ATLAS INTERNATIONAL REFEREED JOURNAL ON SOCIAL SCIENCES, cilt.4, ss.1513-1521, 2018 (Hakemli Dergi)
It is a geographic area that is defined and managed with the aim of ensuring long-term preservation and continuity of
ecosystem services and cultural values with nature. The history of the studies related to protected areas dates back to B.C
years. With the recognition of Yellowstone as the National Park in 1872, the protected areas are officially recognized. After
that, a number of conservation areas have been declared in Europe and in many countries around the world. Protected areas
cover 13 percent of the world land surface. The United States is the leading country in the areas of protection. Venezuela and
Germany are other countries that stand out in terms of the number and size of protected areas. There are 59 national parks in
the USA. One of the most important national parks is the Yosemite National Park. This national park in the state of
California is admired for its natural beauty. Therefore, ıt is very well known and is visited by about 4 million people
annually. In this study, the striking features of the Yosemite National Park were explained and compared with the national
parks in Turkey.