UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as of 2009. Transboundary parks add to the number of all countries they're located in As of 2023 the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves is made up of 738 reserves in 134 countries of which 22 are transboundary. Biosphere reserves are large landscapes with significant biodiversity and important ecological systems. Together, the reserves are representative of the world's major ecoystems. Each reserve is a focus for environmental collaboration and sustainable development, and offer travellers an opportunity to appreciate and understand unique parts of the natural environment.
Understand [ edit ] UNESCO describes the reserves as follows:
Biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. Biosphere reserves are ‘Science for Sustainability support sites’ – special places for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. See UNESCO World Heritage List for related lists.
Djurdjura in spring Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Fogo 2020 Maio 2020
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Basse-Lobaye 1977
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Sena Oura Soudanian Chad 2022
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mwali 2020
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Yangambi Congo Basin 1976 1998, 2016 Luki Western DRC 1976 1998, 2005
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Omayed Lower Egypt 1981 2001, 2011 Extended in 1998 Wadi Allaqi Lake Nasser, Upper Egypt 1993 2004, 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Lubombo 2019
Boloma Bijagós Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Boloma Bijagós 1996 2015
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Matšeng Biosphere Reserve 2021
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Bouclé du Baoule Kayes 1982 1998, 2013
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Delta du Fleuve Sénégal Coastal Mauritania 2005 Shared with Senegal
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Black River Gorges-Bel Ombre 1977 1998 Previously named Macchabee/Bel Ombre
Aïr et Ténéré Volcans Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Volcans 1983 Gishwati-Mukura Landscape 2020
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes The Island of Principe 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Oti-Kéran/Oti-Mandouri Northern Togo 2011 Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Maritime Togo 2017 Shared with Benin
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Tonle Sap 1997 2012
Huanglong Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Changbaishan 1979 1998 Dingushan 1979 1998 Wolong 1979 1998 Fanjingshan 1986 1999 Xilin Gol 1987 1999 Wuyishan 1987 1999 Bodega 1990 2001 Shennongjia 1990 2011 Yancheng 1992 2003 Xishuangbanna 1993 2004 Maolan 1996 2007 Tianmushan 1996 2007 Fenglin 1997 2009 Jiuzhaigou Valley 1997 2011 Nanji Islands 1998 2011 Shankou Mangrove 2000 2011 Baishujiang 2000 2011 Gaoligong Mountain 2000 2011 Huanglong 2000 2011 Baotianman 2001 2012 Saihan Wula 2001 2012 Dalai Lake 2002 Wudalianchi 2003 Yading 2003 Foping 2004 Qomolangma 2004 Chabaling 2007 Xingkai Lake 2007 Mao’er Mountain 2011 Jinggangshan 2012 Niubeiliang 2012 Snake Island, Laotie Mountain 2013
Agasthyamala Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Nilgiri 2000 2012 Gulf of Mannar 2001 2013 Sunderban 2001 2013 Nanda Devi 2004 Nokrek 2009 Pachmarhi 2009 Similpal 2009 Achanmar-Amarkantak 2012 Great Nicobar 2013
Komodo National Park Geno Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Arasbaran 1976 2002, 2013 Arjan 1976 2002, 2013 Geno 1976 2002, 2013 Golestan 1976 2002, 2013 Hara 1976 2002, 2013 Kavir 1976 2002, 2013 Lake Oromeeh 1976 2002, 2013 Miankaleh 1976 2002, 2013 Touran 1976 2002, 2013 Dena 2010
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mount Carmel 1996 2007 Ramat Menashe 2011
Mount Hakusan Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mount Hakusan 1980 1999 Mount Odaigahara & Mount Omine 1980 1999 Shiga Highland 1980 1999 Extended in 2014 Yakushima Island 1980 1999 Aya 2012 Minami-Alps 2014 Tadami 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Dana 1998 Mujib 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Korgalzhyn 2012 Alakol 2013 Ak-Zhayik 2014 Katon-Karagay 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Shouf 2005 Jabal Al Rihane 2007 Jabal Moussa 2009
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Tasik Chini 2009 Crocker Range 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Baa Atoll 2009
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Great Gobi 1990 Bogd Khan Uul 1996 Uvs Nuur Basin 1997 Hustai Nuruu 2002 Dornod Mongol 2005 Mongol Daguur 2007
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mount Paekdu Baekdu Mountains 1989 2002 Mount Kuwol 2004 Mount Myohyang 2009 Mount Chilbo 2014
Ziarat Juniper Forest Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Puerto Galera 1977 Palawan 1990 2012 Albay 2016
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Al Reem 2007
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mount Sorak 1982 1998, 2013 Jeju Island Jeju 2002 2013 Shinhan Dadohae 2009 Gwangneung Forest 2010 Gochang 2013
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Hurulu 1977 1998 Sinharaja Southern Province 1978 1998, 2004 Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadenya 2004 Bundala 2005
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Lajat 2009
Mae Sa-Kog Ma Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Sakaerat 1976 1999 Hauy Tak Teak 1977 1999 Mae Sa-Kog Ma 1977 1999 Ranong 1997 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Repetek 1978 2005
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Marawah 2007
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mount Chatkal 1978 1999
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Can Gio Mangrove 2001 2011 Dong Nai 2001 2012 Formerly Cat Tien, extended in 2011 Cat Ba 2004 Red River Delta 2004 Kien Giang 2006 Western Nghe An 2007 Mui Ca Mau 2009 Cu Lao Cham-Hoi An 2009
Kärntner Nockberge Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Gossenköllesee 1977 Gurgler Kamm 1977 Lobau 1977 1998 Neusiedler See 1977 1998 Grosses Walsertal 2000 2011 Wienerwald 2005 Salzburger Lungau & Kärntner Nockberge 2012
Biosphere reserve Srebarna Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Steneto 1977 Alibotouch 1977 Bistrichko Branichté 1977 Boitine 1977 Djendema 1977 Doupkata 1977 Doupki-Djindjiritza 1977 Kamtchia 1977 Koupena 1977 Mantaritza 1977 Ouzounboudjak 1977 Parangalitza 1977 Srébarna 1977 Tchervenata Sténa 1977 Tchoupréné 1977 Tsaritchina 1977
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Velebit Mountain 1977 1998, 2003 Mura Drava Danube 2012 Shared with Hungary
Sumava Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Krivoklátsko 1977 1998 Trebon Basin 1977 1998 Shared with Hungary Lower Morava 1986 Extended and renamed in 2003 Sumava 1990 Krkokonose/Karkonosze 1992 2012 Shared with Poland Bílé Karpathy 1996 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes North-East Greenland Northern Greenland 1977
Island of Muhu, West Estonian Archipelago Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes West Estonian Archipelago West Estonia and Islands 1990 2005
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Commune de Fakarava 1977 Extended and renamed in 2006 Vallée du Fango 1977 1998 Extended in 1990 Camargue 1977 2000, 2006 Extended in 2006 Cévennes 1984 1998 Iles et Mer d’Iroise 1988 2001 Extended and renamed in 2012 Mont Ventoux 1990 2007 Archipel de la Guadeloupe 1992 Luberon-Lure 1997 2010 Fontainebleau et du Gâtinais 1998 2010 Extended and renamed in 2010 Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald 1998 2000,2011 Shared with Germany Basin de la Dordogne 2012 Marais Audomarois 2013 Mont-Viso/Area della Biosfera del Monviso 2013 Shared with Italy
Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Flusslandschaft Elbe 1979 2002,2009 Vessertal-Thüringen Forest 1979 2002, 2012 Extended in 1987, 1990 Berechtsgadener Land 1990 2003, 2013 Wadden Sea and Hallig Islands of Schleswig-Holstein 1990 2006 Extended and renamed in 2004 Schorfheide-Chorin 1990 2003, 2013 Spreewald 1991 2003, 2013 South-east Rügen 1991 2004 Rhön 1991 2004 Waddensea of Lower Saxony 1992 2006 Waddensea of Hamburg 1992 2006 Oberlausitzer Heide- und Teichlandschaft 1996 2007 Schaalsee 2000 2012 Vosges du Nord/Pfälzerwald 1998 2004, 2011 Shared with France Bliesgau 2009 Schwäbische Alb 2013
Samaria Gorge Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Collemeluccio-Montedimezzo 1977 2012 Circeo 1977 2012, 2013 Miramare 1979 1999, 2011 Cilento and Valle di Diano 1997 2013 Somma-Vesuvio and Miglio d’Oro 1997 2013 Valle del Ticino 2002 2013 Tuscan Islands 2003 Selva Pisana 2004 Mont-Viso/Area della Biosfera del Monviso 2013 Shared with France Sila 2014
North Vidzeme Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Zuvintas 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Tara River Basin 1976
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Waddensea Area 1986 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Babia Gora 1976 2000, 2013 Extended in 1997, 2001 Bialowieza Podlaskie 1976 1998, 2013 Extended in 2005 Lukajno Lake 1976 1999, 2011 Slowinski 1976 1998, 2013 Krkonose/Karkonosze 1992 2012 Shared with the Czech Republic Tatra Małopolskie 1992 2013 Shared with Slovakia East Carpathians 1998 2013 Shared with Slovakia and Ukraine Puszcza Kampinoska 2000 2013 Tuchola Forest 2010 West Polesie 2012 Shared with Belarus and Ukraine
Flores Island Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Paúl do Boquilobo 1981 Corvo Island 2007 Graciosa Island 2007 Flores Island 2009 Geres/Xures 2009 Shared with Spain Berlengas 2011 Santana Madeira 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Kavkazskiy Krasnodar Krai 1978 1998 Okskiy 1978 1998 Part of Oka River Valley until 2000 Sikhote-Alin 1978 1998 Tsentral’nochernozem 1978 1999 Astrakhanskiy 1984 2006 Kronotskiy 1984 2005 Laplandskiy 1984 1998 Pechoro-Ilychskiy 1984 1998 Sayano-Shusenskiy 1984 1998 Sokhondinskiy 1984 1998 Voronezhskiy 1984 1998 Tsentral’nolesnoy 1985 1999 Baikalskyi 1986 2005 Part of Lake Baikal until 2000 Tzentralnosibirskii 1986 2005 Chernyje Zemli 1993 2009 Taimyrsky 1995 2009 Ubsurnorskaya Kotlovina 1997 2009 Daursky Zabaykalsky Krai 1997 2009 Teberda 1997 2009 Katunsky 2000 Prioksko-Terrasnyi 1978 1999 Part of Oka River Valley until 2000 Barguzinskyi 1986 2012 Part of Lake Baikal until 2000 Nerusso-Desnianskoe-Polesie 2001 Visimskiy 2001 Vodlozersky 2001 2012 Commander Islands 2002 Darvinskiy 2002 2013 Nijegorodskoe Zavolje 2002 Smolensk Lakeland 2002 2013 Ugra 2002 2013 Far East Marine 2003 Kedrovaya Pad 2004 Kenozersky 2004 Valdaiskiy 2004 Khankaiskiy 2005 Great Volzhsko-Kamsky 2005 Composed of Raifa, Sarali, Spassky and Siyazhsky units Middle-Volga Integrated 2006 Rostovsky 2008 Altaisky 2009 Volga-Akhtuba Floodplain 2001 Bashkirskiyi Ural 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Golija-Studenica 2001 2012
Tatra National Park Kristianstad Vattenrike Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Kristianstad Vattenrike 2005 Lake Vänern Archipelago 2010 Blekinge Archipelago Blekinge 2011 Nedre Dalälven River Landscape 2011 East Vättern landscape 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Reservat da Biosfera Val Müstair-Parc Naziunal Graubünden 1979 Extended and renamed in 2010 Entlebuch 2001 2012
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Camili Eastern Karadeniz 2005
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Chernomorskiy 1984 1998, 1999, 2012 Askaniya-Nova 1985 1998, 2012 Carpathian 1992 2003 Danube Delta 1998 2010 Shared with Romania East Carpathians 1998 Shared with Poland and Slovakia Desnianskyi 2009 West Polesie 2012 Shared with Belarus and Poland . Extended and renamed in 2012.
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Beinn Eighe 1976 Braunton Burrow-North Devon 1976 Extended in 2002. Biosiffer Dyfi 1977 Extended and renamed in 2009. Galloway and southern Ayrshire 2012 Brighton and Lewes Downs 2014
Estuary in Clayoquot Sound Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mont Saint Hilaire Mont-Saint-Hilaire , Quebec 1978 1998, 2009 Waterton Southern Alberta , Alberta 1979 1998, 2009 Long Point Lake Erie Shore , Ontario 1986 2001, 2012 Riding Mountain Prairie Mountain , Manitoba 1986 2001, 2013 Charlevoix Charlevoix , Quebec 1988 2003 Niagara Escarpment From Niagara Falls to Tobermory , Ontario (see Bruce Trail ) 1990 2002 Clayoquot Sound Tofino , Vancouver Island , British Columbia (see Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and Strathcona Provincial Park ) 2000 2011 Redberry Lake West Central Saskatchewan , near Saskatoon , Saskatchewan 2000 2012 Lac Saint-Pierre Trois-Rivières and Louiseville , Quebec 2000 2012 Mount Arrowsmith Arrowsmith Coombs Country , Vancouver Island , British Columbia 2000 2011 South West Nova Annapolis Valley , South Shore and Yarmouth , Nova Scotia (see Kejimkujik National Park ) 2001 2012 Thousand Islands-Frontenac Arch Seaway Region Ontario 2002 Georgian Bay Littoral Parry Sound , Ontario (see Georgian Bay Islands National Park ) 2004 2016 Manicouagan Uapishka Baie-Comeau , Quebec (see Quebec Route 389 ) 2007 Fundy Bay of Fundy , New Brunswick 2007 Bras d’Or Lake Cape Breton Island , Nova Scotia 2011 Beaver Hills Edmonton Capital Region , Alberta 2016 Tsá Tué Délı̨nę , Northwest Territories 2016 Átl’ka7tsem Gibsons , Squamish and West Vancouver , British Columbia (see Garibaldi Provincial Park ) 2021 Átl’ka7tsem is the Squamish language name for Howe Sound, pronounced "At-Kat-sum"
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes La Amistad 1982 2002 Cordillera Volcánica Central 1988 2003 Extended in 2010. Agua y Paz 2007
Sierra del Rosario, viewed from Mirador del Soroa Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Sierra del Rosario 1984 1998 Cuchillas del Toa 1987 1999 Península de Guanahacabibes 1987 1999 Baconao 1984 1999 Ciénaga de Zapata 2000 2011 Buenavista 2000 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Jaragua-Bahorocu-Enriquillo 2002
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Apaneca-Llamatepec 2007 Xiriualtique Jiquitizco 2007 Trifinio Fraternidad 2011 Shared with Guatemala and Honduras
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Maya 1990 2001 Sierra de las Minas 1992 2013 Trifinio Fraternidad 2011 Shared with El Salvador and Honduras
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes La Selle 2012
Río Plátano Gray whale in El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes St. Mary’s 2011
Sequoia-Kings Canyon Rainbow Beach, Great Sandy Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Croajingolong 1977 2003 Kosciuszko 1977 2003 Prince Regent River 1977 2003 Unnamed Mamungari Conservation Park / Unnamed Conservation Park 1977 2003 Uluru 1977 2003 Yathong 1977 2003 Fitzgerald River 1978 2003, 2013 Hattah-Kulkyne & Murray-Kulkybe 1981 2003 Wilson’s Promontory Wilsons Promontory National Park 1981 2003 Riverland 1977 2003 renamed twice, extended in 1995 Mornington Penincula and Western Port 2002 Barkindji 2005 Noosa 2007 Great Sandy Great Sandy National Park 2009
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Utwe 2005 And Atoll 2007
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Ngaremeduu 2005
Laguna Oca y Herraduras del Río Paraguay Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes San Guillermo 1980 2000 Laguna Blanca 1982 2000 Costero del Sur 1984 2000 Ñacuñán 1986 2000 Laguna de Pozuelos 1990 2006 Yabotí 1995 2006 Mar Chiquito 1996 2012 Delta del Paraná 2000 Riacho Teuquito 1984 2000 San Guillermo 2000 Laguna Oca y Herraduras del Río Paraguay 2001 Renamed and extended in 2014. Las Yungas 2002 Andino Norpatagónica 2007 Pereyra Iraola 2007 Valdés 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Pilón-Lajas 1977 2006 Ulla Ulla 1977 2006 Beni 1986 2000
Caatinga Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Mata Atlântica (including Sao Paolo Green Belt) 1993 Extended in 2002, 2009 Cerrado 1993 Extended in 2000, 2001 Pantanal 2000 Caatinga 2001 Central Amazon 2001 Espinhaço Range 2005
Fray Jorge Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Cinturón Andino 1979 2001 El Tuparro 1979 2001 Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta 1979 2001 Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta 2000 2011 Seaflower 2000 2011
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Archipiélago de Colón (Galápagos ) 1984 1999 Yasuni 1989 2001 Sumasco 2000 Extended in 2002. Podocarpus-El Condor 2007 Macizo del Cajas 2013 Bosque Seco 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Bosque Mbaracayú 2000 2013 El Chaco 2005
Huascarán Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Huascarán 1977 1999, 2005 Manu 1977 1999 Noroeste 1977 1999 Oxapampa-Ashaninka-Yanesha 2010
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Bañados del Este 1976 2005 Bioma Pampa-Quebradas del Norte 2014
Official name Location Year of designation Periodic review Notes Alto Orinoco-Casiquiare 1993 Delta del Orinoco 2009