What is the Ramsar site?
The Ramsar Site is a wetland site that is designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar convention. This convention is also known as the convention of wetlands. It is intergovernmental environmental pretty established in 1971 by UNESCO and was first in 1975. It provides conservation of wetlands and sustainable use of resources. In 2022 there are 2437 Ramzan sites around the world and 54 of them are situated in India.
In 2022 Bakhira wildlife sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and Khijadiya wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat were included as Ramsar sites on the occasion of World wetland day held at Sultanpur National Park Haryana which is also a Ramsar site. There are 54 Ramsar sites in India from which the first Ramsar site was Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan. The Renuka wetland in Himachal Pradesh is the smallest Ramsar Wetland site in India. The maximum number of Ramsar sites are found in Uttar Pradesh in India.
List of Ramsar Sites in India
| Ramsar Site | State | Area (Km2) |
| Ashtamudi Wetland | Kerala | 614 |
| Beas Conservation Reserve | Punjab | 64 |
| Bhitarkanika Mangroves | Odisha | 650 |
| Bhoj Wetland | Madhya Pradesh | 32 |
| Chandra Taal | Himachal Pradesh | 0.49 |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha | 1165 |
| Deepor Beel | Assam | 40 |
| East Kolkata Wetlands | West Bengal | 125 |
| Harike Wetland | Punjab | 41 |
| Hokera Wetland | Union Territory of J&K | 13.75 |
| Kanjli Wetland | Punjab | 1.83 |
| Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan | 28.73 |
| Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve | Punjab | 34 |
| Kolleru Lake | Andhra Pradesh | 901 |
| Loktak Lake | Manipur | 266 |
| Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary | Gujarat | 123 |
| Nandur Madhameshwar | Maharashtra | 14 |
| Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary | Punjab | 1 |
| Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
| Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 7 |
| Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary | Tamil Nadu | 385 |
| Pong Dam Lake | Himachal Pradesh | 156.62 |
| Renuka Lake | Himachal Pradesh | 0.2 |
| Ropar Wetland | Punjab | 13.65 |
| Rudrasagar Lake | Tripura | 2.4 |
| Saman Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 5 |
| Samaspur Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 8 |
| Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan | 240 |
| Sandi Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 3 |
| Sarsai Nawar Jheel | Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
| Sasthamkotta Lake | Kerala | 3.73 |
| Sundarban Wetland | West Bengal | 4230 |
| Surinsar-Mansar Lakes | Union Territory of J&K | 3.5 |
| Tsomoriri | Union Territory of Ladakh | 120 |
| Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) | Uttar Pradesh | 265.9 |
| Vembanad-Kol Wetland | Kerala | 1512.5 |
| Wular Lake | Union Territory of J&K | 189 |
| Asan Barrage | Uttarakhand | 4.44 |
| Kanwar Taal or Kabar Taal Lake | Bihar, Begusarai | 26.2 |
| Sur Sarovar | Uttar Pradesh, Agra district | 4.31 |
| Lonar Lake | Maharashtra, Buldhana district | 4.27 |
| Tso Kar | Ladakh, Leh district | 95.77 |
| Sultanpur NP | Haryana | 142.5 |
| Bhindawas WLS | Haryana | 4.11 |
| Thol Lake | Gujarat | 6.99 |
| Wadhvana Wetland | Gujarat | 10.38 |
| Haiderpur Wetland | UP | 69 |
| Bakhira WLS | UP | – |
| Khijadia WLS | Gujarat | 6 |
| Karikili Bird Sanctuary | Tamil Nadu | 0.61 |
| Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest | Tamil Nadu | 80 |
| Pichavaram Mangrove | Tamil Nadu | 11 |
| Sakhya Sagar | Madhya Pradesh | 18.5 |
| Pala wetlands | Mizoram | 18.5 |
FAQs related to Ramsar sites
1. Which is the first Ramsar site designated from Maharashtra?
Ans. The first Ramsar site designated in Maharashtra was Nandur Madhameshwaar.
2. Which is the smallest Ramsar site in India?
Ans. Renuka is the smallest Ramsar site in India which is located in Himachal Pradesh.
3. How many Ramsar wetland sites are there in India?
Ans. In the year 2022 as reported there are 49 Ramsar wetland sites in India.
