List of National Parks in India

Reviewed by:

Nafeez Khan

National Parks in India

In India, national parks are classified as IUCN category II protected areas. The first national park in India was formed in 1936 as Hailey National Park in Uttarakhand, which is now known as Jim Corbett National Park. India only had five national parks in 1970. To protect the habitats of conservation-dependent species, India passed the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972 and Project Tiger in 1973. In the 1980s, more federal legislation was introduced to bolster wildlife preservation.

In addition to the foregoing, the Protected Area Network Report proposes 75 National Parks with a total area of 16,608 km2 (Rodgers & Panwar, 1988). After the above report is fully implemented, the park network will increase by 176. This article will cover the list of national parks in India, the total national park in India, smallest and largest parks in India.

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This image represents the national parks in India

What are National Parks?

By reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, a state government can notify an area to be constituted as a National Park, whether it is whether or not within a sanctuary, for the aim of protecting, propagating, or developing animals within the sanctuary or its environment. Except for those approved by the state's Chief Wildlife Warden under the circumstances set out in CHAPTER IV, WPA 1972, no human activity is permitted inside the national park. The total national park in India is 104, with a total area of 43,716 km2, accounting for 1.33 percent of the country's total land area (National Wildlife Database, Dec. 2020).

Importance of National Parks

National parks assist agricultural activity, which helps the economy. For example, fish are allowed to reproduce and flourish in a variety of protected maritime zones. They also encroach on the fishing grounds. This enables the replenishing of fished regions and the capture and sale of more fish.
Inland national parks provide a safe haven for wild relatives of common crops. This produces a wide range of genetic material, which is then used for crop breeding and crop protection against harm or failure.
Local tribes and communities affiliated with the Park's surroundings prosper economically and socially.

List of All National Parks in India

S. No	Name of State	Name of Protected Area	Year of Notification	Area (in km2)
1	Andhra Pradesh	Papikonda	2008	1012.8588
2		Rajiv Gandhi (Rameswaram)	2005	2.3952
3		Sri Venkateswara	1989	353.62
4	Arunachal Pradesh	Mouling	1986	483
5		Namdapha	1983	1807.82
6	Assam	Dibru-Saikhowa	1999	340
7		Kaziranga	1974	858.98
8		Manas	1990	500
9		Nameri	1998	200
10		Rajiv Gandhi (Orang)	1999	78.81
11	Bihar	Valmiki	1989	335.65
12	Chhattisgarh	Guru Ghasidas (Sanjay)	1981	1440.71
13		Indravati (Kutru)	1982	1258.37
14		Kanger Valley	1982	200
15	Goa	Mollem	1992	107
16	Gujarat	Blackbuck (Velavadar)	1976	34.53
17		Gir	1975	258.71
18		Marine (Gulf of Kachchh)	1982	162.89
19		Vansda	1979	23.99
20	Haryana	Kalesar	2003	46.82
21		Sultanpur	1989	1.43
22	Himachal Pradesh	Great Himalayan	1984	754.4
23		Inderkilla	2010	94
24		Khirganga	2010	705
25		Pin Valley	1987	675
26		Col. Sherjung Simbalbara	2010	27.88
27	Jharkhand	Betla	1986	226.33
28	Karnataka	Anshi	1987	417.34
29		Bandipur	1974	872.24
30		Bannerghatta	1974	260.51
31		Kudremukh	1987	600.57
32		Nagarahole (Rajiv Gandhi)	1988	643.39
33	Kerala	Anamudi Shola	2003	7.5
34		Eravikulam	1978	97
35		Mathikettan Shola	2003	12.82
36		Pambadum Shola	2003	1.32
37		Periyar	1982	350
38		Silent Valley	1984	89.52
39	Madhya Pradesh	Bandhavgarh	1968	448.842
40		Dinosaur Fossils	2011	0.897
41		Fossil	1983	0.27
42		Pench	1975	292.857
43		Kanha	1955	941.793
44		Kuno	2018	748.761
45		Madhav	1959	375.23
46		Panna	1981	542.66
47		Sanjay	1981	464.643
48		Satpura	1981	528.729
49		Van Vihar	1979	4.452
50	Maharashtra	Chandoli	2004	317.67
51		Gugamal	1975	361.28
52		Nawegaon	1975	133.88
53		Pench (Jawaharlal Nehru)	1975	257.26
54		Sanjay Gandhi (Borivilli)	1983	86.96
55		Tadoba	1955	116.55
56	Manipur	Keibul-Lamjao	1977	40
57		Shiroi	1982	100
58	Meghalaya	Balphakram	1986	220
59		Nokrek Ridge	1997	47.48
60	Mizoram	Murlen	1991	100
61		Phawngpui (Blue Mountain)	1992	50
62	Nagaland	Intanki	1993	202.02
63	Odisha	Bhitarkanika	1988	145
64		Simlipal	1980	845.7
65	Rajasthan	Desert	1992	3162
66		Keoladeo Ghana	1981	28.73
67		Mukundra Hills	2006	200.54
68		Ranthambhore	1980	282
69		Sariska	1992	273.8
70	Sikkim	Khangchendzonga	1977	1784
71	Tamil Nadu	Guindy	1976	2.7057
72		Gulf of Mannar Marine	1980	526.02
73		Indira Gandhi (Annamalai)	1989	117.1
74		Mudumalai	1990	103.23
75		Mukurthi	1990	78.46
76	Telangana	Kasu Brahmananda Reddy	1994	1.425
77		Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali	1994	14.59
78		Mrugavani	1994	3.6
79	Tripura	Clouded Leopard	2007	5.08
80		Bison (Rajbari)	2007	31.63
81	Uttar Pradesh	Dudhwa	1977	490
82	Uttarakhand	Corbett	1936	520.82
83		Gangotri	1989	2390.02
84		Govind	1990	472.08
85		Nanda Devi	1982	624.6
86		Rajaji	1983	820
87		Valley of Flowers	1982	87.5
88	West Bengal	Buxa	1992	117.1
89		Gorumara	1992	79.45
90		Jaldapara	2014	216.34
91		Neora Valley	1986	159.8917
92		Singalila	1986	78.6
93		Sunderban	1984	1330.1
94	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Campbell Bay	1992	426.23
95		Galathea Bay	1992	110
96		Mahatma Gandhi Marine (Wandoor)	1983	281.5
97		Mount Harriett	1987	46.62
98		Rani Jhansi Marine	1996	320.06
99		Saddle Peak	1987	32.54
100	Jammu & Kashmir	City Forest (Salim Ali)	1992	9.07
101		Dachigam	1981	141
102		Kazinag	2000	90.88
103		Kishtwar High Altitude	1981	2191.5
104	Ladakh	Hemis	1981	3350

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Image of national parks in India.

National Parks in India: Facts

Largest national park in India: The first national park in India was formed in 1936 as Hailey National Park in Uttarakhand, which is now known as Jim Corbett National Park.
Smallest national park in India: Andaman and Nicobar Island, South Button Island National Park.
First marine national park: India's first Marine Wildlife Sanctuary and Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch, which was established in 1980 and 1982, respectively. It is a 42-island archipelago located between Jamnagar's northern and Kutch's southern coasts.
Floating national park: Keibul Lamjao National Park is the world's only floating national park, located on Manipur's floating Loktak Lake.
A total number of national parks in India: In India, there are 104 national parks with a total area of 43,716 km2, accounting for 1.33 percent of the country's total land area (National Wildlife Database, Dec. 2020).
Latest national park in India: Dehing Patkai National Park is the latest national park of India declared in May 2020.

National Park’s Objectives

The area's entire environment is protected by the federal or state governments.
These help to conserve a wide range of species as well as regional biological processes and migration routes.
These ensure that populations in the designated areas remain viable and ecologically viable.
They contribute to the cultural, ecological, and educational development of the protected area's natural resources.

Difference Between Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park

Criteria	Wildlife Sanctuary	National Park
Activities	In wildlife sanctuaries, human activities are permitted.	For the sake of conservation, no human intervention is permitted.
Aim/ Goal	The main purpose is to preserve distinct species of flora and fauna.	Anything goes, including flora, animals, and other historically or geographically significant artefacts.
Area	There are no hard and fast rules.	The government establishes and defines boundaries.
Public Access	It is accessible to the general public.	Human activities are prohibited. Therefore it is not normally open to the public.
Authority	Orders from the federal or state governments.	The state or federal legislature creates national parks.
Miscellaneous	The status of a sanctuary can be changed to that of a national park.	It is not possible to turn a national park into a sanctuary.

Did You Know?

National Parks in India- Important Points related to UPSC IAS Exam

If aspirants use the appropriate tactics to comprehend this fact, they would have no trouble passing the UPSC IAS exam.
In recent years, UPSC's geography questions in the IAS Prelims Exam have merged with questions about the environment and ecology.
Protected places in India include National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, Reserve Forests, Conservation Reserves, Marine Reserves, Community Reserves, and Biosphere Reserves.
India is one of the 17 megadiverse countries on the planet. The country is home to a diverse range of vegetation and animals.
National parks are classified as IUCN category II protected areas. Jim Corbett National Park, India's first national park, was established in Uttarakhand in 1936.
Until 1970, India had only five national parks. In the year of 1972, India passed the Wildlife Protection Act.

The first national park in India was formed in 1936 as Hailey National Park in Uttarakhand. There are 104 national parks in India, accounting for 1.33 percent of the country's total land area. The largest national park is Jim Corbett National Park, with a total area of 43,716 km2. India has 104 national parks with a total area of 43,716 km2. Dehing Patkai National Park is the latest national park to be declared in May 2020. There are more than national parks in India, accounting for 1.33 percent of the country's total land area.

FAQs on List of National Parks in India

1. How Many National Parks Were in India in 2020?

Answer: In India, there are 104 national parks with a total area of 43,716 km2, accounting for 1.33 percent of the country's total land area (National Wildlife Database, Dec. 2020).

2. Which State Has No National Park in India?

Answer: Punjab does not have a national park. Punjab is a state in India's northwest, with Chandigarh as its capital. Ravi, Beas, and Satluj are the three major rivers that flow through Punjab (Sutlej). In Punjab, there are 13 wildlife sanctuaries.

3. Who Declared a National Park in India?

Answer: If the Central Government is satisfied that the conditions in section 35 are fulfilled in relation to any area referred to in section (1), whether or not such area has been declared a sub sanctuary by the Central Government or the State Government, the Central Government may declare such area a National Park by notification, and the provisions of sections 35, 54, and 55 shall apply.

4. Which States Have No National Parks?

Answer: The following state is without national parks due to the largest populations, Connecticut, Delaware, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho (see above), Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin.