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National Parks of Costa Rica

The National Parks and Wildlife Refuges of Costa  Rica are managed by MINAE, the Ministerio de Ambiental y Energia. Responding to the new policies of the MINAE, eleven Conservation Areas were established by this department in 1998 to oversee and manage the public lands of Costa Rica. These conservation areas are known as the Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion, or SINAC.

Amount Category Area (ha) % National Territory (5.099.873 ha)
25 National Parks 623.771 12,23%
8 Biological Reserves 21.674 0,42%
32 Protected Zones 155.817 3,06%
11 Forest Reserves 227.834 4,47%
58 Wildlife Refuges 180.035 3,53%
15 Wetlands/Mangroves 77.869 1,53%
12 Other Categories 17.306 0,34%
161 TOTALS 1.304.306 25,58%

NP: National Park
WR: Wildlife Reserve
BR: Biological Reserve
FR: Forest Reserve
NM: National Monument

A beach in the Northern Pacific region of Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Northern Pacific

Type Location Species / Features
NP Santa Rosa Birds, Mammals, Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Surfing, Beaches, Dry Forest, Mangroves
WR Junquillal Bay Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Diving, Beaches, Dry Forest
NP Barra Honda Fungi, Mountains, Waterfalls, Dry Forest
NP Palo Verde Birds, Mammals, Lakes, Rivers, Rainforest
BR Lomas de Barbudal Rivers, Dry Forest
NP Las Baulas Marine Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Beaches
WR Bosque Diria Birds, Orchids, Fungi
WR Ostional Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Beaches, Rainforest

A river in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park

Northern Mountains

Type Location Species / Features
WR Caño Negro Birds, Mammals, Fishing, Lakes, Rivers, Rainforest
NP Guanacaste Birds, Mammals, Fungi, Volcano, Dry Forest
NP Arenal Volcano Birds, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Fishing, Volcano, Mountains, Lakes, Waterfalls, Hot Springs, Rainforest
NP Rincon de la Vieja Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Volcano, Mountains, Waterfalls, Hot Springs, Rivers, Rainforest
NP Tenorio Volcano Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Volcano, Mountains, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest
BR Alberto Brenes Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest

Manuel Antonio National Park

Central Pacific

Type Location Species / Features
NR Cabo Blanco Birds, Mammals, Fungi, Coral, Diving, Beaches, Waterfalls, Rivers, Rainforest
BR Carara Birds, Rainforest
NP Manuel Antonio Mammals, Marine Life, Beaches, Rainforest, Mangroves
NP Ballena Marine Park Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Beaches

The lake at the top of Poas Volcano

Central Mountains

Type Location Species / Features
NP Braulio Carrillo Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Volcano, Lakes, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest
NP Juan Castro Blanco Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest
NP Poás Volcano Volcano, Lakes, Cloud Forest
NP Irazú Volcano Fungi, Volcano, Páramo
FR Rubén Torres Rojas Fungi, Rivers, Páramo
NP Turrialba Volcano Orchids, Volcano
BR Cerro Las Vueltas Birds, Rivers, Cloud Forest
NM Guayabo Birds, Orchids, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest

Mangroves at Corcovado National Park

Southern Pacific

Type Location Species / Features
NP Corcovado Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Diving, Beaches, Waterfalls, Rivers, Rainforest, Mangroves
NP Piedras Blancas Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Ferns, Rivers, Rainforest, Mangroves
WR Golfito Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Beaches, Waterfalls, Rivers, Dry Forest, Cloud Forest, Mangroves
NP Isla del Coco Birds, Coral, Marine Life, Diving, Beaches, Waterfalls, Cloud Forest, Rainforest
BR Isla del Caño Coral, Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Diving, Beaches, Rainforest

Páramo at the top of Chirripo National Park

Southern Mountains

Type Location Species / Features
NP Chirripó Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Ferns, Mountains, Lakes, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest, Páramo
NP Tapantí Birds, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Mountains, Waterfalls, Rivers, Rainforest, Páramo
NP La Amistad Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Mountains, Lakes, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest, Páramo
NP Barbilla Birds, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Mountains, Waterfalls, Rivers, Rainforest

The beach at Cahuita National Park

Caribbean

Type Location Species / Features
WR Caño Negro Birds, Rainforest
NP Tortuguero Birds, Mammals, Fungi, Ferns, Marine Life, Sea Turtles, Lakes, Rainforest
NP Cahuita Coral, Marine Life, Beaches, Rainforest
WR Gandoca Manzanillo Birds, Coral, Marine Life, Diving, Beaches, Lakes, Rainforest, Mangroves
BR Hitoy Cerere Birds, Mammals, Orchids, Fungi, Ferns, Waterfalls, Rivers, Cloud Forest, Rainforest