RAMSAR SITES (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment said on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024, India has increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 from existing 75 by designating five more wetlands as Ramsar sites.

Ramsar Sites

• About: a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is also known as the ‘Convention on Wetlands ‘.
• Convention on Wetlands: an intergovernmental environmental treaty established by UNESCO in 1971, and named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed that year.
• Membership of India: India is a part of the Ramsar Convention and signed under it on 1st February 1982.
• Geographical Area: India’s Ramsar wetlands are spread over 11,000 sq km - around 10% of the total wetland area in the country - across 18 States.
• Largest Ramsar Site of India: Sundarbans (West Bengal).
• First Ramsar Sites of India: Chilika Lake (Orissa) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan).
• Most number of Ramsar Sites in India: Tamil Nadu (16 nos), followed by UP (10) of Ramsar sites.
• Smallest wetland of India: Renuka Wetland (Area - 20 ha) - Himachal Pradesh 
• World Wetlands Day: 2nd February.
• New Additions are:

oAnkasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve, Aghanashini Estuary, Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve in Karnataka Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary and Longwood Shola Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu.