National park
![Bogd Khan Uul National Park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Bogdkhan_Uul_Strictly_Protected_Area%2C_Mongolia_%28149199747%29.jpg)
The United States established Yellowstone National Park, the first "public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people," in 1872. Although Yellowstone was not officially termed a "national park" at the time, in practice it is widely held to be the first and oldest national park in the world. However, the Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve (in what is now Trinidad and Tobago; established in 1776) and the area surrounding Bogd Khan Uul Mountain (Mongolia, 1778), which were restricted from cultivation to protect surrounding farmland, are considered the oldest legally protected areas. Parks Canada, established on May 19, 1911, is the world's oldest national park service.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) have defined "National Park" as its ''Category II'' type of protected areas. According to the IUCN, 6,555 national parks worldwide met its criteria in 2006. IUCN is still discussing the parameters of defining a national park.
The largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974 and is in area. Provided by Wikipedia
Please enable Javascript.
Please upgrade your browser.