Germany's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) has 16 national parks in its protected areas data, from Bayerischer Wald to Hunsrück-Hochwald. Two of them cross a state border. We give the names as the data writes them and the state codes from its records, and no years, because the data does not say what its year field means.1
Which national parks does the BfN list?
The agency's national parks layer has 16 records, and its INSPIRE protected sites service has the same 16 with their names. The service description gives the data for national parks as of 2025.1
| National park (as the data names it) | Federal state (code in the data) |
|---|---|
| Bayerischer Wald | BY |
| Berchtesgaden | BY |
| Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer | NI |
| Hamburgisches Wattenmeer | HH |
| Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft | MV |
| Müritz-Nationalpark | MV |
| Sächsische Schweiz | SN |
| Jasmund | MV |
| Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer | SH |
| Unteres Odertal | BB |
| Harz | ST/NI |
| Hainich | TH |
| Nationalpark Eifel | NW |
| Kellerwald Edersee | HE |
| Schwarzwald | BW |
| Hunsrück-Hochwald | RP/SL |
The state codes are as the data writes them (for example BY, NI, MV); two parks have two codes because they lie in two states. Some names include the word Nationalpark and some do not, as in the data.
Why are there no years?
The national parks layer has a field called JAHR (year), but none of the saved descriptions of the data says what that year records, so we do not print it as a founding or designation year.
Can this list be reused?
The BfN services say their data may be used under the federal terms for geodata (GeoNutzV), with the source note Quelle: Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN).1 The ordinance allows commercial and non-commercial use, and asks that source notes are shown and that changes are marked in them.2 The BfN also says its service is not suitable for planning purposes; we use the names only.1
What this page cannot tell you
- No dates or areas here. The meaning of the year field is not defined in the sources we saved.
- Not for planning. The BfN says its data is not suitable for planning purposes.
Related: National parks around the world · National parks of Japan · Officially recognised places.
Key takeaways
- The BfN lists 16 national parks.
- Two of them lie in two federal states.
- We give no years because the data does not define its year field.
- What we would skip: reading the list as a ranking or a travel guide. It records an official designation; it says nothing about opening, access or conditions, so check each park's own information before you go.
Sources
The list comes from two web services of the Bundesamt für Naturschutz, read on 1 October 2026; the terms of use from the GeoNutzV. See how we research.
- Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN), Schutzgebiete in Deutschland: Nationalparke (WFS layer) and INSPIRE Protected Sites (site names). Read the service description. Accessed 1 October 2026.
- Bundesministerium der Justiz, Verordnung zur Festlegung der Nutzungsbestimmungen für die Bereitstellung von Geodaten des Bundes (GeoNutzV). Read it on gesetze-im-internet.de. Accessed 1 October 2026.
Credit and licence. Quelle: Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) 2025, Schutzgebiete in Deutschland (Nationalparke), Daten verändert (Liste extrahiert). Nutzung gemäß GeoNutzV. GeoNutzV. Changes made. We extracted the national park names and state codes from the two services and put them in a table. We use no logos or images from these sources. Gallivanting Gadabout is not connected with, or endorsed by, the Bundesamt für Naturschutz.