The Largest National Park In The EU Is In South America

Map modified from O. Debuf / © OFB, 2021 found on Research GateThe map above shows Guiana Amazonian Park (Parc amazonien de Guyane).

Located in French Guiana it covers 33,900 square kilometres (13,090 sq mi) of land or 41% of land area of the territory.

This makes it the largest National Park not only in France (French Guiana is considered an overseas department of France and hence is also part of the EU), but the biggest in the entire European Union.

More about the park:

Overview & Location

Guiana Amazonian Park (Parc amazonien de Guyane) is located on the northeastern coast of South America In French Guiana.

• It spans about 33,900 km², making it the largest national park in France and the European Union (core area [see map above] 20,300 square kilometres (7,840 sq mi) / membership area 13,600 square kilometres (5,250 sq mi) .
• This vast protected area covers roughly 41 % of French Guiana’s territory, one of the largest expanses of intact tropical rainforest in the world.
• The park lies deep inland, accessible only by airplane or river canoe (pirogue), there are no roads from the coast into the heart of the park.

History & Creation

• The idea for the park originated during the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, aimed at protecting Amazonian ecosystems.
• After years of planning and negotiation, including recognition of rights of indigenous communities, the park was officially created by decree on 27 February 2007.
• The park is governed by the French Office for Biodiversity, and its management balances strict core conservation areas with surrounding buffer zones where sustainable development is encouraged.

Landscape & Environment

Guiana Amazonian Park protects a huge portion of primary Amazon rainforest, one of the richest ecosystems on Earth.

• Towering trees can reach 50-65 m tall, and plant biodiversity is immense, a single hectare may have more tree species than all of metropolitan France.
• The park includes rivers, wetlands, inselbergs (isolated rocky hills), forests and savanna mosaics, making for a variety of habitats.

Incredible Biodiversity

This park is a biodiversity hotspot with thousands of species, many still little known to science.

Birds & Amphibians

• Over 500 bird species are found here, including parrots, macaws and more.
• Around 90 amphibian species, such as colorful poison dart frogs, thrive in forest pools and wetlands.

Reptiles & Fish

• Some 133 reptiles including caimans and large snakes like anacondas inhabit the waterways.
• 200+ species of freshwater fish swim the rivers.

Mammals

The park shelters many mammals (about 182 species) including:

• Primates, red howler monkeys, capuchins, spider monkeys and tamarins.
• Jaguars and pumas (top predators of the Amazon).
• Giant otters along rivers.
• Tapirs, capybaras, sloths, peccaries, squirrels, agoutis and many bats.

Human & Cultural Aspects

• The park’s territory crosses five municipalities and includes land traditionally used by Amerindian (Wayana, Wayãpi, Teko) and Bushinengue (Maroon) communities.
• There are sustainable tourism experiences, including hiking trails, river expeditions and cultural encounters with local communities.

Interesting Facts

• The park forms part of the Guiana Shield, one of the oldest geological formations on Earth with incredibly stable ecosystems.
• Together with adjoining parks in Brazil (Tumucumaque Mountains National Park), the region forms one of the largest contiguous protected rainforest areas in the world.
• Many areas inside the park are still unexplored, making it a frontier for biological discovery.

Have you ever been?