Colombia’s Serrania del Chiribiquete has been declared the world’s largest tropical rainforest national park following decades of efforts by environmental experts and conservationists.

The park, which is home to nearly 3,000 animal and plant species, has been expanded by more than 50 per cent – an area equivalent to the size of Northern Ireland.

Its forests provide a home to rare and iconic species including jaguars, manatees and vulnerable brown woolly monkeys.

Chiribiquete’s remote location and years of armed conflict in the region meant that close scientific study of it has been difficult, but the park management thinks it contains at least 300 varieties of birds and another 300 species of butterflies.

The region’s biodiversity results from its key location at a point where four distinct geographic regions meet – the Amazon, Andean, Orinoco and Guyanas.

As a result, Unesco has also declared the park a world heritage site in recognition of its “outstanding universal value” both for nature and people.

“This is a very important milestone for the Amazon and for forest conservation globally. It is also a defining moment for the protection of key ecosystems in Colombia,” said Mary Lou Higgins, director of WWF Colombia, which supported the efforts to expand the park.

Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Show all 12 1 /12 Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park “The Stadium,” one of the most impressive geological formations of the Serranía de Chiribiquete. Colombian Amazon Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Forest burns due to the colonisation front near the northern border of Chiribiquete National Park, Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Grandpa Marcelieno and his son, of the indigenous Araracuara people, with sacred plants from the region: mambe and ambil. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Cattle ranching at the agricultural frontier near the northern border of the Chiribiquete National Park Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Oil palm monoculture, Puerto Concordia on the Ariari River, Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Preparation of traditional sugarcane-based beverage by the indigenous Barasano people of Pacoa, on the Apaporis River, near the southeastern border of Chiribiquete National Park Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Tapir in the community of Buenos Aires, Apaporis River. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park (Left) Pictograms over 20.000 years old found on stone in the Chiribiquete National Natural Park FCDS Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park The main “maloca” of the Mutanacua indigenous community of Pacoa, on the Apaporis River, near the southeastern border of Chiribiquete National Park. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park “Vigilant Grandfather,” one of the Chiribiquete National Park’s representative “tepuyes.” Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Aerial view of one of the park's waterfalls FCDS Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Ajajú River, Chiribiquete National Park. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez

“Chiribiquete is very special for its biological, cultural, hydrological and archaeological value, holding rock art and visual records of extraordinary magnitude. It is also of vital importance to indigenous groups, some of whom remain uncontacted today, or live in voluntary isolation.”

Colombia’s forests are threatened primarily by deforestation to make way for agriculture and settlement expansion, but climate change is piling additional pressure on the region.

As the newly expanded park covers areas with some of the highest deforestation rates in the country, environmental groups hope it will prevent the timber and illegal crop trade from expanding.

Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at WWF, said: “The Amazon is home to a huge range of unique and amazing species and the expansion of this park by the Colombian government is an important step towards protecting it and the incredible biodiversity it is home to.”

Originally declared a protected area in 1989 when it covered 1.3 million hectares (5,019 square miles), the park was expanded to almost 2.8 million hectares (10,810 square miles) in 2013.

The latest expansion has added an extra 1.5 million hectares to its already considerable area, ensuring that previously underrepresented ecosystem types are covered by its protections.

Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos welcomed Unesco’s decision to designate Chiribiquete a heritage site, declaring it “great news for Colombia”, according to Colombia Reports.

To celebrate the decision and formalise the extension of the park, the president announced his intention to visit the site on Monday.