Number of tourists visiting National Parks growing rapidly
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By Sara Israfilbayova
As Azerbaijan is located in the Caucasus and its coasts extending along the Caspian Sea, it has a rich flora and fauna and widest biodiversity among the European states and enormous natural resources. The lands with specially protected ecosystems play the crucial role in biodiversity preservation.
The number of tourists visiting the National Parks in Azerbaijan is rapidly growing and is equaled to 196,084 people.
In 2012 this indicator was equaled to1,500-2,000, Hikmet Alizade, according to Deputy Director of the Department of Protection of Biological Diversity and Development of Specially Protected Nature Areas of Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
Alizade stressed that 10.3 percent of the territories of Azerbaijan are protected, and 3 percent of them fall on the National Parks.
Currently, area of 892,546 hectares is being protected in Azerbaijan, according to the expert.
All the National Parks have a route for eco-tourism and currently their number reaches 100. National parks are protected by animals included in the Red Book and plant cover.
Alizade went on to say that Azerbaijan is preparing a program for the development of eco-tourism, adding that in connection with this, meetings will be held with representatives of the National Agency for Tourism.
The most significant period of the modern history was 1970-1980, when the most important state decisions and the implementation of ambitious works on the transformation of landscape environment, landscaping and improvement of the settlements of Azerbaijan and especially Baku, was implemented.
Azerbaijan has a total of nine national parks, including Zangezur National Park, Ag-Gel National Park, Shirvan National Park, Hirkan National Park, Altyaghach National Park, Absheron National Park, Shahdag National Park, Göygöl National Park, Samur-Yalama National Park.
The total surface area of these parks is 310,136 hectares.
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Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is
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