Foundation and territory items

Legal status

Legal status of the area is national park. Administrative number: 097/NP/73. Formerly only Ohat Forest and Újszentmargita Forest were protected by law on national level. The Hortobágy National Park was established by the 1850/1972. and 1851/1972. Presidential Decree of the National Authority for Nature Conservation. Later this decree was followed by some amendments: 11/1993. (III.9.) Decree of the Minister of Environment and Regional Policy, 7/1990. (IV.23.) Decree of the Minister of Environment and Water Management, 6/1996. (IV.27.) Decree of the Minister of Environment and Regional Policy. Wetlands of international importance were designated as Ramsar Sites by the 2436/1980. Decree of National Authority for Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation: Zám, Pentezug, Angyalháza, Hortobágy Fishpond, Tiszafüred Bird Reserve, and from the Egyek-Pusztakócs Marshes Hagymás, Jusztus, Feketerét. The core area of the National Park is declared by 2100/1980. (VIII.7.) directives on Biosphere Reserves of the National Authority for Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation as MAB Biosphere Reserve. CORINE designation of the fishponds, Kunmadaras-puszta, Kunkápolnás Marsh, Újszentmargita Forest and Ohat Forest, Zám-puszta, Pentezug, Kisköre Reservoir, Máta and Papegyháza have been accomplished.

The Hortobágy National Park has been inscibed to the World Heritage List by UNESCO on the 1st of december 1999.

Land tenure

In the near past there were big changes in the ownership and partly in the usage relations of HNP area. The Directorate extended its territories being in the ownership of Hungarian State but handled by the Directorate. It was done partly on the basis of a decree of Constitutional Court of Justice that was taken for the sake of the restoration of the conservation level of conserved areas.

HNPD = Hortobágy National Park Directorate

The area of HNP according to cultivation branches

Area (ha)   (%)