26 National Parks Registered in Saudi Arabia

The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification has approved the registration of 26 national parks across various regions of Saudi Arabia in the National Register of Protected Areas, covering a total area exceeding 5,115 square kilometres.

These parks have also been added to the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), creating a unified national reference for the Kingdom's protected sites and aligning their management with international criteria and standards.

The move is designed to strengthen the conservation of vegetation cover and biodiversity, promote eco-tourism within park boundaries, and support the targets of the National Environmental Strategy and the Saudi Green Initiative — including the goal of protecting 30% of the Kingdom's land area by 2030.

What this means for residents

Under the executive regulations, national parks are defined as sites within vegetation lands that hold unique environmental or geological features, set aside for conservation and organized ecotourism. Practising any activity inside these parks without a prior permit or licence from the National Center is prohibited.

The National Center is tasked with surveying, classifying and maintaining a digital database of vegetation lands, proposing new parks for formal designation, and designing, operating and supervising them based on environmental, economic, social and cultural studies.

For those interested in investment or eco-tourism development, a "General investment licence in vegetation lands" e-service is available. Applicants complete the online form, accept the service conditions, and submit their request through the NCVC web portal or mobile app, attaching the required documents — such as authorization letters, an investment certificate for foreign investors, and a financial or technical offer when the land is designated as parks.

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