Which North American country established the world's first national park?

The United States established the world’s first national park when Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act on March 1, setting aside the area for public enjoyment and protection.

Yellowstone lies mainly in Wyoming, with smaller sections in Montana and Idaho. It was chosen for its extraordinary geothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and the famous Old Faithful. The park also protects forests, rivers, canyons, and abundant wildlife across roughly 2.2 million acres.

Yellowstone’s creation followed government expeditions in the late 1860s and early 1870s, especially the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871. Photographs, paintings, and scientific reports helped persuade Congress that the region should not be auctioned or exploited privately.

The United States is the canonical answer, although earlier countries had created royal game reserves and protected landscapes. Those areas were not national parks in the modern sense. Yellowstone’s legal designation established the model later adopted around the world.