Wetlands of India: Complete Guide to Ramsar Sites and State-Wise List

Quick Answer: India has 89 Ramsar sites (as of 2025), making it one of the largest networks of designated wetlands in Asia. Tamil Nadu leads with 20 sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10. India’s Montreux Record sites — wetlands under ecological threat — are Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur). Chilika Lake was removed from the Montreux Record in 2002 after successful restoration.

What is the Ramsar Convention? Origin & Key Facts

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty adopted on 2 February 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran, on the shores of the Caspian Sea. It came into force in 1975, making it one of the oldest global environmental agreements. Every year, 2 February is celebrated as World Wetlands Day to mark its adoption.

• Headquarters: The Ramsar Secretariat is based in Gland, Switzerland, and administers the treaty under the aegis of the IUCN.
• Objective: Conservation and wise use of wetlands through local, national and international cooperation for sustainable development.
• India’s accession: India became a party on 1 February 1982, designating Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) as its first two Ramsar sites.
• Membership: Over 170 countries are contracting parties, covering more than 2,500 Ramsar sites worldwide.

For official designations and updates, aspirants should refer to the Ramsar Convention official website and PIB (Press Information Bureau) releases from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

The Nine Criteria for Ramsar Site Designation

A wetland qualifies as a Ramsar site if it meets at least one of nine criteria, grouped into two categories:

Group A — Representativeness (Criterion 1): The wetland contains a representative, rare or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region. Example: Loktak Lake’s floating phumdis.

Group B — Biodiversity-based criteria (Criteria 2–9):

1. Criterion 2: Supports vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
2. Criterion 3: Supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining regional biodiversity.
3. Criterion 4: Supports plant/animal species at a critical stage of their life cycle, or provides refuge during adverse conditions (e.g., migratory birds during drought).
4. Criterion 5: Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
5. Criterion 6: Regularly supports 1% of the individuals of a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
6. Criterion 7: Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish species, stages of life cycles, or migratory fish stocks.
7. Criterion 8: Serves as an important food source, spawning ground, nursery or migration path for fish stocks.
8. Criterion 9: Regularly supports 1% of the individuals of a population of one species/subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species.

How Many Ramsar Sites Are in India? Year-Wise Additions

India’s Ramsar network has grown dramatically, especially since 2020:

• 1981–82: 2 sites (Chilika, Keoladeo)
• 1990s–2000s: Slow growth to about 25–27 sites
• 2010s: Reached 37 sites by 2020
• 2021–2023: Rapid expansion — 75 sites by 2022 (marking 75 years of Independence), then 80+ sites by 2023
• 2024–25: Further additions took the tally to 89 Ramsar sites

State-Wise Count of Ramsar Sites

Important: Some sites span boundaries — for instance, Sundarbans lies in West Bengal, while Tsomoriri and other high-altitude lakes fall in the Union Territory of Ladakh. Since 2024–25 additions keep changing the state tally, treat the figures above as indicative and verify current numbers from official sources.

First Ramsar Sites of India: Chilika and Keoladeo

India’s Ramsar journey began with two iconic wetlands, both designated in 1981:

• Chilika Lake (Odisha): India’s largest brackish-water lagoon and the first Indian wetland designated under the Ramsar Convention. It is famous for Irrawaddy dolphins and migratory birds, and is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandbar.
• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan): A man-made wetland near Bharatpur, formerly the Maharaja’s duck-shooting reserve. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a critical wintering ground for the Siberian crane (historically) and hundreds of migratory bird species.

Largest and Smallest Ramsar Sites in India

This comparison is a favourite of examiners:

What is the Montreux Record?

The Montreux Record is a register of Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur due to technological development, pollution or human interference. It was established in 1990 and is named after Montreux, Switzerland, where the Ramsar Conference of Parties was held.

Inclusion on the Record is not a punishment — it flags sites for priority attention, Ramsar Advisory Missions and funding support. Sites can be removed from the Record when their ecological character is restored.

India’s Two Montreux Record Sites: Keoladeo and Loktak

• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) — listed 1990: Placed on the Montreux Record due to water shortage, altered hydrology and reduced migratory bird populations caused by the Panchana dam and upstream diversions.
• Loktak Lake (Manipur) — listed 1993: Listed because of siltation, proliferation of phumdis (floating vegetation mats), pollution from catchment degradation, and hydroelectric projects (Loktak Hydel Project) affecting its ecology.
• Chilika Lake — removed in 2002: Chilika was placed on the Montreux Record in 1993 due to siltation and shrinking of the lagoon mouth. Following successful restoration by the Chilika Development Authority, it was removed from the Record in 2002 — the first site in Asia to be delisted.

Memory trick: “Keoladeo and Loktak = KL — Keep Listed!” And remember “Chilika Cleared in 2002.”

Wetland Conservation Laws and Bodies in India

• Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017: Notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; replaced the 2010 Rules. Prohibits encroachment, solid-waste dumping and construction in wetlands; decentralises management to State/UT Wetland Authorities.
• National Wetland Committee: Constituted under the 2017 Rules to advise MoEFCC on wetland policies, Ramsar implementation and site designation.
• National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA): A merged scheme (of the earlier NWCP and NPCAWM) for conservation and restoration of lakes and wetlands through integrated basin approaches.
• AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation): Includes management of water bodies and urban wetlands as a key component.
• Wetlands of International Importance designation: Carried out by MoEFCC in consultation with state governments and the Ramsar Secretariat.

Previous Year Questions: How UPSC & SSC Ask This Topic

Analysis of previous papers shows recurring question patterns:

• State-wise counts: “Which state has the highest number of Ramsar sites?” — answer: Tamil Nadu. (UPSC Prelims and SSC CGL/GLT have both tested this pattern.)
• Montreux Record pairs: Matching Keoladeo and Loktak with their states (Rajasthan and Manipur).
• Convention facts: Headquarters at Gland, Switzerland; adopted at Ramsar, Iran, 1971; India joined 1982.
• Site identification: Which is the largest brackish-water lagoon (Chilika)? Which is the smallest Ramsar site (Renuka)?
• Legal framework: Wetland Rules 2017 and their parent Act — Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Quick Revision Table & Memory Tricks

Mnemonics:

• Montreux sites: “KL — Keoladeo, Loktak (Keep Listed)”
• Top states: “TU — Tamil Nadu (20), Uttar Pradesh (10) — Twenty-Uttar!”
• First sites: “CK — Chilika-Keoladeo in ’81, 1982 India acceded”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many Ramsar sites are in India currently?

India has 89 Ramsar sites as of 2025. Since new sites are designated periodically by MoEFCC, aspirants should re-verify the latest count on PIB or ramsar.org close to their exam date.

Q: Which state has the maximum Ramsar sites?

Tamil Nadu leads with 20 Ramsar sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 10.

Q: Which Indian sites are on the Montreux Record?

Only two: Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan), listed 1990, and Loktak Lake (Manipur), listed 1993. Chilika Lake was removed in 2002 after successful ecological restoration.

Q: Where is the Ramsar Convention headquarters?

The Ramsar Secretariat is located at Gland, Switzerland.

Q:When did India become a party to the Ramsar Convention?

India acceded to the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982, designating Chilika Lake and Keoladeo National Park as its first Ramsar sites.

Related reading

• Current Affairs One-Liners: September 21, 2026 – The October Arc Opens
• Ramsar Convention Explained: Wetlands of International Importance, Montreux Record and India's Sites

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Current Affairs One-Liners: September 21, 2026 – The October Arc Opens

Ramsar Convention Explained: Wetlands of International Importance, Montreux Record and India’s Sites

Wetlands of India: Ramsar Sites, Wise Use Principle and Montreux Record — Exam Revision Notes