South African National Parks

South African National Parks (SANParks) is the body responsible for managing South Africa's national parks. SANParks was formed in 1926, and currently manages 19 parks consisting of 3,751,113 hectares (37,511.13 km2),[3] over 3% of the total area of South Africa.[4][lower-alpha 1]

South African National Parks
Agency overview
Formed1926
JurisdictionGovernment of South Africa
Headquarters643 Leyds Street, Muckleneuk, Pretoria
25°45′59″S 28°12′8″E
Employees4,027 (permanent)
1,405 (temporary)[1]
Annual budgetR2.046 billion[2]
Minister responsible
Agency executives
Parent agencyDepartment of Environmental Affairs
Key documents
  • National Parks Act, 1976
  • National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003
Websitewww.sanparks.org

Many parks offer a variety of accommodations. The best known park is Kruger National Park, which is also the oldest (proclaimed in 1898), and the largest, at nearly 2,000,000 hectares (20,000 km2). Kruger National Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa's most visited tourist attractions.

Though not designated as National Parks, other protected areas exist, such as game and nature reserves.

List of parks administered by SANParks

The following are designated as National Parks of South Africa:[6]

Name Photo Location Date established Area
Addo Elephant National Park Eastern Cape
33.26°S 25.44°E / -33.26; 25.44		 1931 1,642 km2 (634 sq mi)
Agulhas National Park Western Cape
34.50°S 20.00°E / -34.50; 20.00		 14 September 1998 56.9 km2 (22.0 sq mi)
Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
     Richtersveld National Park (South Africa)
     Ai-Ais Hot Springs (Namibia)		 Northern Cape
28.053889°S 17.034722°E / -28.053889; 17.034722		 2003
1991
1968		 5,920 km2 (2,290 sq mi)[7]
1,624 km2 (627 sq mi)[6]
4,611 km2 (1,780 sq mi)[8]
Augrabies Falls National Park Northern Cape
28.591111°S 20.338333°E / -28.591111; 20.338333		 1966 417 km2 (161 sq mi)
Bontebok National Park Western Cape
34.066667°S 20.45°E / -34.066667; 20.45		 1931 27.9 km2 (10.8 sq mi)
Camdeboo National Park Eastern Cape
32.25°S 24.5°E / -32.25; 24.5		 30 October 2005
1979 (Karoo Nature Reserve)		 194 km2 (75 sq mi)
Garden Route National Park Western Cape
34°S 23.25°E / -34; 23.25		 6 March 2009
1985 (Knysna National Lake Area)
1964 (Tsitsikamma National Park)
1985 (Wilderness National Park)		 1,210 km2 (470 sq mi)
(150 km2 (58 sq mi))
(639 km2 (247 sq mi))
(106 km2 (41 sq mi))
Golden Gate Highlands National Park Free State
28.506111°S 28.616667°E / -28.506111; 28.616667		 1963 116 km2 (45 sq mi)
Karoo National Park Western Cape
32.35°S 22.583333°E / -32.35; 22.583333		 1979 831 km2 (321 sq mi)
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
     Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (South Africa)
     Gemsbok National Park (Botswana)		 Northern Cape
26.47716141014315°S 20.61268169075392°E / -26.47716141014315; 20.61268169075392		 12 May 2000
31 July 1931
(unknown)		 33,551 km2 (12,954 sq mi)[9]
9,591 km2 (3,703 sq mi)[6]
28,000 km2 (11,000 sq mi)(est.)
Kruger National Park Limpopo and Mpumalanga
24.011389°S 31.485278°E / -24.011389; 31.485278		 31 May 1926[10][11] 19,623 km2 (7,576 sq mi)
Mapungubwe National Park Limpopo
22.2°S 29.4°E / -22.2; 29.4		 1995 53.6 km2 (20.7 sq mi)
Marakele National Park Limpopo
24.4°S 27.6°E / -24.4; 27.6		 11 February 1994 (1994-02-11)[12] 507 km2 (196 sq mi)
Meerkat National Park
(Visitors are not allowed)		 Northern Cape
30.691444°S 21.39°E / -30.691444; 21.39		 27 March 2020 (2020-03-27) 1,352.45 km2 (522.18 sq mi)
Mokala National Park Northern Cape
29.166667°S 24.35°E / -29.166667; 24.35		 19 June 2007 196 km2 (76 sq mi)
Mountain Zebra National Park Eastern Cape
32.183333°S 25.616667°E / -32.183333; 25.616667		 1937 284 km2 (110 sq mi)
Namaqua National Park Northern Cape
30.043333°S 17.586111°E / -30.043333; 17.586111		 1999 1,350 km2 (520 sq mi)
Table Mountain National Park Western Cape
33.966667°S 18.425°E / -33.966667; 18.425		 19 May 1998 243 km2 (94 sq mi)
Tankwa Karoo National Park Northern Cape
32.25°S 19.75°E / -32.25; 19.75		 19 May 1986 1,216 km2 (470 sq mi)
West Coast National Park Western Cape
33.120833°S 18.066667°E / -33.120833; 18.066667		 1985 363 km2 (140 sq mi)

Location of national parks
South African National Parks

See also

Notes
  1. Groenkloof and Graspan/Vaalbos are declared national parks in legislation but are not operationally functional national parks.[5]

References
  1. "South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16" (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  2. "South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16" (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  3. South Africa National Parks. "Brief History". SANParks. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  4. "South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16" (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  5. "South African National Parks Annual Report 2015/16" (PDF). South African National Parks. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-621-44439-1. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
  6. "About Us: Nature's Best!". South African National Parks. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  7. "/Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  8. "/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Game Park". Ministry of Environment and Tourism Namibia. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  9. "Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park". Peace Parks Foundation. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  10. House of Assembly Debates, cols 4366-81, 31 May 1926.
  11. Stevenson-Hamilton, James (1993). South African Eden: The Kruger National Park 1902–1946. Struik Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86825-343-2.
  12. "Marakele NP" (PDF).
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