Ramsar Sites in India:
In India, there are 80 special places called Ramsar sites that are really important because they're wetlands. These places are recognized internationally for their importance in nature. But sadly, wetlands in India are in trouble. They're facing problems like losing plants, too much salt in the water, getting flooded too often, pollution in the water, invasive plants and animals taking over, too many buildings and roads being built near them.
Overall, the Ramsar sites cover a big area of about 1,083,322 hectares. Among all the states in India, Tamil Nadu has the most Ramsar sites, with 16 of them.
Ramsar Sites in India
Recently, the government of India said that they've added five more special places called Ramsar sites to the list, making the total 80. These sites are really important because they're wetlands, and they're recognized internationally. Three new sites are in Karnataka, called Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve and other two new sites are in Tamil Nadu, named Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest. In India, Tamil Nadu now has the most Ramsar sites with 16, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10.
Total Ramsar Sites in India
As of 2024, India has 80 special wetland sites known as Ramsar Sites. These sites are recognized internationally under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. The Ramsar Convention, signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, has India as one of its Contracting Parties. India signed the convention on February 1, 1982.
Ramsar Sites in India List
Ramsar Sites in India List is tabulated below for candidates reference:
|
Ramsar Sites in India List
|
|
S.No
|
Ramsar Sites in India
|
State
|
Year of Designation
|
Area in Km square
|
|
1
|
Tampara Lake
|
Odisha
|
August 2022
|
3
|
|
2
|
Hirakud Reservoir
|
Odisha
|
August 2022
|
654
|
|
3
|
Ansupa Lake
|
Odisha
|
August 2022
|
2.31
|
|
4
|
Yashwant Sagar
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
August 2022
|
8.229
|
|
5
|
Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
August 2022
|
2.6047
|
|
6
|
Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex
|
Tamil Nadu
|
August 2022
|
0.9423
|
|
7
|
Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
August 2022
|
1.1264
|
|
8
|
Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
August 2022
|
0.9689
|
|
9
|
Thane Creek
|
Maharashtra
|
August 2022
|
65.2108
|
|
10
|
Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
August 2022
|
8.0182
|
|
11
|
Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
August 2022
|
16.75
|
|
12
|
Nanda Lake
|
Goa
|
June 2022
|
0.42
|
|
13
|
Karikili Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
0.58
|
|
14
|
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
12.48
|
|
15
|
Pichavaram Mangrove Forest
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
14.79
|
|
16
|
Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
527
|
|
17
|
Vembannur Wetland Complex
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
0.20
|
|
18
|
Vellode Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
0.77
|
|
19
|
Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
0.44
|
|
20
|
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
April 2022
|
0.40
|
|
21
|
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
|
Karnataka
|
February 2022
|
5.18
|
|
22
|
Sakhya Sagar
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
January 2022
|
2.48
|
|
23
|
Sirpur Wetland
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
January 2022
|
1.61
|
|
24
|
Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
November 2021
|
0.72
|
|
25
|
Satkosia Gorge
|
Odisha
|
October 2021
|
982
|
|
26
|
Pala Wetland
|
Mizoram
|
August 2021
|
18.50
|
|
27
|
Bakhira Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
June 2021
|
28.94
|
|
28
|
Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
|
Haryana
|
25 May 2021
|
4.11
|
|
29
|
Sultanpur National Park
|
Haryana
|
25 May 2021
|
1.43
|
|
30
|
Haiderpur Wetland
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
April 2021
|
69.08
|
|
31
|
Wadhvana Wetland
|
Gujarat
|
April 2021
|
6.30
|
|
32
|
Thol Lake
|
Gujarat
|
April 2021
|
6.99
|
|
33
|
Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary
|
Gujarat
|
April 2021
|
5.12
|
|
34
|
Tso Kar Wetland Complex
|
Union Territory of Ladakh
|
November 2020
|
95.77
|
|
35
|
Sur Sarovar
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
August 2020
|
4.31
|
|
36
|
Asan Conservation Reserve
|
Uttarakhand
|
July 2020
|
4.44
|
|
37
|
Kabartal Wetland
|
Bihar
|
July 2020
|
26.20
|
|
38
|
Lonar Lake
|
Maharashtra
|
July 2020
|
4.27
|
|
39
|
Saman Bird Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
December 2019
|
52.63
|
|
40
|
Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
December 2019
|
7.22
|
|
41
|
Samaspur Bird Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
October 2019
|
79.94
|
|
42
|
Beas Conservation Reserve
|
Punjab
|
September 2019
|
64.289
|
|
43
|
Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve
|
Punjab
|
September 2019
|
3.439
|
|
44
|
Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary
|
Punjab
|
September 2019
|
1.16
|
|
45
|
Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
September 2019
|
2.246
|
|
46
|
Sandi Bird Sanctuary
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
September 2019
|
30.85
|
|
47
|
Sarsai Nawar Jheel
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
September 2019
|
16.13
|
|
48
|
Nandur Madhameshwar
|
Maharashtra
|
June 2019
|
14.37
|
|
49
|
Sundarban Wetland
|
West Bengal
|
January 2019
|
4230
|
|
50
|
Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
|
Gujarat
|
September 2012
|
120
|
|
51
|
Upper Ganga River
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
November 2005
|
265.9
|
|
52
|
Chandertal Wetland
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
November 2005
|
0.49
|
|
53
|
Hokera Wetland
|
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
|
November 2005
|
13.75
|
|
54
|
Renuka Wetland
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
November 2005
|
0.2
|
|
55
|
Rudrasagar Lake
|
Tripura
|
November 2005
|
2.4
|
|
56
|
Surinsar-Mansar Lakes
|
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
|
November 2005
|
3.5
|
|
57
|
Ashtamudi Wetland
|
Kerala
|
August 2002
|
614
|
|
58
|
Bhitarkanika Mangroves
|
Odisha
|
August 2002
|
650
|
|
59
|
Bhoj Wetland
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
August 2002
|
32.01
|
|
60
|
Deepor Beel
|
Assam
|
August 2002
|
40
|
|
61
|
East Calcutta Wetlands
|
West Bengal
|
August 2002
|
125
|
|
62
|
Kanjli Wetland
|
Punjab
|
January 2002
|
1.83
|
|
63
|
Kolleru Lake
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
August 2002
|
901
|
|
64
|
Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
August 2002
|
385
|
|
65
|
Pong Dam Lake
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
August 2002
|
156.62
|
|
66
|
Ropar Wetland
|
Punjab
|
January 2002
|
13.65
|
|
67
|
Tsomoriri
|
Union Territory of Ladakh
|
August 2002
|
120
|
|
68
|
Vembanad-Kol Wetland
|
Kerala
|
August 2002
|
1512.5
|
|
69
|
Sasthamkotta Lake
|
Kerala
|
August 2002
|
3.73
|
|
70
|
Wular Lake
|
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
|
March 1990
|
189
|
|
71
|
Harike Wetland
|
Punjab
|
March 1990
|
41
|
|
72
|
Loktak Lake
|
Manipur
|
March 1990
|
266
|
|
73
|
Sambhar Lake
|
Rajasthan
|
March 1990
|
240
|
|
74
|
Chilika Lake
|
Odisha
|
October 1981
|
1165
|
|
75
|
Keoladeo National Park
|
Rajasthan
|
October 1981
|
28.73
|
|
76
|
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve
|
Karnataka
|
31 January 2024
|
0.9876
|
|
77
|
Aghanashini Estuary
|
Karnataka
|
31 January 2024
|
48.01
|
|
78
|
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve
|
Karnataka
|
31 January 2024
|
0.5438
|
|
79
|
Karaivetti Bird sanctuary
|
Tamil Nadu
|
31 January 2024
|
4.5372
|
|
80
|
Longwood Shola Reserve Forest
|
Tamil Nadu
|
31 January 2024
|
1.16007
|
Largest Ramsar Sites in India
India has some really important wetlands called Ramsar Sites. These are special places recognized internationally for their importance in nature. They help lots of different plants and animals, keep water clean, and provide jobs for local people. Recently, some new Ramsar Sites were added in different states of India. Check some Largest Ramsar Sites in India below:
1. Tampara Lake, in Odisha.
2. Hirakud Reservoir, also in Odisha.
3. Ansupa Lake, still in Odisha.
4. Yashwant Sagar, again in Odisha.
5. Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, in Madhya Pradesh.
6. Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, in Tamil Nadu.
7. Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, also in Tamil Nadu.
8. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, in Tamil Nadu too.
9. Thane Creek, in Maharashtra.
10. Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve, in Jammu and Kashmir.
11. Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve, also in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Ramsar Sites in India
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced that India now has 80 Ramsar sites, up from 75. They added five more wetlands as Ramsar sites on World Wetlands Day 2024.
-
Three new sites are in Karnataka: Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, and Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve.
-
Two new sites are in Tamil Nadu: Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest.
Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve (Karnataka):
-
It's a man-made tank near Ankasamudra village.
-
Covers about 244.04 acres.
Aghanashini Estuary (Karnataka):
-
Forms where Aghanashini River meets the Arabian Sea.
-
Covers around 4801 hectares.
-
Important for fishing, farming, and biodiversity.
-
Mangroves protect the shore from storms.
Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve (Karnataka):
-
Man-made wetland for irrigation.
-
Spans nearly 50 hectares.
-
Home to vulnerable and near-threatened bird species.
-
Important wintering ground for Bar-headed geese.
Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):
-
Provides water for farming crops like paddy, sugarcane, and cotton.
-
Home to around 198 bird species, including Bar-headed geese, ducks, and teals.
Longwood Shola Reserve Forest (Tamil Nadu):
-
Tropical rainforest habitat in Tamil Nadu.
-
Found in Nilgiris, Anamalais, and other hills.
-
Home to endangered and vulnerable bird species like Nilgiri Laughing Thrush and Nilgiri Blue Robin.
To succeed in upcoming exams, candidates should consider exploring
PW SSC Books
We provide high-quality content at an affordable price, including sample papers, mock tests, guidance sessions, and more to ensure aspirants secure their selection. Also, enroll today on
SSC Online Coaching
to turn your dreams into reality.
