Major National Parks in Asia

Asia is home to a staggering variety of national parks, each of which offers a special fusion of biodiversity and natural beauty. The spectacular rock formations of Turkey's Ancient Goreme National Park and Japan's Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, as well as the legendary Mount Fuji, are just a few examples of how these protected regions highlight the continent's rich cultural history and ecological beauty. Asia's national parks are a tribute to the region's natural riches, with a variety of flora and fauna.

Features of Major National Parks in Asia

Here are the descriptions of major national parks in Asia −

Ancient Goreme National Park

Turkey's centre region is home to the Göreme Historical National Park. It is situated in Nevşehir Province and takes up around 100 km² of space. Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. A network of prehistoric, interconnected underground villages are present in the park's stony, wind- and water-eroded environment. In Central Anatolia, near Mount Hasan and Mount Erciyes, is where you'll find the National Park.

Bandhavgarh National Park

Indian national park Bandhavgarh National Park is situated in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district. Bandhavgarh, a 105-square-kilometer region, was first designated a national park in 1968 before becoming a tiger reserve in 1993. 716 square kilometres make up the current core area. Numerous types of deer and a sizable breeding population of leopards can be found in the park. In 1951, the Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa caught the first white tiger in this area. Tala, Magdhi, and Khitauli are the national park's three primary zones. The area with the highest concentration of tigers is called Tala. These three ranges combined make up the 'core' of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, which covers a total area of 716 km².

Beijing Great Wall National Park

The Great Wall National Park is situated 43 miles (70 km) northeast of Beijing in the northeastern part of China. The original protected area of the national park, which is still under development, will be about 23.2 square miles (60 square kilometres). From the boundary between China and Korea into the Gobi Desert, the Great Wall of China stretches for 5,500 miles (8,850 km). Around 1,387 feet (2,232 km) of the wall is supported by steep hills and other natural barriers, while trenches account for another 223 miles (359 km).

Bukhansan National Park

Established on 2 April 1983, the 79.92 km² Bukhansan National Park is located in Seoul and Gyeonggi. The name Bukhansan translates to "mountains north of the Han River." The Park has granite peaks, temples, and forested areas. Baekundae, at 836.5 m (2,744 ft), Insubong, at 810.5 m, and Mangnyeongdae, at 799.5 m, are the three main summits. Some trails are periodically blocked to preserve the environment because they are well-liked by hikers and Seoul residents.

Caesarea National Park

Along the Mediterranean coast, Caesarea National Park is located just north of Israel's central halfway region. The national park is one of the smaller national parks because it includes a region surrounding the city. Numerous cities in the area went by the Latin name Caesarea, most notably Caesarea near Mount Hermon and Caesarea, the capital of Cappadocia. In the year 10 BCE, King Herod of the Roman Empire renovated and extended Caesarea National Park, which had previously been a harbour city. Following that, it served as a navy station before becoming the capital of the Roman province of Judea, where it played a significant part in the development of Christianity.

Cat Ba National Park

Northern Vietnam's Cát Bà National Park is a World Heritage Site that has been declared as a biosphere reserve. On March 31, 1986, Cát Bà National Park was formed. The city of Haiphong is in charge of managing the park, which covers a portion of Ct Bà Island in H Long Bay. The park is around 30 kilometres east of Hai Phong and has a total area of 263 square kilometres, including 90 square kilometres (35 square miles) of inshore sea and 173 square kilometres of land. The white-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus), also known as the Cát Bà langur, is a resident of the park. Since the middle of the 1990s, the park has attracted wealthy Chinese and Vietnamese tourists.

Chitwan National Park

The first national park of Nepal is Chitwan National Park. The Royal Chitwan National Park was founded in 1973, and in 1984 it received the designation of a World Heritage Site. In the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal, in the districts of Nawalpur, Chitwan, Makwanpur, and Parsa, it spans an area of 952.63 km². The Sivalik Hills are 815 m above sea level, but the river valleys are just approximately 100 m (330 ft) above sea level. Kasara is home to the park's administration.

Erawan National Park

One of Thailand's most well-known waterfalls is found in Erawan National Park, which is situated in the Tenasserim Hills region of Kanchanaburi Province. It was established in 1975 and is the 12th national park in Thailand. It has an area of 550 km².The 7-tiered Erawan Falls with emerald green ponds is the park's main draw. The Park contains a number of remarkable and long caverns, some of which are located more inside the park than others and a few of which are located along the park's roadways. The three-headed white elephant from Hindu mythology is the inspiration for the names of the park and the falls. According to legend, the highest tier of the falls looks like an elephant head.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

A national park called Fuji-Hakone-Izu is located in western Tokyo Metropolis, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures. One of the first four national parks to be formed in Japan, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park was first established as Fuji-Hakone National Park on February 2, 1936. It comprises of Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, the Izu Islands, Mount Fuji, and the Fuji Five Lakes. 1,227 square km make up Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Four general regions make up Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park: The Mount Fuji area, the Hakone area, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands.

Giant Panda National Park

China's Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces collectively make up the sizable protected area known as Giant Panda National Park. The Park, which was established in 2020, is over 10,000 square miles in size, more than three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, and is made up of about 70 natural reserves. The park's primary objective is to safeguard China's limited giant panda population, which numbers 1,864 individuals—or 80% of the species in China. The majority of gigantic pandas in the world are represented by this number. To further safeguard the pandas, the park joined 67 previous reservations into a single, sizable amalgamation.

List of Major National Parks in Asia

Here's a table showcasing the major national parks of Asia, their locations, protected species, and area −

National Park	Location	Protected Species	Area
Ancient Goreme National Park	Turkey	N/A	41.7 sq. km
Bandhavgarh National Park	India	Bengal tigers, leopards, deer	716 sq. km
Beijing Great Wall National Park	China	N/A	N/A
Bukhansan National Park	South Korea	Korean goral, musk deer	79.9 sq. km
Caesarea National Park	Israel	N/A	N/A
Cat Ba National Park	Vietnam	Cat Ba langur, civets, otters	109 sq. km
Chitwan National Park	Nepal	Bengal tigers, rhinos, elephants	932 sq. km
Erawan National Park	Thailand	Asian elephants, gibbons, birds	550 sq. km
Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park	Japan	Mount Fuji, diverse flora and fauna	1,227 sq. km
Giant Panda National Park	China	Giant pandas, red pandas	924 sq. km

Conclusion

There are numerous national parks throughout Asia, each with distinctive characteristics and protected species. These parks, which protect everything from the gorgeous Bengal tigers of Bandhavgarh National Park in India to the historic rock formations of Goreme National Park in Turkey, are vital to the preservation of biodiversity and the provision of habitat for threatened and endangered species.

Asia offers a plethora of natural treasures to be found and protected, whether it's seeing the Great Wall National Park in China or admiring the magnificence of Erawan Falls in Thailand.

Frequently Asked Question

What is the main attraction of Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam?

Cat Ba National Park is known for its diverse wildlife, including the endangered Cat Ba langur and various species of civets and otters.

Which national park in Nepal is designated as a World Heritage Site?

Chitwan National Park in Nepal is a designated World Heritage Site known for its Bengal tigers, rhinos, and elephants.

What is the protected species in Bukhansan National Park in South Korea?

Bukhansan National Park is home to Korean goral and musk deer among other species.

What is the significance of Giant Panda National Park in China?

Giant Panda National Park in China aims to protect the majority of the world's giant panda population and ensure their survival.