Huascarán National Park
Huascarán National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Huascarán) is a Peruvian national park that comprises most of the mountain range known as Cordillera Blanca (the world's highest tropical mountain range) which is part of the central Andes, in the region of Ancash. The park covers an area of 340,000 hectares (840,000 acres) and is managed by the Peruvian Network of Protected Natural Areas, or SERNANP (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas). It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1985 by UNESCO, is also a well-known mountaineering spot, and harbors a unique biodiversity with plant species such as the Queen of the Andes, trees of the genera Polylepis and Buddleja, and animals such as spectacled bears, condors, vicunas, and tarucas.
| Huascarán National Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
Mount Huascarán, landmark and namesake of Huascarán National Park | |
| Location | Peru Ancash |
| Nearest city | Huaraz, Ancash |
| Coordinates | 9°20′0″S 77°24′0″W |
| Area | 340,000 ha (840,000 acres) |
| Established | 1 July 1975 |
| Governing body | SERNANP |
| Website | Parque Nacional Huascarán |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Criteria | Natural: (vii), (viii) |
| Reference | 333 |
| Inscription | 1985 (9th Session) |
| Area | 340,000 ha (840,000 acres) |
The park is approximately 150 kilometers (93 mi) long from north to south and averages about 25 kilometers (16 mi) in width. The western slope of the Cordillera Blanca drains to the Pacific Ocean via the Santa River and the eastern slopes drain to the Marañón River and ultimately to the Amazon River and the Atlantic Ocean.