Pendjari National Park

Pendjari National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
IUCN Protected Areas of the WAP complex
Location	Benin, West Africa
Nearest city	Tanguieta
Coordinates	11°3′N 1°31′E / 11.050°N 1.517°E / 11.050; 1.517
Area	2,755 km2 (1,064 sq mi)
Website	https://www.african-parks.org/the-parks/pendjari
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	Beninese part of W-Arly-Pendjari Complex
Criteria	Natural: (ix), (x)
Reference	749bis-002
Inscription	1996 (20th Session)
Extensions	2017

The Pendjari National Park (French: Parc National de la Pendjari) lies in north-western Benin, adjoining the Arli National Park in Burkina Faso. Named for the Pendjari River, the national park is known for its wildlife and is home to some of the last populations of big game like the African forest elephant, lion, hippopotamus, African buffalo, and various antelopes in West Africa. The park is also famous for its richness in birds.

The Pendjari National Park has an area of 2,755 square kilometres (275,500 ha) and is part of the WAP Complex (W-Arli-Pendjari), a large protected area in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. Hills and cliffs in the Atakora range are visible from the park.

In March 2009, the park was tentatively nominated for UNESCO's World Heritage Site program, and in July 2017, it was officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a transnational extension of the WAP Complex.