Ramsar Sites of India: Complete UPSC Guide with State-Wise Facts

Quick Answer: India currently has 91 Ramsar sites, the highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia and the third-highest among all contracting parties worldwide, behind only the United Kingdom and Mexico. India ratified the Ramsar Convention on 1 February 1982, and its first two sites — Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) — were designated on 1 October 1981. Tamil Nadu leads all states with 20 Ramsar sites.

What Is the Ramsar Convention (1971)?

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 and remains the only global treaty dedicated entirely to the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

Key facts for UPSC:

• Official name: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat.
• India joined: 1 February 1982.
• Headquarters / secretariat: Ramsar Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland (hosted by IUCN).
• Members: Over 170 contracting parties.
• Three pillars: (1) wise use of all wetlands, (2) designation and management of Ramsar sites, (3) international cooperation on shared wetlands and migratory species.

Authoritative reference: ramsar.org and India’s official environment portal at moef.gov.in.

Criteria for Designation as a Ramsar Site

A wetland is designated a Ramsar site if it meets at least one of nine criteria, divided into two groups:

Group A — Criteria containing representative, rare or unique wetland types:

• Criterion 1: Contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found in the appropriate biogeographic region.

Group B — Criteria of international importance for conserving biodiversity:

• Criterion 2: Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
• Criterion 3: Supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining biological diversity of a biogeographic region.
• Criterion 4: Supports plant/animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions (e.g., drought).
• Criterion 5: Regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds.
• Criterion 6: Regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbird.
• Criterion 7: Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies/species/families, life-history stages or interactions of scientific interest.
• Criterion 8: Important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery, or migration path on which fish stocks depend.
• Criterion 9: Regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of wetland-dependent non-avian animal species.

In prelims, expect direct questions on criteria numbers — e.g., “20,000 waterbirds” (Criterion 5) and “1% of waterbird population” (Criterion 6).

India’s First Ramsar Sites: Chilika and Keoladeo

India designated its first two Ramsar sites on 1 October 1981:

• Chilika Lake (Odisha): India’s largest brackish-water lagoon and first Indian wetland of international importance; famous for Irrawaddy dolphins and migratory birds from Central Asia and Siberia.
• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan): A man-made wetland near Bharatpur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s finest bird sanctuaries, hosting over 370 bird species, including the rare Siberian crane historically.

Largest and Smallest Ramsar Sites in India

The Sundarban Wetland was designated in 2019 and lies within the UNESCO-listed Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and home to the Royal Bengal tiger. Renuka Wetland, a small natural lake associated with the Renuka Wildlife Sanctuary, shows that size is irrelevant to Ramsar status — ecological importance is what matters.

State-Wise List of Ramsar Sites (UPSC Table)

Tamil Nadu leads with 20 Ramsar sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh (10) and Punjab (6). The exam-ready summary below reflects the verified position after the 2025 additions:

Note: Site counts change as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) announces new designations — always cross-check the latest count at moef.gov.in or ramsar.org before the exam.

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 as a result of technological development, pollution, or human interference. It was established in 1990 and named after Montreux, Switzerland. Being placed on the record attracts priority conservation attention and Ramsar Advisory Missions.

India’s Montreux Record entries (currently two):

• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) — placed on the record due to water shortage and habitat degradation.
• Loktak Lake (Manipur) — placed due to siltation, pollution, and the impacts of the Ithai Barrage on its unique floating phumdis (Keibul Lamjao, the world’s only floating national park, lies on this lake).

Ramsar Sites Removed from the Montreux Record

Chilika Lake (Odisha) was removed from the Montreux Record in 2002 following successful ecological restoration led by the Chilika Development Authority — reopening of the lake mouth, improved salinity regimes, and recovery of fishery resources. This is a frequently repeated UPSC prelims fact: Chilika is the first and only Indian site removed from the Montreux Record.

Wetlands Conservation in India: Laws and Bodies

• Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017: Notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; replaced the 2010 Rules; prohibit conversion of notified wetlands, set up state wetland authorities, and apply the “wise use” principle.
• National Wetland Committee: Apex advisory body to oversee implementation of the Rules and advise on Ramsar matters.
• Amrit Dharohar Initiative (2023–24): Launched under Mission LiFE to promote conservation values of Ramsar sites through tourism, livelihoods, and research — a key current-affairs hook for mains.
• National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA): Centrally sponsored scheme for wetland conservation.

Official notifications are available at pib.gov.in and moef.gov.in.

World Wetlands Day and Key Dates

• 2 February — World Wetlands Day: Marks the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971. It has been celebrated as a UN international day since 2021.
• 1971: Convention adopted at Ramsar, Iran.
• 1975: Convention came into force.
• 1 February 1982: India acceded to the Convention.
• 1 October 1981: Chilika and Keoladeo designated as India’s first Ramsar sites.

Previous Year UPSC Questions on Ramsar Sites

• UPSC Prelims 2022: Question on Ramsar sites asked candidates to identify sites such as Renuka, Sasthamkotta and Kabar Taal from options — testing state-location mapping.
• UPSC Prelms 2018 style: “If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following… Tsokar, Pangong Tso” type questions test Ramsar sites’ geography.
• UPSC 2024: A statement-based question tested whether Ramsar designation imposes legally binding obligations (it does not — it is an intergovernmental treaty encouraging “wise use”).
• Mains GS-III: Wetland conservation, urban wetlands (East Kolkata Wetlands), and the Amrit Dharohar initiative have appeared as environment questions.

Trend: UPSC tests (a) state–site matching, (b) Montreux Record facts, and (c) conceptual clarity on whether the Convention is binding. Prepare accordingly.

Memory Tricks and Revision Summary

Mnemonic for Montreux Record: “Keoladeo + Loktak = KL in Montreux, while Chilika Cleared out (2002).”

Mnemonic for first sites: “Chilika-Keoladeo = CK 1981.”

One-Page Revision Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which two Indian sites are currently on the Montreux Record?

Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) and Loktak Lake (Manipur). Chilika Lake was on the record but was removed in 2002 after successful restoration.

Q: Which is the largest Ramsar site in India?

The Sundarban Wetland in West Bengal (~4,230 sq km). The smallest is Renuka Wetland in Himachal Pradesh.

Q: When did India join the Ramsar Convention?

India acceded on 1 February 1982; its first two sites — Chilika and Keoladeo — were designated on 1 October 1981.

Q: What is celebrated on 2 February?

World Wetlands Day, marking the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.

Q: Is the Ramsar Convention legally binding?

It is an intergovernmental treaty under which parties commit to the “wise use” of wetlands, but its obligations are not enforceable like domestic law — there are no penalties for non-compliance.

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