The Four National Parks Of Belarus

Belarus is an Eastern European landlocked country that encompasses an area of 207,600 square km. More than 40% of the area of the country is forested. A large number of streams and 11,000 lakes are present in the country. The Dnieper, Pripyat, and Neman rivers are the three major rivers flowing through Belarus. Belarus experiences mild to cold winters and cool, moist summers. There are 4 national parks in the country which together cover an area of over 3,300 square km. Here we discuss the national parks of Belarus.

4. Narachanski National Park

The Narаchanski (Narochansky) National Park is a Belarusian national park that is named after Lake Narach around which the national park is centered. The national park was established on July 28, 1999, and encompasses an area of 87,000 hectares. The Narаchanski National Park houses mammalian species like red deer, European badger, marten, raccoon dog, and otter. A great variety of birds can be observed in the national park including common cranes, ospreys, and bitterns. Fish like crucian carp, common bream, and silver bream abound in the lakes of the Narаchanski National Park.

3. Prypyatski National Park

Pripyatsky National Park or simply the Pripyat National Park is located in the Gomel Region of Belarus. The national park was founded in 1996 to protect and preserve the natural landscape on the banks of the Pripyat River. Turf swamps cover most of the land area of the park. 51 species of mammals live in the Pripyat National Park including European badger, Eurasian lynx, elks, red deer, wild boar, and others.

2. Braslau Lakes National Park

Braslaw Lakes is one of Belarus’ four national parks and was set up in 1995. Vast stretches of pine forests and lakes constitute the unique ecosystem of the national park that encompasses an area of 700 square km. The Dryvyaty, Snudy, and the Strusta are the three largest lakes in the Braslaw Lakes National Park. Coniferous deciduous forests cover large parts of the park, and the lakes add to the scenic beauty of the region. Wildlife found in the Braslaw Lakes National Park include Eurasian lynx, badgers, brown and white hare, raccoon, roe deer, mink, otter, wolf, marten, and brown bears. Several species of birds like the common crane, black stork, willow grouse, dunlin, swans, etc., also inhabit the region. The lakes are rich in fish species like pike perch, tench, bream, whitefish, and also eel.

1. Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park

Belavezhskaya Pushcha National Park is located in Belarus adjacent to the country’s border with Poland in the Brest and Grodno Region of the country. The national park is one of the last surviving primeval forests of Europe that once stretched across the European Plain. It occupies an area of 1,500.69 square km and houses a large population of the European bison.