Northeast Greenland National Park
Northeast Greenland National Park is a national park in Greenland, Denmark. It is the largest national park in the world, with an area of 972,000 km2 (375,000 sq mi).[1] This makes the park larger than most countries. It would place 31st if it were a country, just behind Egypt. It is the only national park in Greenland, and the most northerly national park in the world. Its most northerly point reaches slightly further than the most northerly point in Quttinirpaaq National Park in Canada.
| Northeast Greenland National Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
 | |
| Location |  Greenland Kingdom of Denmark |
| Coordinates | 76°N 30°W / 76°N 30°W |
| Area | 972,000 km2 (375,000 sq mi) |
| Established | 21 May 1974 |
History
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The park was first created on 22 May 1974. It came from the northern, practically uninhabited part of the former Ittoqqortoormiit Municipality in Tunu (East Greenland). In 1988 the park was expanded by another 272,000 km2 (105,019.8 sq mi) to its present size. This was by adding the northeastern part of the former county of Avannaa (North Greenland). In January 1977 it was made an international biosphere reserve.
Fauna
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An estimated 5,000 to 15,000 musk oxen, as well as many polar bears and walrus, can be found near the coastal regions of the park. This is claimed to be 40% of the world population of musk ox.[2] Other mammals include arctic fox, stoat, collared lemming and arctic hare. Other marine mammals include ringed seal, bearded seal, harp seal and hooded seal as well as narwhal and Beluga whale.
Species of birds which breed in the park include great northern diver, barnacle goose, pink-footed goose, common eider, king eider, gyrfalcon, snowy owl, sanderling, ptarmigan and raven.
References
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- ↑ Statistics Greenland, Greenland in Figures, 2009 Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "Kalaallit Nunaat high arctic tundra (NA1112)". Terrestrial Ecoregions. WWF. 2001. Retrieved 2008-10-03.