National parks of Sweden are managed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Swedish: Naturvårdsverket) and owned by the state. The goal of the national park service is to create a system of protected areas that represent all the distinct natural regions of the country. In 1909, Sweden became the first country in Europe to establish such parks when nine were opened following the Riksdag passing of a law on national parks that year. This was followed by the establishment of seven parks between 1918 and 1962 and thirteen between 1982 and 2009, with the latest being Åsnen National Park in 2018.[1] there are 30 national parks in Sweden, comprising a total area of 743238ha.[2]
According to the EPA, Swedish national parks must represent unique landscape types and be effectively protected and used for research, recreation, and tourism without damaging nature.[3] Mountain terrain dominates approximatively 90% of the parks' combined area. The reason for this is the extensive mountain areas taken up by the large northern parks—Sarek National Park and Padjelanta National Park each cover approximately 200000ha. Many of the northern parks are part of the Laponian area, one of Sweden's UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to its preserved natural landscape and habitat for the native reindeer-herding Sami people.[4] The southernmost parks—Söderåsen National Park, Dalby Söderskog National Park and Stenshuvud National Park—are covered with broadleaf forest and together cover approximately 2000ha. Fulufjället National Park is part of PAN Parks, a network founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to provide better long-term conservation and tourism management of European national parks.[5]
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| scope=col | Name | scope=col | Location[6] | scope=col | Area | scope=col | Established | Description | scope=col | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Abisko National Park | Norrbotten County | 1909 | The park is composed of valleys framed by mountain ranges in the south and west and Scandinavia's largest alpine lake, Torneträsk, in the north.[7] | 68.3167°N 18.6833°W | |||||
| scope=row | Stockholm County | 1909 | Ängsö is an island in the Stockholm archipelago. The park is known for its "ancient farm landscape in the archipelago environment, the spring flowers, and the varied bird life".[8] | 59.6333°N 18.7667°W | ||||||
| scope=row | Kronoberg County | 2018 | Lacustrine archipelago, covered with a virgin forest. Rich animal and plant life, whether in the aquatic or terrestrial part.[9] 56.64°N 14.66°W | |||||||
| scope=row | Björnlandet National Park | Västerbotten County | 1991 | Björnlandet's geography is distinguished by its large virgin forest and mountain terrain with steep ravines and cliffs. The park features traces of several forest fires.[10] | 63.9667°N 18.0167°W | |||||
| scope=row | Blå Jungfrun National Park | Kalmar County | 1926 | Blå Jungfrun is an island in the Baltic Sea dominated by clefts and hollows in the north and forest in the south.[11] | 57.2667°N 16.7833°W | |||||
| scope=row | Dalby Söderskog National Park | Skåne County | 1918 | Deciduous forest surrounded by a 56adj=midNaNadj=mid earth bank that takes up a large part of the park.[12] | 55.6667°N 13.3167°W | |||||
| scope=row | Djurö National Park | Västra Götaland County | 1991 | Djurö National Park consists of an archipelago with about 30 islands in Sweden's biggest lake, Vänern.[13] | 58.85°N 13.4667°W | |||||
| scope=row | Dalarna, Gävleborg, Uppsala, and Västmanland counties | 1998 | Dalälven River passes through the park and the uneven shoreline encloses over 200 islands and islets.[14] | 60.1833°N 16.7667°W | ||||||
| scope=row style="background:#FFDDE0;" | Fulufjället National Park | Dalarna County | 2002 | The park consists mainly of bare mountain heights, and heaths that are unique in the Swedish mountains.[15] | 61.5833°N 12.6667°W | |||||
| scope=row | Garphyttan National Park | 1909 | Garphyttan National Park consists of landscape altered by humans through agriculture and forestry, such as meadows and deciduous forest.[16] | 59.167°N 14.53°W | ||||||
| scope=row | Gotska Sandön National Park | Gotland County | 1909 | Gotska Sandön is an island composed of sand. Its scenery is dominated by beaches, dunes, and pine forests.[17] | 58.3667°N 19.25°W | |||||
| scope=row | Hamra National Park | 1909 | Hamra National Park contains two low moraine hills covered with virgin forest and large rock boulders.[18] | 61.7667°N 14.75°W | ||||||
| scope=row | Haparanda Archipelago National Park | Norrbotten County | 1995 | Located in the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia, the park is composed of low islands with wide sandy beaches.[19] | 65.5667°N 23.7333°W | |||||
| scope=row | Kosterhavet National Park | Västra Götaland County | 2009 | Kosterhavet National Park is the first national marine park of Sweden and was inaugurated in September 2009. It consists of the sea and shores around the Koster Islands, however excluding the islands themselves.[20] [21] [22] [23] | 58.85°N 11.02°W | |||||
| scope=row style="background:#CFECEC;" | Muddus National Park | Norrbotten County | 1942 | Muddus National Park is home of deep ravines and primeval forests. Sweden's oldest pine tree is located in the park.[24] | 66.9°N 20.1667°W | |||||
| scope=row | Norra Kvill National Park | Kalmar County | 1927 | Norra Kvill is an ancient forest with tall pine trees that are over 350 years old. Three lakes are situated in the park: Stora Idegölen, Lilla Idegölen and Dalskärret.[25] | 57.7667°N 15.5833°W | |||||
| scope=row style="background:#CFECEC;" | Padjelanta National Park | Norrbotten County | 1962 | The park, which borders Norway in the west, is primarily composed of a flat and open landscape that surrounds the two lakes Vastenjávrre and Virihávrre.[26] | 67.3667°N 16.8°W | |||||
| scope=row | Pieljekaise National Park | Norrbotten County | 1909 | Pieljekaise National Park is composed of birch forest, mountain terrain, and several lakes. The park is named after Pieljekaise Mountain, a landmark in the area.[27] | 66.3333°N 16.7333°W | |||||
| scope=row | Jämtland County | 1909 | The park is named after the 1278adj=midNaNadj=mid mountain Sånfjället. The mountainous area is intersected by streaming lakes and a forest area.[28] | 62.2833°N 13.5333°W | ||||||
| scope=row style="background:#CFECEC;" | Sarek National Park | Norrbotten County | 1909 | The park features an alpine landscape with high peaks and narrow valleys. More than 100 glaciers are found in the park, and several mountains are over 2000m (7,000feet) high.[29] | 67.2833°N 17.7°W | |||||
| scope=row style="background:#CFECEC;" | Skuleskogen National Park | Västernorrland County | 1984 | Skuleskogen National Park is composed of ancient forest, high mountains, and sea coast. The mountain peaks are covered with pine forest and are separated by valleys formed by the sea and ice sheets.[30] | 63.1167°N 18.5°W | |||||
| scope=row | Skåne County | 2001 | The park features an especially contoured landscape with up to 90adj=midNaNadj=mid ravines. The valleys are covered with broadleaf forest, mostly beech.[31] | 56.0167°N 13.2167°W | ||||||
| scope=row | Stenshuvud National Park | Skåne County | 1986 | Stenshuvud is a hill that faces the Baltic Sea. Because the surrounding landscape is relatively flat, it can be seen from a great distance and has been used by seafarers as an aid to navigation at sea. Most of the area is covered with broadleaf forest.[32] | 55.6667°N 14.2667°W | |||||
| scope=row style="background:#CFECEC;" | Stora Sjöfallet National Park | Norrbotten County | 1909 | The park's northern portions lie in the Scandinavian Mountains, home to some of Sweden's highest peaks. The lower hills in the park's southern part are covered with forest.[33] | 67.4833°N 18.35°W | |||||
| scope=row | Store Mosse National Park | Jönköping County | 1989 | Store Mosse National Park is the home of the largest bog area in southern Sweden. The lake Kävsjön, containing many species of birds, is located within the park.[34] | 57.2667°N 13.9167°W | |||||
| scope=row | Tiveden National Park | and Västra Götaland counties | 1983 | Tiveden National Park is a part of the large Tiveden forest. The park is situated in the most inaccessible part of the forest. The landscape is mountainous and stony.[35] | 58.7167°N 14.6°W | |||||
| scope=row | Dalarna County | 1930 | Töfsingdalen National Park consists of two mountain ridges separated by a valley covered with fields and virgin forest.[36] | 62.1667°N 12.4333°W | ||||||
| scope=row | Tresticklan National Park | Västra Götaland County | 1996 | This park contains a rift valley landscape and is one of the few remaining areas of pristine forest in southern Scandinavia.[37] | 59.0333°N 11.75°W | |||||
| scope=row | Tyresta National Park | Stockholm County | 1993 | Tyresta is a gorge landscape with stony slopes. The park, covered with pine forest, is one of the largest virgin forests in Sweden.[38] | 59.1833°N 18.3°W | |||||
| scope=row | Vadvetjåkka National Park | Norrbotten County | 1920 | Located in a mountain region north-west of Lake Torneträsk, Vadvetjåkka National Park is the northernmost national park in Sweden. The park is named after Vadvetjåkka Mountain, which is located within the park.[39] | 68.55°N 18.4°W |
In 2008, after investigations and interviews with the participating counties, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency laid down a plan to establish 13 new national parks in the near future. According to the plan, seven of the parks will be established between 2009 and 2013, the first being Kosterhavet National Park which was inaugurated in September 2009. It is currently unknown when the six remaining parks will be established.[40]
| scope=col | Name | scope=col | Location[41] | scope=col | Area | scope=col | Date of establishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row | Gotland County | 2009–2013 | |||||
| scope=row | Blaikfjället National Park | Västerbotten County | 2009–2013 | ||||
| scope=row | Kebnekaise National Park | Norrbotten County | 2009–2013 | ||||
| scope=row | Tavvavuoma National Park | Norrbotten County | 2009–2013 | ||||
| scope=row | Vålådalen-Sylarna National Park | Jämtland County | 2009–2013 | ||||
| scope=row | Nämdöskärgården National Park | Stockholm County | TBA | ||||
| scope=row | Koppången National Park | Dalarna County | TBA | ||||
| scope=row | Reivo National Park | Norrbotten County | TBA | ||||
| scope=row | Rogen-Juttulslätten National Park | Dalarna County and Jämtland County | TBA | ||||
| scope=row | Sankt Anna National Park | Östergötland County | TBA | ||||
| scope=row | Vindelfjällen National Park | Västerbotten County | TBA |