title: List of protected areas of Croatia
text: # List of protected areas of Croatia
  
  The main protected areas of Croatia are national parks, nature parks and strict reserves. There are 444 protected areas of Croatia, encompassing 9% of the country. Those include 8 national parks in Croatia, 2 strict reserves and 11 nature parks. The most famous protected area and the oldest national park in Croatia is the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Velebit Nature Park is a part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. The strict and special reserves, as well as the national and nature parks, are managed and protected by the central government, while other protected areas are managed by counties. In 2005, the National Ecological Network was set up, as the first step in preparation of the EU accession and joining of the Natura 2000 network.
  
  The total area of all national parks in the country is 994 $km^2$ (384 sq mi), of which 235 $km^2$ (91 sq mi) is sea surface.
  
  Each of the national parks is maintained by a separate institution, overseen and funded by the government ministry of nature conservation and spatial development. The State Institute for Nature Protection provides centralized oversight and expertise.
  
  ## National parks
  
  All eight national parks are located in karst area.
  
  | # | Name | Area | Website | Established in |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Plitvice Lakes | 296.9 $km^2$ (114.6 sq mi) | www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr | 1949 |
  | 2 | Paklenica | 95.0 $km^2$ (36.7 sq mi) | np-paklenica.hr/en/ | 1949 |
  | 3 | Risnjak | 63.5 $km^2$ (24.5 sq mi) | www.np-risnjak.hr | 1953 |
  | 4 | Mljet | 5.4 $km^2$ (2.1 sq mi) | www.np-mljet.hr | 1960 |
  | 5 | Kornati | 217 $km^2$ (84 sq mi) | www.np-kornati.hr/en/ www.np-kornati.hr | 1980 |
  | 6 | Brijuni | 33.9 $km^2$ (13.1 sq mi) | www.np-brijuni.hr/en | 1983 |
  | 7 | Krka | 109 $km^2$ (42 sq mi) | www.np-krka.hr/en/ | 1985 |
  | 8 | Sjeverni Velebit | 109.0 $km^2$ (42.1 sq mi) | www.np-sjeverni-velebit.hr | 1999 |
  
  ## Nature parks
  
  | # | Name | Established in | Website |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1. | Kopački rit | 1967 | www.kopacki-rit.com |
  | 2. | Papuk | 1999 | www.pp-papuk.hr |
  | 3. | Lonjsko polje | 1990 | www.pp-lonjsko-polje.hr |
  | 4. | Medvednica | 1981 | www.pp-medvednica.hr |
  | 5. | Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje | 1999 | www.park-zumberak.hr |
  | 6. | Učka | 1999 | www.pp-ucka.hr |
  | 7. | Velebit | 1981 | www.pp-velebit.hr |
  | 8. | Vrana lake | 1999 | www.pp-vransko-jezero.hr/en/ |
  | 9. | Telašćica | 1988 | www.telascica.hr |
  | 10. | Biokovo | 1981 | www.biokovo.com |
  | 11. | Lastovsko otočje | 2006 | pp-lastovo.hr |
  | 12. | Dinara | 2021 | mingor.gov.hr/vijesti/proglasen-park-prirode-dinara/8034 |
  
  ## Strict reserves
  
  * Bijele and Samarske stijene
  * Hajdučki and Rožanski kukovi
  
  ## Special reserves
  
  There are 80 special reserves in Croatia:
  
  * 37 forest vegetation reserves
  * 22 ornithological reserves
  * 9 botanical reserves
  * 2 ichthyological reserves
  * 2 ichthyological and ornithological reserves
  * 2 zoological reserves
  * 2 sea reserves
  * 1 geological and paleontological reserve
  * 1 paleontological reserve
  * 1 geographical and botanical reserve
  * 1 botanical and zoological reserve
  