Ramsar Sites in India: Map, State-wise List & Key Facts 2026

Ramsar Sites in India are wetlands of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

As of May 2026, India has 99 Ramsar Sites, the third highest in the world, following the United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144). These sites span a variety of wetland ecosystems, including freshwater lakes, marshes, mangroves, estuaries, and even high-altitude lakes.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of Ramsar Sites in India, including a PDF map, state-wise list, and key facts—useful for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, and State PCS.

Newly Added Ramsar Sites in India

The Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, was designated as India’s 99th Ramsar Site in April 2026.

Earlier, in January 2026, the following two sites from India were added to the list of Ramsar sites:

1. Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh
2. Chhari-Dhand in Kutch district of Gujarat

In 2025, a total of 11 sites from India were designated as Ramsar Sites:

1. Siliserh Lake (Rajasthan) in December
2. Kopra Jalashay (Chhattisgarh) in December
3. Gogabeel Lake (Bihar) in October
4. Gokul Jalashay (Bihar) in September
5. Udaipur Jheel (Bihar) in September
6. Khichan (Rajasthan) in June
7. Menar (Rajasthan) in June
8. Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) in February
9. Therthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu) in February
10. Khecheopalri Wetland (Sikkim) in February
11. Udhwa Lake (Jharkhand) in February

With the above additions, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Jharkhand received their first Ramsar site designations, while the total number of Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu rose to 20 — the highest in the country, well ahead of second-placed Uttar Pradesh, which has now has 12 sites.

Ramsar Convention

• The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty for “the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.”
• It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands.
• The convention is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where it was signed on February 2, 1971. Since then, February 2 is celebrated annually as World Wetlands Day.
• There are 172 parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP).
• A site can be declared as a Ramsar Site if it meets any one of the nine criteria set under the Ramsar Convention.
• When a country accedes to the Ramsar Convention, it must designate at least one wetland as a Wetland of International Importance.
• The inclusion of a “Ramsar Site” in the List reflects the government’s commitment to maintaining its ecological character.
• There are over 2,500 Ramsar Sites worldwide, covering 2.5 million sq km across the territories of 172 Ramsar Contracting Parties.
• The world’s first Ramsar Site was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.
• The countries with the most Ramsar Sites are the United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144).
• Bolivia has the largest area under Ramsar protection.

State-wise List of Ramsar Sites in India

The table below provides the state-wise list of Ramsar Sites in India, along with the year in which each site was designated.

Please Note:

The number in brackets after each State/UT name indicates the total number of Ramsar Sites in that State/UT.

Montreux Record

The Montreux Record is a register within the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands that identifies wetlands of international importance facing threats or ecological changes.

These are sites where ecological changes have occurred, are occurring, or may occur due to technological developments, pollution, or other human interference. They remain part of the Ramsar List (i.e., inclusion in the Montreux Record does not exclude them from the Ramsar List) and are prioritized for conservation efforts.

Two Ramsar sites from India are currently on the Montreux Record:

1. Loktak Lake (Manipur)
2. Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)

Chilika Lake (Odisha) was removed from the Montreux Record in 2002 due to successful restoration efforts.

Key Facts about Ramsar Sites in India

• The Ramsar Convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.
• As of May 2026, there are 99 Ramsar Sites in India covering approximately 13,85,000 hectares.
• Tamil Nadu (20) leads with the highest number of Ramsar Sites in India, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 12. Punjab, Odisha, and Bihar share the third position, each hosting 6 sites.
• At present, the states of Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland do not have any designated Ramsar Sites.
• Top States by Area Under Ramsar Sites:
  1. West Bengal
  2. Odisha
  3. Tamil Nadu
• Goa (0.42 km²) has the smallest area under Ramsar Sites.
• Largest Ramsar Sites:
  1. Sundarban Wetland (West Bengal)
  2. Vembanad-Kol Wetland (Kerala)
  3. Chilika Lake (Odisha)
• Smallest Ramsar Sites:
  1. Renuka Lake (Himachal Pradesh)
  2. Vembannur Wetland Complex (Tamil Nadu)
  3. Theithangudi Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
• Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan), both designated in 1981, are the oldest Ramsar Sites in India.
• Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh) added in April 2026, Patna Bird Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh) and Chhari-Dhand (Gujarat) added in January 2026 are the newest Ramsar Sites in India.
• In 2025, a total of 11 sites from India were designated as Ramsar Sites:
  1. Siliserh Lake (Rajasthan)
  2. Kopra Jalashay (Chhattisgarh)
  3. Gogabeel Lake (Bihar)
  4. Gokul Jalashay (Bihar)
  5. Udaipur Jheel (Bihar)
  6. Khichan (Rajasthan)
  7. Menar (Rajasthan)
  8. Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
  9. Therthangal Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu)
  10. Khecheopalri Wetland (Sikkim)
  11. Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary(Jharkhand)
• With the above additions, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Jharkhand got their first inclusion in the Ramsar sites list.