Editing National park (section)

==Definitions==
[[File:Koli 2019 2.jpg|thumb|Landscapes of the [[Koli National Park]] in [[North Karelia]], [[Finland]], have inspired many painters and composers, including [[Jean Sibelius]], [[Juhani Aho]], and [[Eero Järnefelt]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nationalparks.fi/kolinp/history|title=History of Koli National Park|website=Nationalparks.fi|access-date=16 August 2020|archive-date=27 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127160710/https://www.nationalparks.fi/kolinp/history|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
[[File:Puerto Escondido P N Manuel Antonio.JPG|thumb|[[Manuel Antonio National Park]] in Costa Rica was listed by ''[[Forbes]]'' as one of the world's 12 most beautiful national parks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/janelevere/2011/08/29/the-worlds-most-beautiful-national-parks/|title=The World's Most Beautiful National Parks|author=Jane Levere|work=[[Forbes]]|date=29 August 2011|access-date=4 October 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001031720/http://www.forbes.com/sites/janelevere/2011/08/29/the-worlds-most-beautiful-national-parks/|archive-date=1 October 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>]]
[[File:Beech trees in Mallard Wood, New Forest - geograph.org.uk - 779513.jpg|thumb|Beech trees in Mallard Wood, [[New Forest National Park]], Hampshire, England]]

In 1969, the IUCN declared a national park to be a relatively large area with the following defining characteristics:<ref>Gulez, Sumer (1992). A method of evaluating areas for national park status.</ref>

* One or several [[ecosystems]] not materially altered by human exploitation and occupation, where plant and animal species, geomorphological sites and habitats are of special scientific, educational, and recreational interest or which contain a natural landscape of great beauty;
* Highest competent authority of the country has taken steps to prevent or eliminate exploitation or occupation as soon as possible in the whole area and to effectively enforce the respect of ecological, geomorphological, or aesthetic features which have led to its establishment; and
* Visitors are allowed to enter, under special conditions, for inspirational, educative, cultural, and recreative purposes.

In 1971, these criteria were further expanded upon leading to more clear and defined benchmarks to evaluate a national park. These include:

* Minimum size of 1,000 hectares within zones in which protection of nature takes precedence
* Statutory legal protection
* Budget and staff sufficient to provide effective protection
* Prohibition of [[exploitation of natural resources]] (including the development of dams) qualified by such activities as sport, hunting, fishing, the need for management, facilities, etc.

While the term national park is now defined by the IUCN, many protected areas in many countries are called national park even when they correspond to other categories of the IUCN Protected Area Management Definition, for example:<ref name="Gissibl, B. 2012"/><ref>[[European Environment Agency]] [http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/protected-areas-in-europe-2012/download ''Protected areas in Europe – an overview''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924010816/http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/protected-areas-in-europe-2012/download |date=24 September 2015 }} In: EEA Report No 5/2012 Kopenhagen: 2012 {{ISBN|978-92-9213-329-0}} {{ISSN|1725-9177}} [http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/protected-areas-in-europe-2012/download pdf]  doi=10.2800/55955</ref>
* [[Swiss National Park]], Switzerland: IUCN&nbsp;Ia – Strict Nature Reserve
* [[Everglades National Park]], United States: IUCN&nbsp;Ib – Wilderness Area
* [[Koli National Park]], Finland: IUCN&nbsp;II – Surface Area
* [[Victoria Falls National Park]], Zimbabwe: IUCN&nbsp;III – National Monument
* [[Vitosha]] National Park, Bulgaria: IUCN&nbsp;IV – Habitat Management Area
* [[New Forest National Park]], United Kingdom: IUCN&nbsp;V – Protected Landscape
* Etniko Ygrotopiko Parko Delta Evrou, Greece: IUCN&nbsp;VI – Managed Resource Protected Area

While national parks are generally understood to be administered by national governments (hence the name), in Australia, with the exception of six national parks, national parks are run by state governments and predate the [[Federation of Australia]]; similarly, national parks in the Netherlands are administered by the provinces.<ref name="Gissibl, B. 2012"/> In Canada, there are both national parks operated by the federal government and provincial or territorial parks operated by the provincial and territorial governments, although nearly all are still national parks by the IUCN definition.<ref>John S. Marsh, "[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-parks Provincial Parks]", {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310160520/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-parks |date=10 March 2020 }}, in ''[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]]'' (Historica Canada, 2018‑05‑30), [accessed 2020‑02‑18].</ref>

In many countries, including Indonesia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, national parks do not adhere to the IUCN definition, while some areas which adhere to the IUCN definition are not designated as national parks.<ref name="Gissibl, B. 2012"/>

===Terminology===
[[File:012 035 Ile Mingan Niapiscau.jpg|thumb|[[Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve]],<ref name="The Canadian Encyclopedia">{{cite web |title=Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mingan-archipelago-national-park-reserve |publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=2024-01-12 |date=2015-01-03 |quote=Oddly shaped rock pillars sculpted by wind and sea create the unique islandscape of the natural reserve}}</ref> [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]], [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]]]
As many countries do not adhere to the IUCN definition, the term "national park" may be used loosely. [[National parks of the United Kingdom|In the United Kingdom]], and in some other countries such as [[Taiwan]], a "national park" simply describes a general area that is relatively undeveloped, scenic, and attracts tourists, with some form of planning restrictions to ensure it maintains those characteristics. There may be substantial human settlements within the bounds of a national park. 

Conversely, parks that meet the criteria may be not be referred to as "national parks". Terms like "preserve" or "reserve" may be used instead.