United Nations National Park
Located in the metropolitan region of Guatemala, only 21.5 km from the City, this park offers cultural exhibits and a unique space for recreation and environmental education. It offers an incredible landscape that includes Amatitlán lake and the Pacaya volcano. It is one of the first national parks declared in the country and its 373 hectares (3.73 km²) have been managed by Defensores de la Naturaleza since 1997.
A Geen Refuge Inside The City
The United Nations National Park is part of the group of the first five National Parks declared in the country in 1955. Since that date up to 1997 the Park was managed by different governmental institutions as INAFOR, DIGEBOS and INAB (for its initials in Spanish). A large extent of the infrastructure of the Park was built in the 70’s when it was decided to divide the Park in different areas so each country represented in the United Nations may set up an exhibit showing its culture and folklore. The only country that set up its exhibit was Guatemala, and it was built what today is known as Plaza Guatemala. At present this infrastructure has been completely restored and it is ready to receive the visitors.
In 1997 the management of the Park was given to Fundación Defensores de la Naturaleza and it began a new stage in the history of this Park.
Nowadays the United Nations National Park is one of the few green areas of the metropolitan area of Guatemala, and therefore it has a great potential to deal with the environmental education and natural recreation demands of the city. Also this Park protects the forests of an important area of the Amatitlán lake basin.