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 in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 were defined in the 1960s as areas of at least 10 km² consisting of natural terrains, water and/or forests, with a special landscape and flora and fauna.

The first two national parks were founded in the 1930s by private organisations. The first official national park, on Schiermonnikoog

Schiermonnikoog

Schiermonnikoog is an island, a municipality, and a national park in the northern Netherlands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the West Frisian Islands, and is part of the province of Friesland....

, was not established until 1989. The most recent national park to have been established is the De Alde Feanen National Park, in April 2006. In 2009 the Weerribben national park was extended with the Wieden area, bringing the total area covered by national parks to 10.500 ha.

National parks

Name park	Province	Size	Established
Lauwersmeer National Park Lauwersmeer National Park Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer is a national park in the provinces of Groningen and Friesland, the Netherlands. It consists of the southern and eastern parts of the Lauwersmeer .-History:...	Groningen Groningen (province) Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea... , Friesland Friesland Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...	6.000 ha	2003
Schiermonnikoog National Park Schiermonnikoog Schiermonnikoog is an island, a municipality, and a national park in the northern Netherlands. Schiermonnikoog is one of the West Frisian Islands, and is part of the province of Friesland....	Friesland Friesland Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...	5.400 ha	1989
Alde Feanen National Park	Friesland Friesland Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...	4.000 ha	2006
Drents-Friese Wold National Park	Drenthe Drenthe Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a... , Friesland Friesland Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...	6.100 ha	2000
Dwingelderveld National Park	Drenthe Drenthe Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...	3.700 ha	1991
Drentsche Aa National Landscape Drentsche Aa National Landscape The Drentsche Aa National Landscape is a national park located in the Dutch province of Drenthe on the west side of the Hondsrug. It consists of the cultural landscape surrounding the valley of the small river the Drentsche Aa...	Drenthe Drenthe Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...	10.600 ha	2002
De Weerribben-Wieden National Park	Overijssel Overijssel Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...	10.500 ha	1992 / 2009
Sallandse Heuvelrug National Park	Overijssel Overijssel Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...	2.740 ha	2004
Veluwezoom National Park Veluwezoom National Park Veluwezoom National Park is a national park located in the Dutch province of Gelderland. This park is the oldest national park of the Netherlands. It is an area of 50 square kilometers at the southeastern edge of the Veluwe, a complex of terminal push moraines from the Saalian glaciation...	Gelderland Gelderland Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...	5.000 ha	1930
Hoge Veluwe National Park Hoge Veluwe National Park Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe is a Dutch national park in the province of Gelderland near the cities of Ede, Arnhem and Apeldoorn. It is approximately 55 square kilometers in area, consisting of heathlands, sand dunes, and woodlands. It is situated in the Veluwe, the area of the largest terminal...	Gelderland Gelderland Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...	5.400 ha	1935
Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park	Utrecht Utrecht (province) Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...	6.000 ha	2003
Dunes of Texel National Park	North Holland North Holland North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...	4.300 ha	2002
Zuid-Kennemerland National Park Zuid-Kennemerland National Park Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland is a national park in the province Noord-Holland, the Netherlands, west of Haarlem, within the municipalities of Bloemendaal, Velsen and Zandvoort. It includes the southern portion of the region known as Kennemerland. The park was established in 1995.- Geography...	North Holland North Holland North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...	3.800 ha	1995
Oosterschelde National Park	Zeeland Zeeland Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...	37.000 ha	2002
De Biesbosch National Park	North Brabant North Brabant North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :... , South Holland South Holland South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...	7.100 ha	1994
De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide Cross-Border Park De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide, is a cross-border park on the Belgian-Dutch border. It is a merger of two former parks, the Kalmthoutse Heide in Belgium and De Zoom in the Netherlands), together extending over . A very large part of the park is covered with heath.The park is managed by a special...	North Brabant North Brabant North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :... , Antwerp Antwerp (province) Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...  (Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... )	3.750 ha	2001
De Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen The Loonse en Drunense Duinen is a national park situated in the south of the Netherlands, between the cities of Tilburg, Waalwijk & 's-Hertogenbosch. It has been designated as a national park since 2002. It is 35 km² in area.-External links:*...	North Brabant North Brabant North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...	3.400 ha	2002
De Groote Peel National Park	Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to... /North Brabant North Brabant North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...	1.340 ha	1993
Maasduinen National Park	Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...	4.200 ha	1996
Meinweg National Park Meinweg National Park Meinweg National Park is a national park in Limburg, Netherlands. It is about 1800 hectares in size and was established in 1995. It is a part of the German-Dutch border park Maas-Swalm-Nette, covering 10,000 hectares ....	Limburg Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...	1.700 ha	1995

External links

• National Parks in the Netherlands