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
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
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 Downs2014
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
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