Uruguay has 17 national parks including a number that are monuments or geological parks that are administered by the federal government but that aren't specifically called "national parks". Most of Uruguay's national parks are found along the Atlantic Coast. The country has a rich biodiversity with tropical jungles, mountain Highlands, and coastal and river wetlands.
Understand
[edit]Park are administered for the federal government by the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas (SNAP), which is part of the Ministerio de Ambiente (Department of the Environment). SNAP administers all protected natural areas except for Santa Teresa National Park, which is administered by the Uruguayan Army.
Parks
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Map of Uruguayan national parks
- 1 Santa Teresa National Park
- historic coastal fortress, miles of sandy beaches, grasslands and forests - 2 Cabo Polonio National Park - a tiny, remote seaside village community is surrounded by coastal marshes and grasslands
- 3 San Miguel National Park - historic coastal fortress on 1,500 hectares of coastal grasslands, includes a historic cemetery and a military museum
- 4 Laguna de Rocha - protected natural area that is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar wetland, it is a habitat for otters, turtles, flamingos and black-neck swans
- 5 Estero de Farrapos - protected Ramasar wetland, it is considered the best spot in Uruguay to observe wild animals
- 6 Anchorena National Park - the official Presidential retreat is surrounded by the 4,700 hectare national park, which includes a botanical garden with over 200 species of exotic trees
- 7 Quebrada de los Cuervos - rugged Backcountry with hills, a 5 km long canyon, waterfalls, and rich biodiversity including several endangered bird species
- 8 Grutas del Palacio - part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, the park protects a 70 million year old cavern system
See also
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