Ramsar Sites in India, Complete Updated List 2024

Ramsar Sites in India

Ramsar sites in India are an important topic to be covered under the Environment section for Banking, SSC, and other Government Exams. Knowing the Ramsar Wetland sites, especially the recently added sites will help you in your examination. To simplify your preparation, we have come up with this blog to give you the list and details of Ramsar sites in India.

Total Ramsar Sites in India 2024

There are currently 85 Ramsar Sites in India. This is the highest number in South Asia.

On 14th August 2024, the eve of Independence Day 2024, India increased its tally of Ramsar sites to 85 from existing 82 by designating 3 more wetlands as Ramsar Sites.

With the inclusion of these new sites, the total area of Ramsar sites in India has reached 1,358,067.757 hectares. The three newly designated Ramsar sites are Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh. This expansion reflects the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change’s strong commitment to the conservation and management of wetlands in India. These sites highlight the ongoing efforts to preserve vital ecosystems and promote biodiversity across the country.

India is a country with rich biodiversity and is home to a large number of wetlands. Wetlands are important ecosystems that provide a range of ecological services like water purification, groundwater recharge, and habitat for diverse flora and fauna. India has designated a number of wetlands as Ramsar Sites, which are internationally recognized wetlands of ecological importance.

List of Ramsar Sites in India 2024

S.No.	Ramsar Site	State/UT	Designated Year	Area (Hectares)
1	Kolleru Lake	Andhra Pradesh	2002	90100
2	Deepor Beel	Assam	2002	4000
3	Kabartal Wetland	Bihar	2020	2620
4	Nagi Bird Sanctuary	Bihar	2024	205.8
5	Nakti Bird Sanctuary	Bihar	2024	332.6
6	Nalsarovar	Gujarat	2012	12000
7	Wadhvana Wetland	Gujarat	2021	630
8	Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary	Gujarat	2021	699
9	Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary	Gujarat	2021	512
10	Nanda Lake	Goa	2022	42
11	Sultanpur National Park	Haryana	2021	143
12	Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary	Haryana	2021	412
13	Pong Dam Lake	Himachal Pradesh	2002	15662
14	Chandertal Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	2005	49
15	Renuka Wetland	Himachal Pradesh	2005	20
16	Wular Lake	Jammu and Kashmir	1990	18900
17	Surinsar-Mansar Lakes	Jammu and Kashmir	2005	350
18	Hokera Wetland	Jammu and Kashmir	2005	1375
19	Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve	Jammu and Kashmir	2022	802
20	Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve	Jammu and Kashmir	2022	1675
21	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary	Karnataka	2022	518
22	Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	2023	98.76
23	Aghanashini Estuary	Karnataka	2023	4801
24	Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve	Karnataka	2023	54.38
25	Asthamudi Wetland	Kerala	2002	6140
26	Sasthamkotta Lake	Kerala	2002	373
27	VembanadKol Wetland	Kerala	2002	151250
28	Tso Kar Wetland Complex	Ladakh	2020	9577
29	Tsomoriri Lake	Ladakh	2002	12000
30	Bhoj Wetlands	Madhya Pradesh	2002	3201
31	Sirpur Wetland	Madhya Pradesh	2022	161
32	Sakhya Sagar	Madhya Pradesh	2022	248
33	Yashwant Sagar	Madhya Pradesh	2022	823
34	Tawa Reservoir	Madhya Pradesh	2024	20050
35	Nandur Madhameshwar	Maharashtra	2019	1437
36	Lonar Lake	Maharashtra	2020	427
37	Thane Creek	Maharashtra	2022	6521
38	Loktak Lake	Manipur	1990	26600
39	Pala Wetland	Mizoram	2021	1850
40	Chilka Lake	Odisha	1981	116500
41	Bhitarkanika Mangroves	Odisha	2002	65000
42	Satkosia Gorge	Odisha	2021	98197
43	Tampara Lake	Odisha	2021	300
44	Hirakud Reservoir	Odisha	2021	65400
45	Ansupa Lake	Odisha	2021	231
46	Harike Lake	Punjab	1990	4100
47	Kanjli Lake	Punjab	2002	183
48	Ropar Lake	Punjab	2002	1365
49	Beas Conservation Reserve	Punjab	2019	6429
50	Keshopur – Miani Community Reserve	Punjab	2019	344
51	Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary	Punjab	2019	116
52	Keoladeo Ghana National Park	Rajasthan	1981	2873
53	Sambhar Lake	Rajasthan	1990	24000
54	Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2002	38500
55	Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2021	72
56	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2021	260
57	Karikili Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	58
58	Pichavaram Mangrove	Tamil Nadu	2022	1479
59	Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	2022	1248
60	Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve	Tamil Nadu	2022	52672
61	Vembannur Wetland Complex	Tamil Nadu	2022	20
62	Vellode Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	77
63	Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	44
64	Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	40
65	Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex	Tamil Nadu	2022	94
66	Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	113
67	Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2022	97
68	Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2023	453.72
69	Longwood Shola Reserve Forest	Tamil Nadu	2023	116.007
70	Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2024	125.865
71	Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu	2024	5151.6
72	Rudrasagar Lake	Tripura	2005	240
73	Upper Ganga River	Uttar Pradesh	2005	26590
74	Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2019	225
75	Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2019	722
76	Saman Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2019	526
77	Samaspur Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2019	799
78	Sandi Bird Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2019	309
79	Sarsai NawarJheel	Uttar Pradesh	2019	161
80	Sur Sarovar	Uttar Pradesh	2020	431
81	Haiderpur Wetland	Uttar Pradesh	2021	6908
82	Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary	Uttar Pradesh	2021	2894
83	Asan Conservation Reserve	Uttarakhand	2020	444
84	East Calcutta Wetlands	West Bengal	2002	12500
85	Sunderbans Wetland	West Bengal	2019	423000

State-wise Ramsar sites in India 2024

Here is a table showing the Ramsar Sites in India organized by state/UT:

S.No.	State/UT	No. of Ramsar Sites	Name of Ramsar Sites Present
1	Andhra Pradesh	1	Kolleru Lake
2	Assam	1	Deepor Beel
3	Bihar	3	Kabartal Wetland, Nagi Bird Sanctuary, Nakti Bird Sanctuary
4	Gujarat	4	Nalsarovar, Wadhvana Wetland, Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary
5	Goa	1	Nanda Lake
6	Haryana	2	Sultanpur National Park, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
7	Himachal Pradesh	3	Pong Dam Lake, Chandertal Wetland, Renuka Wetland
8	Jammu and Kashmir	5	Wular Lake, Surinsar-Mansar Lakes, Hokera Wetland, Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve
9	Karnataka	4	Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve
10	Kerala	3	Asthamudi Wetland, Sasthamkotta Lake, VembanadKol Wetland
11	Ladakh	2	Tso Kar Wetland Complex, Tsomoriri Lake
12	Madhya Pradesh	5	Bhoj Wetlands, Sirpur Wetland, Sakhya Sagar, Yashwant Sagar, Tawa Reservoir
13	Maharashtra	3	Nandur Madhameshwar, Lonar Lake, Thane Creek
14	Manipur	1	Loktak Lake
15	Mizoram	1	Pala Wetland
16	Odisha	6	Chilka Lake, Bhitarkanika Mangroves, Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake, Hirakud Reservoir, Ansupa Lake
17	Punjab	6	Harike Lake, Kanjli Lake, Ropar Lake, Beas Conservation Reserve, Keshopur – Miani Community Reserve, Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary
18	Rajasthan	2	Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Sambhar Lake
19	Tamil Nadu	18	Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pichavaram Mangrove, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Vembannur Wetland Complex, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, Longwood Shola Reserve Forest, Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary, Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary
20	Tripura	1	Rudrasagar Lake
21	Uttar Pradesh	10	Upper Ganga River, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary, Saman Bird Sanctuary, Samaspur Bird Sanctuary, Sandi Bird Sanctuary, Sarsai NawarJheel, Sur Sarovar, Haiderpur Wetland, Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary
22	Uttarakhand	1	Asan Conservation Reserve
23	West Bengal	2	East Calcutta Wetlands, Sunderbans Wetland

First Ramsar site in India

India has two co-first Ramsar Sites, both designated in 1981:

• Chilika Lake in Odisha: This brackish lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and a wintering ground for migratory birds.
• Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan: Previously known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, this park is famous for its rich birdlife, especially resident and migratory waterfowl.

The first Ramsar sites in India were Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan).

New Ramsar site in India

On the eve of Independence Day 2024, Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, announced that India has increased its number of Ramsar sites, or Wetlands of International Importance, to 85 by designating three additional wetlands. The newly included sites are Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh. This expansion reflects India’s ongoing efforts to conserve and manage its valuable wetland ecosystems.

Before that, on 5th June 2024, India designated two new Ramsar sites on World Environment Day.

• Nagi Bird Sanctuary (Bihar)
• Nakti Bird Sanctuary (Bihar)

India celebrated World Environment Day by designating Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries as its newest wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. These man-made reservoirs are located in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui district in Bihar. With this addition, the total number of Ramsar-recognized wetlands in India had then reached 82.

Smallest Ramsar site in India – Renuka Wetland, Himachal Pradesh

The smallest Ramsar site in India is the Renuka Wetland, located in Himachal Pradesh. It covers an area of only 20 hectares (0.2 square kilometers). This wetland was designated a Ramsar site in 2012. It’s a natural wetland fed by freshwater springs and features an inland subterranean karst formation.

Largest Ramsar site in India – Sunderbans Wetland, West Bengal

The Sunderbans Wetland in West Bengal is the largest Ramsar site in India with an area of 423,000 hectares. It was designated as a Ramsar site on 30-01-2019.

Most Ramsar Sites in which State? – Tamil Nadu

The state with the most Ramsar sites in India is Tamil Nadu, with 18 Ramsar sites:

1. Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
2. Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary
3. Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary
4. Karikili Bird Sanctuary
5. Pichavaram Mangrove
6. Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest
7. Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
8. Vembannur Wetland Complex
9. Vellode Bird Sanctuary
10. Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary
11. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
12. Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex
13. Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary
14. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
15. Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary
16. Longwood Shola Reserve Forest
17. Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary
18. Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary

What is a Ramsar site?

A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, an international environmental treaty established by UNESCO in 1971. The treaty’s goal is the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

What is the Ramsar Convention?

The Ramsar Convention, also known as the Convention on Wetlands, is an international treaty adopted on 2^nd February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. It’s the first of its kind focusing on conserving natural resources, specifically wetlands.

It came into force on 1^st February 1982 in India, under which wetlands of international importance are declared as Ramsar sites.

Here’s a breakdown of the Ramsar Convention’s key aspects:

• Goal: Promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• Scope:
  • Covers a wide variety of wetlands including marshes, swamps, bogs, lakes, rivers, and estuaries.
  • Almost 90% of UN member states are Contracting Parties, meaning they’re committed to the Convention’s goals.
• Actions:
  • Encourages designation of Ramsar sites – wetlands deemed internationally important.
  • Promotes international cooperation on wetland conservation issues.
  • Emphasizes wise use, meaning sustainable practices that benefit both humans and the environment.

World Wetlands Day, celebrated annually on February 2nd, commemorates the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. The day aims to raise global awareness about the importance of wetlands for human well-being and the environment. The official theme for World Wetlands Day 2024 was “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”.

What is a Wetland?

A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently for years or decades or seasonally for shorter periods. Flooding results in oxygen-poor processes taking place, especially in the soils. Wetlands are considered among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal species.

Facts About Ramsar Sites in the World 2024

Today, the Ramsar List is the world’s largest network of protected areas. There are over 2,500 Ramsar Sites on the territories of 172 Convention Contracting Parties across the world, covering more than 2.57 million square kilometers.

The network of Ramsar Sites is truly global and includes coastal and inland wetlands of all types in all six Convention on Wetlands regions.

• The world’s first Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.
• The largest Sites are Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square kilometers), Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Queen Maud Gulf in Canada; these Sites each cover over 60,000 square km.
• The countries with the most Sites are the United Kingdom with 175 and Mexico with 144.
• Bolivia has the largest area with 148,000 square km under the Convention protection; Canada, Chad, Congo and the Russian Federation have also each designated over 100,000 square km.

This is the complete updated Ramsar sites in India list. Download the Oliveboard App for the latest updates on Banking and Government Exams.

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