelago of 5 islands with coral reefs off the southern coast of Bahia state in the northeast of Brazil, between 17º25’—18º09’ S and 38º33’—39º05’ W.-External links:***...	1983	688
Amazônia National Park Amazônia National Park The Amazônia National Park is located in Itaituba municipality, Pará state, in the north of Brazil.-See also:* List of national parks of Brazil...	1974	9,940
Alto Cariri National Park	2010	182
Aparados da Serra National Park Aparados da Serra National Park The Aparados da Serra National Park is located in the Serra Geral range of Rio Grande do Sul state in the south of Brazil, between 29º07’—29º15’ S and 50º01’—50º10’ W. It has been created in 1959 as one of Brazil's first national parks, to protect the Itaimbezinho canyon...	1959	102
Araguaia National Park Araguaia National Park The Araguaia National Park is located in Tocantins state in the north of Brazil, between 09º51’—11º11’S and 49º57’—50º27’W.-External links:*...	1959	5,623
Araucárias National Park Araucárias National Park Araucárias National Park is a national park in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.-References:...	2005	128
Boa Nova National Park	2010	142
Brasília National Park Brasília National Park The Brasília National Park is a national park located 10km from the center of Brasília, in the Federal District, in the center west of Brazil.-External links:*...	1961	300
Cabo Orange National Park Cabo Orange National Park The Cabo Orange National Park is located in Amapá state in the north of Brazil, near the border between Brazil and French Guyana; 04º26’ N, 51º31’ W.-External links:*...	1980	6,190
Campos Amazônicos National Park	2006	8,760
Campos Gerais National Park Campos Gerais National Park Campos Gerais National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2006	215
Caparaó National Park Caparaó National Park Caparaó National Park is a park located on the border between Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states in Brazil. Pico da Bandeira, one of the highest mountains in Brazil, is located there. Its coordinates are 20º19’—20º 37’ S and 41º43’—41º53’ W....	1961	318
Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park is a national park of Brazil....	1999	568
Chapada das Mesas National Park Chapada das Mesas National Park Chapada das Mesas National Park is a national park of Brazil. It falls within the municipal areas of Carolina, Riachão e Estreito. It was created to preserve the cerrado vegetation of the region and it is mostly visited for its waterfalls....	2005	1,600
Chapada Diamantina National Park Chapada Diamantina National Park The Chapada Diamantina National Park is a 1,520 km² national park in the Chapada Diamantina region of Bahia state in the Northeast of Brazil...	1985	1,520
Chapada dos Guimarães National Park Chapada dos Guimarães National Park The Chapada dos Guimarães National Park is a national park in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. It is located between 15°10'- 15º30' S and 55°40' - 56°00' W....	1989	330
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park Brazil's Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is located in the Chapada dos Veadeiros, an ancient plateau with an estimated age of 1.8 billion years. Based in the Brazilian state of Goias, the Park was created on January 11, 1961 by President Juscelino Kubitscheck, and listed as a World Heritage...	1961	600
Descobrimento National Park	1999	211
Emas National Park Emas National Park The Emas National Park |Rhea]] National Park") is a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Sitein the states of Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul in Brazil.-Description:...	1961	1,318
Fernado de Noronha Marine National Park Fernando de Noronha Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010...	1988	112
Grande Sertão Veredas National Park Grande Sertão Veredas National Park The Grande Sertão Veredas National Park is located on the border between Minas Gerais and Bahia states of Brazil, between 15º16’—15º25’S and 45º37’—46º03’W...	1989	833
Iguaçu National Park Iguaçu National Park Iguaçu National Park is a national park in Paraná State, Brazil.Created by federal decree nr. 1035 of January 10, 1939, the Park comprises a total area of 185,262.5 hectares and a length of about 420km, 300km of which are natural borders by bodies of water and the Brazilian and Argentinean sides...	1939	1,852
Ilha Grande National Park Ilha Grande National Park The Ilha Grande National Park is located on the border between Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul states in Brazil, at 23º24’ S, 53º49’ W.-External links:*...	1997	788
Itatiaia National Park Itatiaia National Park Itatiaia National Park , established in 1937, is the oldest national park in Brazil. It is located on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, between 22º16’ - 22º28’ S and 44º34’ - 44º42’ W....	1937	300
Jacupiranga State Park Jacupiranga State Park Jacupiranga State Park is a large state park in São Paulo, Brazil. It is the second largest conservation area in São Paulo having a total area of ​​approximately 150,000 hectares , and contains large tracts of Atlantic Forest...	1969	1,500
Jamanxim National Park	2006	8,597
Jaú National Park Jaú National Park The Jaú National Park is located in the Amazonas state in Brazil, between 1º00’—3º00’S and 61º30’—64º00’W....	1980	22,720
Jericoacoara National Park Jericoacoara National Park Jericoacoara National Park is a national park of Brazil, located in the municipality of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, state of Ceará. On its seashore is located the famous beach of Jericoacoara.- About Jericoacoara :...	2002	200
Jurubatiba Sandbank National Park Jurubatiba Sandbank National Park The Jurubatiba Sandbank National Park is a national park in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. The park has approximately 44 kilometres of sandbank coast.-History:...	1996	148
Juruena National Park Juruena National Park Juruena National Park, declared in 2006, is the third largest national park of Brazil. It is located along the Juruena River, in the north of Mato Grosso state.The park protects many endangered species including the Jaguar, Giant otter and Harpy Eagle....	2006	19,602
Lagoa do Peixe National Park Lagoa do Peixe National Park Lagoa do Peixe is a National Park created in 1986 in order to protect a wintering zone for migratory birds along the Lagoa dos Patos ....	1986	344
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park Lençóis Maranhenses National Park The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is located in Maranhão state, in northeastern Brazil, just east of the Baía de São José, between 02º19’—02º45’ S and 42º44’—43º29’ W. It is an area of low, flat, occasionally flooded land, overlaid with large, discrete sand dunes...	1981	1,550
Mapinguari National Park	2008	15,624
Monte Pascoal National Park Monte Pascoal Monte Pascoal is located at 16°53'47.73"S, 39°24'26.09"W; 62 km to the south of the city of Porto Seguro, in the state of Bahia, Brazil. According to history, it was the first part of land viewed by Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral, allegedly the first European to arrive in Brazil, in...	1961	225
Monte Roraima National Park Monte Roraima Mount Roraima is the highest of the Pakaraima chain of tepui plateau in South America. First described by the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596, its summit area is defended by 400-metre-tall cliffs on all sides...	1989	1,160
Nascentes do Lago Jari National Park	2008	8,121
Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba National Park Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba National Park Nascentes do Rio Parnaíba National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2002	7,298
Pacaás Novos National Park Pacaás Novos National Park Pacaás Novos National Park is a national park of Brazil in the state of Rondônia. The park is located within the municipalities of Guajará Mirim, Nova Mamoré, Campo Novo, São Miguel do Guaporé, Monte Negro, Governador Jorge Teixeira, Alvorada d'Oeste and Mirante da Serra, containing an homonymous...	1979	7,658
Pantanal Matogrossense National Park Pantanal Matogrossense National Park The Pantanal Matogrossense National Park is a national park of Brazil, in the southern state of Mato Grosso.The park is in the Pantanal, a World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Convention significant wetlands habitat. The Cuiabá River runs through Pantanal Matogrossense National Park....	1971	1,350
Pau Brasil National Park Pau Brasil National Park Pau Brasil National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2000	115
Pedra Azul National Park Pedra Azul National Park Pedra Azul State Park is a state park of the state of Espírito Santo Brazil....	1996	100
Pico da Neblina National Park Pico da Neblina National Park Pico da Neblina National Park is a national park in the north of Brazil, bordering on Venezuela. The latter country also has an adjoining national park, called Neblina as well. The Brazilian national park was created in 1979, and it is one of the country's largest national parks, with...	1979	22,000
Pontões Capixabas National Park Pontões Capixabas National Park Pontões Capixabas National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2002	174
Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park Saint-Hilaire/Lange National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2001	245
São Joaquim National Park São Joaquim National Park San Joaquim National Park is a national park of Brazil. It was originally set aside to preserve exceptional remnant forests of Parana pine, Araucaria angustifolia, but is now also popular for alpinism....	1961	493
Sempre Vivas National Park Sempre Vivas National Park Sempre Vivas National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2002	1,245
Serra da Bocaina National Park Serra da Bocaina National Park Serra da Bocaina National Park is a national park of Brazil.The National Park of Serra da Bocaina located on the border between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil....	1974	1,318
Serra da Bodoquena National Park Serra da Bodoquena National Park Serra da Bodoquena National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2000	764
Serra da Canastra National Park Serra da Canastra National Park The Serra da Canastra National Park is located in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, between 20º00’—20º30’ S and 46º15’—47º00’ W.-External links:** *...	1972	2,000
Serra da Capivara National Park Serra da Capivara National Park Serra da Capivara National Park is a national park in the north east of Brazil. It has many prehistoric paintings. The park was created to protect the prehistoric artifacts and paintings found there. It became a World Heritage Site in 1991. Its head archaeologist is Niède Guidon...	1979	979
Serra da Cutia National Park Serra da Cutia National Park Serra da Cutia National Park is a national park of Brazil....	2001	2,836
Serra da Mocidade National Park Serra da Mocidade National Park Serra da Mocidade National Park is a national park of Brazil....	1998	805
Serra das Confusões National Park	1998	8,234
Serra das Lontras National Park	2010	113
Serra de Itabaiana National Park Serra de Itabaiana National Park - External links :*...	2005	79
Serra do Cipó National Park Serra do Cipó National Park The Serra do Cipó National Park is located 100 km from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, between 43°–44° W and 19°–20° S.-External links:** *...	1984	310
Serra do Divisor National Park Serra do Divisor National Park Serra do Divisor National Park is a national park on the westernmost point of Brazil, in the state of Acre, near Peruvian border. It is also the highest point in that state, reaching 609 meters above sea level. It has been nominated by the Brazilian government as a Tentative World Heritage Site...	1989	8,430
Serra do Itajaí National Park Serra do Itajaí National Park Serra do Itajaí Nacional Park is a national park of Brazil in the state of Santa Catarina....	2004	573
Serra do Pardo National Park Serra do Pardo National Park Serra do Pardo National Park is a national park of Brazil. It is located in the state of Pará and covers an area of 447,342 hectares and a perimeter of 317 km...	2005	4,473
Serra dos Órgãos National Park Serra dos Órgãos Serra dos Órgãos is a mountain range in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was turned into a national park in 1939. It is located about a one-hour drive from the city of Rio de Janeiro....	1939	110
Serra Geral National Park Serra Geral National Park Serra Geral National Park is a national park of Brazil. It was created in 1992, and is made up of two separate sections adjacent to Aparados da Serra National Park, totalling 17,300 hectares.-References:...	1992	173
Sete Cidades National Park Sete Cidades National Park Sete Cidades National Park is a national park of Brazil....	1961	62
Superagüi National Park Superagüi National Park Superagüi National Park is a national park of Brazil. It is located along the coast of the state of Paraná.-External links:*...	1989	210
Tijuca National Park Tijuca Forest The Tijuca Forest is a mountainous hand-planted rainforest in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the world's largest urban forest, covering some 32 km²...	1961	39
Tumucumaque National Park Tumucumaque National Park The Tumucumaque National Park is situated in northwestern Brazil inside the Amazon Rainforest state of Amapá. It’s bordered to the north by French Guyana and Suriname....	2002	38,874
Ubajara National Park Ubajara National Park The smallest of the 35 national parks of Brazil, covering an area of 5.63 km², the greatest treasure of the Ubajara National Park, in the state of Ceará, is the Ubajara grotto...	1959	62
Vale do Catimbau National Park Vale do Catimbau National Park The Vale do Catimbau National Park is a national park of Brazil, located in the city of Buíque in the state of Pernambuco. The Catimbau Valley or Vale do Catimbau in Portuguese is Brazil's 2nd largest archaeological site. Among its natural attractions there are beautiful canyons, over 2,000 caves,...	2002	623
Viruá National Park Viruá National Park Viruá National Park is a national park of Brazil....	1998	2,159

External links

• Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and the Legal Amazon (Portuguese only)
• List of all Brazilian national parks with coordinates (in Portuguese)