Canada's National Parks And Marine Conservation Areas
Wood Buffalo is Canada's largest national park, while Banff, formed in 1885, is its oldest.

Canada is the world’s second largest nation by total area. It forms the upper half of North America and shares a border with the United States. Its territory stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and finally the Arctic Ocean. Snowcapped mountains, clear rivers, lush forests and beautiful lakes are some of the features that cover Canada’s landscape. The country has established National Parks and Marine Parks to preserve these valuable resources. Some of the famous parks are Banff National Park, Pacific Rim, Cape Breton, and Fundy.
Canada's National Parks And Marine Conservation Areas
Banff National Park
Banff National Park is the oldest National Park in Canada. The park was established in 1885 during the construction of the transcontinental railroad. It covers an area of 2,564 square miles and forms part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. The park’s terrain consists of mountains, ice fields, glaciers, and dense coniferous forests. It has a subarctic climate characterized by snowy winters and mild summers. The park’s vegetation consists of meadows, lodgepole pines, Douglas-firs, willows, and Douglas Maples. The park is home to over 50 mammal species including grizzly bear, coyote, elk, cougar, bighorn sheep, and Marmot. Very few reptiles and amphibians inhabit the park due to its harsh cold winters. Banff National Park boasts of some of the finest and intact ecosystems in the world. It was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. The park is well protected by Parks Canada, an environmental conservation agency in Canada. Continuous studies are conducted at the park to establish better ways of protecting the resources in the park.
Wood Buffalo National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park covers an area of 17,300 square miles making it Canada’s largest national park. It was established in 1922 with an aim to protect the free-roaming wood bison found in the region. The park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 because of its unique features. It is home to a variety of wild animals such as the wood bison, black bears, timber wolves, bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Wood Buffalo National Park is the only natural nesting site for the whooping crane, an endangered bird species. The park has the largest beaver dam in the world. Additionally, the park has one of the largest freshwater deltas in the world- Peace-Athabasca Delta. The park’s landscape is composed of boreal forests, salt plains, and saline streams. Three prominent rivers pass through the park; the Slave, Peace, and Athabasca.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands National Park covers an area of 366 square miles. The park is located in one of the Atlantic provinces of Canada. It is flanked by the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the west and Atlantic Ocean to the east. The park’s vegetation consists of coniferous and deciduous trees at lower elevations and boreal forests at higher elevations. A variety of animals inhabits the park including, black bears, red foxes and mice Birds such as kestrels, bald eagles, hawks, and owls are found in the park. The park’s marine life consists of whales, white-sided dolphins, and seals. Some of the favorite activities at the park are swimming, fishing, kayaking, surfing, camping, cycling, golfing, and sightseeing. A project to restore boreal forests within the park started in 2014 in partnership with Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources and is still ongoing.
Yoho National Park
Yoho national park which covers 507 square miles was established in 1886, shortly after Canada’s first national park. The park’s name, Yoho, is a Cree word that expresses awe. The park is famous for its magnificent waterfalls and endless glaciers. Besides, part of the park’s terrain is covered by half a billion-year-old rock deposit referred to as Burgess Shale. The park is home to the badger, elk, mountain goat, moose, golden-mantled ground squirrel, hoary marmot, wolverine, lynx, cougar, grizzly bear, and black bear. Yoho national park was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984 because of its biodiversity and magnificent landscape.
Canada's Natural Wealth
Canada’s national parks are home to some of the world’s most pure and untouched ecosystems. The parks provide a habitat for endangered plant and animal species. Furthermore, millions of tourists visit the parks annually and contribute to the nation’s income. Canadian’s government has created laws as well as conservation agencies to ensure that the parks and resources in the parks are preserved.
Canda's National Parks and Marine Conservation Areas | Area |
Aulavik | 4,710 square miles |
Auyuittuq | 7,370 square miles |
Banff | 2,564 square miles |
Bruce Peninsula | 59 square miles |
Cape Breton Highlands | 366 square miles |
Elk Island | 75 square miles |
Fathom Five | 43 square miles |
Forillon | 94 square miles |
Fundy | 80 square miles |
Georgian Bay Islands | 5 square miles |
Glacier | 521 square miles |
Grasslands | 350 square miles |
Gros Morne | 697 square miles |
Gulf Islands | 14 square miles |
Gwaii Haanas | 577 square miles |
Gwaii Haanas | 579 square miles |
Ivvavik | 3,926 square miles |
Jasper | 4,200 square miles |
Kejimkujik | 156 square miles |
Kluane | 8,499 square miles |
Kootenay | 543 square miles |
Kouchibouguac | 92 square miles |
La Mauricie | 207 square miles |
Lake Superior | 3,861 square miles |
Mingan Archipelago | 58 square miles |
Mount Revelstoke | 100 square miles |
Naats'ihch'oh | 1,873 square miles |
Nahanni | 11,583 square miles |
Pacific Rim | 197 square miles |
Point Pelee | 6 square miles |
Prince Albert | 1,496 square miles |
Prince Edward Island | 8 square miles |
Pukaskwa | 725 square miles |
Qausuittuq | 4,247 square miles |
Quttinirpaaq | 14,585 square miles |
Riding Mountain | 1,148 square miles |
Rouge | 7 square miles |
Sable Island | 13 square miles |
Saguenay-St. Lawrence | 481 square miles |
Sirmilik | 8,571 square miles |
Terra Nova | 154 square miles |
Thousand Islands | 9 square miles |
Torngat Mountains | 3,745 square miles |
Tuktut Nogait | 6,309 square miles |
Ukkusiksalik | 8,064 square miles |
Vuntut | 1,678 square miles |
Wapusk | 4,431 square miles |
Waterton Lakes | 195 square miles |
Wood Buffalo | 17,300 square miles |
Yoho | 507 square miles |
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