National park National Park in 1914. The UK waited until 1951 for the designation of its first national park, The Peak District National Park which sits at the southern end of the Pennine Hills surrounded by industrial cities. This followed perhaps 70 years of pressure for greater public access to the landscape. By the end of the decade a further 9 national parks had been designated. Europe has some 359 national parks as of 2010. Africa's first national park was established in 1925 when Albert I of Belgium designated an area of what is now Democratic Republic of Congo centred on the
Hiidenportti National Park Hiidenportti National Park Hiidenportti National Park () is a national park in Sotkamo in the Kainuu region of Finland. Hiidenportti National Park was established in 1982 to preserve the region's wilderness. A mosaic mix of mires and dry forests is typical landscape in this national park. The park covers . Two thirds of the area is coniferous forest. The near-natural state forests are 100–150 years old on average. The last loggings were made in the beginning of the 20th century. The most well-known attraction of the park is the "Hiidenportti" (literally "Hiisi´s gate") gulley with vertical cliffs. The area is