National Parks India
National Parks of India – Railway GK Capsule
Definition: A National Park is an area constituted “to conserve & enhance the natural vegetation, wild life & cultural heritage” (Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Sec-35).
No human activity/rights are allowed inside except for the ones permitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden.
1. Key Facts & Figures (2024-Update)
| Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total National Parks in India | 106 (as on Jan-2024) |
| First National Park | Hailey National Park (1936) – now Jim Corbett NP, Uttarakhand |
| Latest National Park (2023) | Kumbhalgarh NP (Rajasthan) upgraded from sanctuary → NP |
| Largest NP | Hemis NP, Ladakh – 3,350 km² |
| Smallest NP | South Button Island NP, A&N – 0.03 km² |
| State with max NPs | Madhya Pradesh (11) |
| Only floating NP in world | Keibul Lamjao NP, Manipur (Eastern swamp deer – Sangai) |
2. Timeline – Milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1936 | Hailey NP established (Corbett) |
| 1970 | Project Tiger launched |
| 1972 | Wildlife Protection Act enacted |
| 1973 | Bandipur becomes 1st Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger |
| 1977 | Project Elephant launched |
| 1983 | Nanda Devi declared 1st UNESCO NP of India |
| 1989 | Marine NP at Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat) |
| 1992 | Great Himalayan NP (HP) notified |
| 2000 | Mudumalai upgraded to NP |
| 2019 | Kuno NP declared for Cheetah re-introduction |
| 2022 | Ramgarh Vishdhari (Raj) notified as 106th NP |
3. Zone-wise Quick Reference Table
| Zone | States | Notable NPs (Exam Favourites) |
|---|---|---|
| Northern | JK, Ladakh, HP, UK | Hemis (Ladakh), Great Himalayan (HP), Corbett (UK), Valley of Flowers (UK) |
| Western | Raj, Guj, MH, Goa | Ranthambore, Sariska (Raj), Gir (Guj), Tadoba (MH), Mollem (Goa) |
| Central | MP, CG | Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna, Satpura (MP); Indravati, Kanger Valley (CG) |
| Eastern | WB, Od, Jh, Bihar | Sundarbans (WB), Simlipal (Od), Betla (Jh), Valmiki (Bihar) |
| North-East | 8 sisters | Kaziranga (Assam), Keibul Lamjao (Manipur), Namdapha (ArP), Phawngpui (Mizoram) |
| Southern | TN, KA, KL, AP, TS | Bandipur, Nagarhole (KA), Periyar (KL), Mudumalai (TN), Papikonda (AP) |
| Islands | A&N, Lakshadweep | Campbell Bay, Galathea (A&N); no NP in Lakshadweep |
4. State-wise National Parks (One-liner Ready Reckoner)
| State | No. | Flagship NP & Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | 3 | Papikonda – only NP in Eastern Ghats of AP |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | Namdapha – India’s largest NP in NE (1,985 km²) |
| Assam | 5 | Kaziranga – highest tiger density, 2/3 world one-horned rhino |
| Bihar | 1 | Valmiki – only NP of Bihar, tiger bearing |
| Chhattisgarh | 3 | Kanger Valley – famous for Bastar hill myna |
| Goa | 1 | Mollem – Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary also here |
| Gujarat | 4 | Gir – only abode of Asiatic Lion |
| Himachal Pradesh | 5 | Pin Valley – cold desert NP, snow leopard |
| Jharkhand | 1 | Betla – first NP of Jharkhand (earlier Palamau) |
| Karnataka | 5 | Bandipur – part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve |
| Kerala | 6 | Silent Valley – lion-tailed macaque, no habitation inside |
| Madhya Pradesh | 11 | Kanha – first NP to introduce Barasingha hard-ground sub-species |
| Maharashtra | 6 | Tadoba – oldest NP of MH (1955) |
| Manipur | 1 | Keibul Lamjao – floating phumdis, Sangai deer |
| Meghalaya | 2 | Balphakram – called “botanical paradise” |
| Mizoram | 2 | Phawngpui – highest peak NP of Mizoram |
| Nagaland | 1 | Intanki – hoolock gibbon |
| Odisha | 2 | Bhitarkanika – mangrove NP, salt-water crocodile |
| Punjab | 0 | No NP |
| Rajasthan | 5 | Desert NP – great Indian bustard |
| Sikkim | 1 | Khangchendzonga – India’s first “Mixed” UNESCO site |
| Tamil Nadu | 5 | Gulf of Mannar – only marine NP of mainland India |
| Telangana | 3 | Kasu Brahmananda Reddy – inside Hyderabad city |
| Tripura | 2 | Clouded Leopard NP – smallest in area of Tripura |
| Uttar Pradesh | 1 | Dudhwa – last surviving population of swamp deer (barasingha) |
| Uttarakhand | 6 | Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers – twin UNESCO NPs |
| West Bengal | 6 | Sundarbans – largest tidal mangrove NP, Royal Bengal Tiger |
| Ladakh | 1 | Hemis – snow leopard capital |
| A&N Islands | 6 | South Button – smallest NP of India |
5. UNESCO World Heritage NP Sites (Natural)
- Kaziranga NP (Assam) – 1985
- Manas NP (Assam) – 1985
- Keoladeo Ghana NP (Raj) – 1985
- Sunderbans NP (WB) – 1987
- Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers (UK) – 1988, 2005
- Great Himalayan NP (HP) – 2014
- Khangchendzonga NP (Sikkim) – 2016 (Mixed)
6. One-liner Quick Facts (RRB Last-Minute Revision)
- 106 NPs cover 1.35 % of India’s geographical area.
- Jim Corbett – first to come under Project Tiger (1973).
- Gir – only home of Asiatic Lion; lion census every 5 years (last 2020).
- Kaziranga – highest rhino population (>2,600), declared Tiger Reserve (2007).
- Keoladeo – Ramsar site & World Heritage; famous Siberian crane (now extinct).
- Sundarbans – largest mangrove forest; tiger adapted to saline water.
- Namdapha – eastern-most NP; four big cats – tiger, leopard, clouded, snow.
- Silent Valley – no habitation inside; lion-tailed macaque flagship.
- Desert NP – great Indian bustard; fossil park nearby.
- Dudhwa – only NP in UP; swamp deer (barasingha) revival.
- Mollem – Dudhsagar falls inside.
- Bandipur & Nagarhole – part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (first BR of India).
- Periyar – artificial lake formed by Mullaperiyar dam.
- Hemis – largest NP; snow leopard under Project Snow Leopard (2009).
- Keibul Lamjao – only floating NP; Sangai is Manipur’s state animal.
7. Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Which was the first National Park established in India?
Answer: Jim Corbett (earlier Hailey) National Park, 19362. The largest National Park of India in terms of area is?
Answer: Hemis National Park, Ladakh3. Which state has the maximum number of National Parks in India?
Answer: Madhya Pradesh (11)4. The only floating National Park in the world is located in which state?
Answer: Manipur (Keibul Lamjao NP)5. Kaziranga National Park is famous for which animal?
Answer: One-horned rhinoceros6. In which National Park is the Asiatic Lion found in India?
Answer: Gir National Park, Gujarat7. Which National Park was the first to be included in Project Tiger?
Answer: Jim Corbett National Park8. The smallest National Park of India is?
Answer: South Button Island NP, Andaman & Nicobar Islands9. Which National Park is known as the “Botanical Paradise” of Meghalaya?
Answer: Balphakram National Park10. Which NP is located inside the city limits of Hyderabad?
Answer: Kasu Brahmananda Reddy NP, Telangana11. Which of the following is a Marine National Park on the mainland of India?
Answer: Gulf of Mannar NP, Tamil Nadu12. Which National Park is associated with the re-introduction of Cheetah in India?
Answer: Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh13. The Sangai deer is the flagship species of which NP?
Answer: Keibul Lamjao NP, Manipur14. Which National Park is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve?
Answer: Bandipur NP (Karnataka)15. Which of the following National Parks is a Mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Answer: Khangchendzonga NP, Sikkim16. Silent Valley NP is located in which state?
Answer: Kerala17. Which National Park hosts the highest density of tigers in India?
Answer: Kaziranga National Park, Assam18. The Desert National Park is famous for the conservation of which bird?
Answer: Great Indian BustardTip: Revise the flagship species ↔ NP ↔ State triad daily; 2-3 questions are fixed every shift in RRB exams.
BETA
