List of national parks of Norway

Map of national parks in 2018

National parks (green), nature reserves (purple), geotope protection areas (orange) and bird sanctuaries of Svalbard

Norway has 48 national parks, of which 41 are on the mainland and 7 on Svalbard. National parks in Norway are stricter than many other countries, and nearly all motorized vehicles are prohibited. The Right to roam applies, thus hiking, skiing and camping throughout the park are permitted, given that consideration to nature is taken. Roads, accommodation and national park centers are located outside the national parks. The parks are under the management of the Norwegian Environment Agency and the local county governor.<ref name=info>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ytre Hvaler is a marine park and all parks in Svalbard also contain marine areas. Sør-Spitsbergen is the largest park, covering an area of Template:Convert, although only Template:Convert is land.<ref name=svalbard>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The newest national park assigned in Norway is Østmarka established in 2023. The largest park on the mainland is Hardangervidda, which covers an area of Template:Convert. Gutulia is the smallest, covering Template:Convert.<ref name=info />

Geography and history

At least 60% of Norway's area is mountainous, lakes or bogs (non-arable land, some of it is used as pastures); 37% is forest of various kinds; and only 3% arable land. It is estimated that between 1900 and 2003 areas more than 5 km from intense construction activity have decreased from 48% to 12% in Norway.

Until about one hundred years ago there was relatively little threat to ecosystems in Norway. The first initiatives to protect land were voiced in 1904, by Yngvar Nielsen, leader of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT). The association continued to lobby cases in 1923 and 1938. The natural protection act of 1954 prepared a legal basis for establishing protection areas, and the two first national parks were established in 1962 and 1963. The act of 1954 also established Statens naturvernråd ("Governmental Natural protection council") as an advisory body for the government. The council presented a draft for further natural protecting in 1964, suggesting 16 national parks. These suggestions were approved by Stortinget. It took 25 years, until 1989, before 15 of their suggestions were fulfilled. The 16th suggestion became a naturreservat. The council presented another suggestion in 1986,<ref>Ny landsplan for nasjonalparker / fra en arbeidsgruppe oppnevnt 3. September 1982; utredningen avgitt til Miljøverndepartementet April 1986. Oslo, 1986 (Norges offentlige utredninger; NOU 1986: 13). Template:ISBN</ref> and this was approved by Stortinget in April 1993. Following this approval, a "second generation" of national parks, as well as expanding borders for the elder, were established from 2001.

The post-industrial era that started in the late 1960s saw areas being protected as national parks or other protected status as a means to regulate the construction of vacation homes, roads, fishing, hunting, and gathering plants. This trend has accelerated in the last 10 years. In addition to preserving rare plant and animal life, areas are protected to maintain reference points for environmental research, recreational resources for Norwegians, and as an inheritance for future generations. The Directorate for Nature Management maintains indicators for the health of nature in Norway, including such measures as biological diversity, erosion, signs of pollution.

For the most part, national parks are open to hiking, cross-country skiing and camping. Most have a limited number of overnight cabins.

In addition to national parks, the Norwegian government has designated larger areas for protection. Included in these areas are 153 landscapes covering 14071 km²; 1,701 nature reserves covering 3,418 km²; 24 national parks covering 21,650 km²; 102 natural memorials, and 98 smaller protected areas. This accounts for 12.1% of Norway's mainland area.

The Norwegian government's goal is to increase this area over time to at least 15%. They have signalled an interest in preserving marine ecosystems, including the fjords of the western parts of Norway, and the archipelago southwest from Oslo.

Current

Image	Name	County(s)	Est.	Area	Description	Ref
	Template:Sort	Finnmark	1975	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Template:Sort	Troms	1970	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella	Nord-Trøndelag	2004	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Breheimen	Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane	2009	Template:Convert
	Template:Sort	Nord-Trøndelag, Nordland	1963	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Dovre	Oppland	2003	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella	Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Sør-Trøndelag	1974	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Færder	Vestfold	2013	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Femundsmarka	Hedmark, Sør-Trøndelag	1971	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Folgefonna	Hordaland	2005	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Forlandet	Svalbard	1973	Template:Convert	The park covers the uninhabited island of Prins Karls Forland and the surrounding waters. Forlandet is long and narrow with tall peaks, separated in two by the low Forlandsletta. It is the northernmost habitat of harbor seal and a nesting place for common guillemot. Wetland birds nest at Plankeholmane and Forlandsøyane, and the west coast is an overwintering site for seabirds.	<ref name=svalbard />
	Forollhogna	Sør-Trøndelag, Hedmark	2001	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Fulufjellet	Hedmark	2012	Template:Convert		<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Gutulia	Hedmark	1968	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Hallingskarvet	Buskerud, Hordaland	2006	Template:Convert
	Hardangervidda	Buskerud, Hordaland, Telemark	1981	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Indre Wijdefjorden	Svalbard	2005	Template:Convert	Located in a steep fjord landscape in northern Spitsbergen, the park covers the inner part of Wijdefjorden—the longest fjord on Svalbard. On both sides of Wijdefjorden there is High Arctic steppe vegetation, dominated by grasses and extremely dry, basic earth. Along with vegetation found on nesting cliffs, it is the most exclusive flora in Svalbard. Of the larger fjords on Svalbard, Wijdefjorden is the least affected by humans.	<ref name=svalbard />
	Jomfruland	Telemark	2016	Template:Convert
	Jostedalsbreen	Sogn og Fjordane	1991	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Jotunheimen	Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane	1980	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Junkerdal	Nordland	2004	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
	Làhku	Nordland	2012	Template:Convert
	Langsua	Oppland	2011	Template:Convert
—	Lierne	Nordland	2004	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
Error creating thumbnail:	Lofotodden	Nordland	2018	Template:Convert
File:Lomsdalen.jpg	Lomsdal–Visten	Nordland	2009	Template:Convert
File:Moysalen 2.jpg	Møysalen	Nordland	2003	Template:Convert
File:Daudmannsodden Lexfjellet IMG 2538.JPG	Nordre Isfjorden	Svalbard	2003	Template:Convert	Protecting the northern shore of Isfjorden on Spitsbergen, the park consists of a long shoreline with lush vegetation serving as breeding grounds for birds. The landscape varies from the barren and lunar-like to sandy plains and several meter-thick layers of deposits.	<ref name=svalbard />
File:Lilliehookbreen1.jpg	Nordvest-Spitsbergen	Svalbard	1973	Template:Convert	The northwestern part of Spitsbergen has the archipelago's most varied nature and features some of the most important cultural heritage sites from whaling and Arctic exploration, such as Smeerenburg and Virgohamna. The park is habitat for Arctic fox, reindeer and Arctic char. Moffen Nature Reserve and three bird sanctuaries (Guissezholmen, Moseøya and Skorpa) are important breeding grounds for birds, especially eider and geese. The warm springs of Bockfjorden give a unique local flora.	<ref name=svalbard />
	Template:Sort	Oslo, Viken	2023	Template:Convert
File:Övre dividal anjajohka.jpg	Template:Sort	Troms	1971	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Russia-Norway-Finland border.jpg	Template:Sort	Finnmark	1970	Template:Convert	Part of Pasvik–Inari Trilateral Park, the area is dominated by Siberian-like taiga consisting of old-growth Scots pine, shallow lakes and bog. The traditional Skolts area is still used for reindeer husbandry. The park located in Pasvikdalen and is a habitat for brown bear and moose.	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
File:Arendal Tromøy Spornes b.JPG	Raet	Aust-Agder	2016	Template:Convert
File:Rago001.jpg	Rago	Nordland	1971	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Karitinden.jpg	Reinheimen	Oppland, Møre og Romsdal	2006	Template:Convert
File:Mollisfossen.jpg	Reisa	Troms	1986	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Canyon in Rohkunborri National Park.jpg	Rohkunborri	Troms	2011	Template:Convert
File:Rondane haust.jpg	Rondane	Hedmark, Oppland	1962	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Bjellåvasstua.jpg	Saltfjellet–Svartisen	Nordland	1989	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Sassenfjorden.jpg	Sassen–Bünsow Land	Svalbard	2003	Template:Convert	The park covers Tempelfjorden, Bünsow Land and the vast fluvial plain of Sassendalen, located at the head of Isfjorden. Tempelfjorden is an important breeding ground for ringed seals, while Sassendalen and Gipsdalen are important breeding grounds for geese. Bünsow Land has the only European occurrence of polar mouse-ear (Cerastium regelii) and broad-sepal saxifrage (Saxifraga platysepala).	<ref name=svalbard />
File:Seiland2b.jpg	Seiland	Finnmark	2006	Template:Convert
File:Towards Sjunkhatten National Park.jpg	Sjunkhatten	Nordland	2010	Template:Convert
File:Skarvan 1.jpg	Skarvan and Roltdalen	Nord-Trøndelag, Sør-Trøndelag	2004	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Polar Bear (js) 2.jpg	Template:Sort	Svalbard	1973	Template:Convert	Covering the southern part of Spitsbergen (Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Torell Land and Sørkapp Land), the western part has jagged mountains while the eastern part is more rounded. Hornsund is an important migration area for polar bears, while four bird sanctuaries (Olsholmen, Isøyane, Dunøyane and Sørkapp) are vital nesting grounds for migratory seabirds.	<ref name=svalbard />
File:Stabbursfossen .JPG	Stabbursdalen	Finnmark	1970	Template:Convert		<ref name=info />
File:Tundra1 (js).jpg	Van Mijenfjorden	Svalbard	2021	Template:Convert		<ref name=svalbard />
File:E75-Varanger-Vardø-2012-07-07-16-30-03.jpg	Varangerhalvøya	Finnmark	2006	Template:Convert
File:Ytre Hvaler, Landfasten vegetation.jpg	Ytre Hvaler	Østfold	2009	Template:Convert

Former

Name	County	Established	Disestablished	Area (land, km2)	Area (land, sq mi)	Replaced by	Ref
Gressåmoen	Nord-Trøndelag	1970	2004	Template:Convert	Blåfjella–Skjækerfjella
Ormtjernkampen	Oppland	1968	2011	Template:Convert	Langsua	<ref name=info />
Nordenskiöld Land	Svalbard	2003	2021	Template:Convert	Van Mijenfjorden

Planned

National park	County	Size km2	Outdoor recreational facilities provided	Status
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Nord-Trøndelag	261		Cancelled in 2013 after municipalities and reindeer herders pulled out of the process.
Muvrrešáhpi<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Finnmark	291	No	Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition.
Preikestolen<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Rogaland	215	Marked trails	Under consideration in 2019.
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Troms	?	Unmarked trails and a hut.	Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition. Reproposed in 2019.
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Nordland	~1000	Boat to Hellemobotn	Cancelled in 2015 after strong local opposition.

There are also several national park proposals by many different parties: Solværøyene, Storheia;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Melkevatn–Hjertvatn–Børsvatn, Okstindan;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> Frafjordheiene;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Oksøy-Ryvingen;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Setesdal Vesthei, Trollheimen, Lyngsalpan;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> Mølen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Storheia has since been covered in a wind farm and would no longer qualify for protection as a national park, and parts of Melkevatn–Hjertvatn–Børsvatn were protected as a nature reserve rather than a national park.

After being tasked by the Ministry of Climate and Environment in 2018 to find areas that should be protected, in 2019 the Environment Agency made a number of suggestions for new national parks as well as expansions of existing ones, after looking through suggestions from the county governors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2021, after meetings with the affected municipalities, they made a final list of suggestions for national parks that should get further consideration. The proposed new protections are: Sunnmørsalpane, Hornelen, Masfjordfjella and Øystesefjella. Additionally, they proposed some protected areas to be changed to national park: Lyngsalpan, Sylan, Trollheimen and Innerdalen, Ålfotbreen, Oksøy-Ryvingen, and Flekkefjord and Listastrendene. Many other proposals were cancelled due to local opposition: Kvænangsvidda-Nabar, Treriksrøysa, Preikestolen, Kvitladalen-Bjordalen, Viglesdalen; as well as some proposed changes of type of protection: Naustdal-Gjengedal and Setesdal Vesthei Ryfylkeheiane.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Norwegian national parks
  • Brouchures about National parks in Norway
• Pictures of all mainland national parks