RAMSAR Sites (Updated: July 2022)

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value.

The Ramsar sites are maintained in the Montreux Record to track any major ecological changes that might affect any of the wetland sites positively or in a reverse way.

The Ramsar convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.

India currently has 54 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites). This is the highest in South Asia.

India’s Ramsar wetlands are spread over 11,000 sq km — around 10% of the total wetland area in the country — across 18 States.

Latest Updates about Indian Ramsar Sites

1. In July 2022, five new sites from India were added to the List of Ramsar Sites. The new sites are:

1. Karikili Bird Sanctuary – Tamil Nadu
   1. Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest – Tamil Nadu
   2. Pichavaram Mangrove – Tamil Nadu
   3. Sakhya Sagar – Madhya Pradesh
   4. Pala Wetlands – Mizoram
2. Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat and Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh were announced as Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) on the occasion of World Wetland day 2022 (2nd February 2022) held at Sultanpur National Park, a Ramsar site in Haryana.
3. Haiderpur Wetland in Uttar Pradesh has been added as the 47th Ramsar Site in December 2021. It is a human-made wetland formed in 1984 and is located within the boundaries of Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
4. 2nd February 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, the day which is also celebrated as World Wetlands Day. India on this occasion established the Centre for Wetland Conservation & Management which is the first in the country. It is set up under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), at the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) in Chennai.

List of RAMSAR Sites in India (Updated July 2022)

Map of RAMSAR Wetland Sites in India (As of July, 2022) 

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