Langtang National Parkis anational parkin north-centralNepal.It was established in 1976 as Nepal's firstHimalayannational park and the country's fourth protected area. It covers an area of 1,710 km2(660 sq mi) in theNuwakot,RasuwaandSindhulpalchok Districtsof the central Himalayan region. It contains 26village communitiesand includes theLangtangvalley. In the north and east it is linked withQomolangma National Nature Preservein theTibet Autonomous Region.[1] The eastern and western boundaries follow theBhote Koshiand theTrishuli river,respectively.[2]
| Langtang National Park | |
|---|---|
| Nepali:लाङटाङ राष्ट्रिय निकुञ्ज | |
 Langtang National Park | |
  | |
| Location | Nepal |
| Nearest city | Kathmandu |
| Coordinates | 28°10′26″N85°33′11″E/ 28.1738°N 85.5531°E |
| Area | 1,710 km2(660 sq mi) |
| Established | 1976 |
| Governing body | Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation |
TheGosainkundalake is located at an elevation of 4,300 m (14,100 ft) inside the park. TheDorje Lakparange at 6,988 m (22,927 ft) bisects the park from west–east to south–east. The summit ofLangtang Lirungis the highest point in the park at 7,245 m (23,770 ft).[3]
Langtang National Park is part of theSacred Himalayan Landscape.[4]
History
editIn 1970, royal approval designated the establishment of Langtang National Park as the first protected area in the Himalayas. The national park wasgazettedin 1976 and extended by abuffer zoneof 420 km2(160 sq mi) in 1998.[1][5]
On 31 July 1992,Thai Airways International Flight 311crashed into the park. TheAirbus A310was on approach toTribhuvan International AirportinKathmandu.All 113 people on board were killed.[6]
In April 2015, the village ofLangtanglocated within the park was destroyed by an avalanche of ice, rock and mud triggered by theApril 2015 Nepal earthquake.At least 215 people were killed. In 2016, theInternational Astronomical Unionnamed a 9.8km wide crater onMarsafter the village, as a tribute.[7]
Climate
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The climate of the park is dominated by the southwest summermonsoon;most of the annual precipitation occurs from June to September, and temperatures vary greatly due to the extreme difference in elevation.[8]
Flora and fauna
editLangtang National Park exhibits a high diversity of 14 vegetation types in 18ecosystemtypes, ranging from uppertropical forestsbelow 1,000 m (3,300 ft) m altitude to alpine scrub and perennial ice.[1]
References
edit- ^abcBhuju, U. R.; Shakya, P. R.; Basnet, T. B. & Shrestha, S. (2007).Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites.Kathmandu: International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.ISBN978-92-9115-033-5.
- ^Yonzon, P.; Jones, R.; Fox, J. (1991). "Geographic Information Systems for Assessing Habitat and Estimating Population of Red Pandas in Langtang National Park, Nepal".Ambio.20(7): 285–288.
- ^Mishra, P. N. (2003)."The Langtang National Park: a proposed first Biosphere Reserve in Nepal".Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka.31(1&2): 333–335.
- ^Gurung, C. P.; Maskey, T. M.; Poudel, N.; Lama, Y.; Wagley, M. P.; Manandhar, A.; Khaling, S.; Thapa, G.; Thapa, S.; Wikramanayake, E. D. (2006)."The Sacred Himalayan Landscape: Conceptualizing, Visioning, and Planning for Conservation of Biodiversity, Culture and Livelihoods in the Eastern Himalaya"(PDF).In McNeely, J. A.; McCarthy, T. M.; Smith, A.; Whittaker, O. L.; Wikramanayake, E. D. (eds.).Conservation Biology in Asia.Kathmandu: Nepal Society for Conservation Biology, Asia Section and Resources Himalaya Foundation. pp. 10–20.ISBN99946-996-9-5.
- ^Heinen, J. T. and J. N. Mehta (2000).Emerging Issues in Legal and Procedural Aspects of Buffer Zone Management with Case Studies from Nepal.Journal of Environment and Development 9 (1): 45–67.
- ^Ranter, H."ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A310-304 HS-TID Kathmandu-Tribhuvan Airport (KTM)".aviation-safety.net.Retrieved2019-11-10.
- ^Cheung, H."Mars crater named after Nepal quake village Langtang".BBC.Retrieved2022-10-16.
- ^Sayers, K. & Norconk, M.A. (2008)."HimalayanSemnopithecus entellusat Langtang National Park, Nepal: Diet, activity patterns, and resources "(PDF).International Journal of Primatology.29:509–530.
External links
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- BirdLife International."Important Bird Areas factsheet: Langtang National Park".
- "Langtang National Park".Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-12-30.Retrieved2017-08-21.
- EnvironmentNEPALLangtang National Park