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 .Statistics Greenland, Greenland in Figures, 2009  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.

History
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  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
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. 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

Category:National parks in North America
Category:Biosphere reserves
Category:Geography of Greenland