The protected areas of Nicaragua are areas that have natural beauty or significance and are protected by

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...

. Nicaragua has 78 protected areas that cover 22,422 km², about 17.3% of the nations

landmass A landmass, or land mass, is a large region or area of land. The term is often used to refer to lands surrounded by an ocean or sea, such as a continent or a large island. In the field of geology, a landmass is a defined section of continen ...

. The National System of Protected Areas (SINAP) is administered by the

Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA), is in charge of environmental protection and of the study, planning, and management of the Nicaragua's natural resources. It was formerly known as the Nicaraguan Institute of Natural ...

(MARENA).

History

The Peninsula of Cosigüina Wildlife Refuge was established in 1958 and was the first protected area in Nicaragua. Two more protected areas were established in 1979 and there was a total of 25 by 1990. Prior to 1979, the Central Bank of Nicaragua was assigned responsibility for the two

national parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...

and one natural reserve created during the Somoza regime. In March 1999, a new law established regulations for private reserves in Nicaragua. Private

wildlife reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

s are defined as private areas dedicated to conservation by their landowners and recognized by MARENA, on the basis of certain criteria and the potential for the conservations of

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variability''), species ('' species diversity''), and ecosystem ('' ecosystem diversity'') ...

List of protected areas

This is a complete list of protected areas in

: * Alamikamaba Natural Reserve *

Apacunca Genetic Reserve Apacunca Genetic Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves which are officially under protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua {{Nicaragua-protected-area-stub ...

Apoyo Lagoon Natural Reserve Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural Laguna de Apoyo'') is a nature reserve located between the departments of Masaya and Granada in Nicaragua. Lake Apoyo was declared a nature reserve in 1991 and is managed by the Ministry ...

Asososca Lagoon Natural Reserve Asososca Lagoon Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. References Volcanic crater lakes Protected areas of Nicaragua León Department Volcanoes ...

* Bismuna Raya Lagoon Natural Reserve *

Bosawás Biosphere Reserve The Bosawás Biosphere Reserve in the northern part of state Jinotega (border with Honduras), Nicaragua is a hilly tropical forest designated in 1997 as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. At approximately 20,000 km² (2 million hectares) in size, t ...

Cabo Viejo-Tala-Sulamas Natural Reserve Cabo Viejo-Tala-Sulamas Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua {{Nicaragua-protected-area-stub ...

Cayos Miskitos Biological Reserve The Miskito Cays (Spanish: Cayos Miskitos) are an archipelago with an area of 27 km2 located off shore in the northeastern Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, part of the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. The Miskito Cays are composed of ...

Cerro Apante Nature Reserve Cerro Apante Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua Central American pine–oak forests {{Nicaragua-protected-ar ...

Cerro Arenal Natural Reserve Cerro Arenal Natural Reserve (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural Cerro Arenal'') is a natural reserve with an area of 14.28 square kilometres in the Cordillera Dariense, it is located in the Matagalpa department in central Nicaragua. The Cerro Arenal Natu ...

Cerro Banacruz Natural Reserve Cerro Banacruz Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua {{Nicaragua-protected-area-stub ...

Cerro Cola Blanca Natural Reserve Cerro Cola Blanca Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua {{Nicaragua-protected-area-stub ...

Cerro Cumaica–Cerro Alegre Nature Reserve Cerro Cumaica-Cerro Alegre Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua {{Nicaragua-protected-area-stub ...

Cerro Guabule Nature Reserve Cerro Guabule Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. Protected areas of Nicaragua Central American pine–oak forests {{Nicaragua-protected- ...

Cerro Kilambé Natural Reserve Cerro Kilambé Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. External links Kilambé Massif Natural Reserve- Explore Nicaragua Protected areas of Nicaragu ...

* Cerro Mombachito - La Vieja Natural Reserve * Cerro Musún Natural Reserve * Cerro Pancasan Natural Reserve * Cerro Quiabuc–Las Brisas Nature Reserve * Cerro Silva Natural Reserve * Cerro Tisey–Estanzuela Nature Reserve * Cerro Wawashang Natural Reserve * Chacocente Wildlife Refuge * Chiltepe Peninsula Natural Reserve * Chocoyero-El Brujo Natural Reserve * Cordillera de Yolaina Natural Reserve * Cordillera Dipilto and Jalapa Natural Reserve * Cosigüina Volcano Natural Reserve *

El Arenal Natural Reserve El Arenal Natural Reserve (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural El Arenal'') is a natural reserve with an area of . It is located in the Matagalpa department in central Nicaragua. The government permits small settlements and farmers to stay in the region wit ...

Estero Padre Ramos Natural Reserve The Padre Ramos Estuary Natural Reserve (Spanish: ''Reserva Natural Estero Padre Ramos'') is located on the northwest Pacific coast of Nicaragua, in the municipality El Viejo in the department of Chinandega. It is one of 78 protected areas of Nic ...

Estero Real Natural Reserve Estero Real Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. It is in the Northwest corner of Nicaragua in Chinandega Department Chinandega () is a department ...

* Fila Masigüe Natural Reserve * Hurricane Mitch Victims National Monument * Indio Maíz Biological Reserve * Juan Venado Island Natural Reserve * Kligna Natural Reserve * Kukalaya Lagoon Natural Reserve * La Inmaculada Fort Historical Site * La Máquina Natural Reserve * Layasika Lagoon Natural Reserve * Limbaika Natural Reserve * Llanos de Apacunca Genetic Reserve * Llanos de Karawala Natural Reserve * Llanos de Makantaka Natural Reserve * Los Guatuzos Wildlife Refuge * Macizos de Peñas Blancas Natural Reserve *

Maderas Volcano Natural Reserve Maderas Volcano Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to ...

* Makantaka Natural Reserve * Masaya Volcano National Park * Mecatepe Lagoon Natural Reserve * Mesas de Moropotente Natural Reserve * Miraflor Natural Reserve * Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve
O Parks, WildLife, and Recreation
formerly named Ostional Private WildLife ReserveO Parks, WildLife, and Recreation
* Nejapa Lagoon Natural Reserve * Pahara Lagoon Natural Reserve *

Punta Gorda Natural Reserve Punta Gorda Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the ...

* Río Manares Natural Reserve * Río San Juan Wildlife Refugee * Salto Río Yasika Natural Reserve * Selva Negra Cloud Forest Reserve * Sierra Amerrisque Nature Reserve * Sierra Quirragua Natural Reserve * Solentiname National Monument * Somoto Canyon National Monument * Tepesomoto–Pataste Nature Reserve * Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve * Tisma Lagoon Natural Reserve * Volcán Maderas Natural Reserve * Volcán Pilas El Hoyo Natural Reserve * Volcán San Cristóbal Natural Reserve * Volcán San Cristóbal-Casita Natural Reserve * Volcán Telica Rota Natural Reserve * Volcán Yali Natural Reserve * Yolaina Natural Reserve * Yucul Genetic Reserve * Yulu Karata Natural Reserve *

Yulu Natural Reserve Yulu Natural Reserve is a nature reserve in Nicaragua. It is one of the 78 reserves that are under official protection in the country. The Yulu Nature Reserve is located in the autonomous region of the North Caribbean Coast, west of the Puerto ...

* Zapatera Archipelago National Park

References

External links

MARENA
- government website
Eco-tourism in Nicaragua (The Guardian)
{{North America topic, Protected areas of

History

List of protected areas

See also

References

External links