Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a U.S. National Park in Alaska. It is the northernmost national park in the United States (also known as USA) (the entirety of the park lies north of the Arctic Circle) and the second largest at 8,472,506 acres, slightly larger in area than Belgium (also known as BEL) . The park consists primarily of portions of the Brooks Range of mountains. It was first protected as a U.S. National Monument on December 1, 1978, before becoming a national park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. A large part of the park is protected in the Gates of the Arctic Wilderness which covers 7,167,192 acres. The wilderness area adjoins the Noatak Wilderness Area and together they form the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States.
(the entirety of the park lies north of the Arctic Circle) and the second largest at 8,472,506 acres, slightly larger in area than Belgium (also known as BEL) 
. The park consists primarily of portions of the Brooks Range of mountains. It was first protected as a U.S. National Monument on December 1, 1978, before becoming a national park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. A large part of the park is protected in the Gates of the Arctic Wilderness which covers 7,167,192 acres. The wilderness area adjoins the Noatak Wilderness Area and together they form the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States.
