Important for GS Prelims: Environment & Ecology
Introduction
The Ramsar Convention, officially the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, is an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands through national action and international cooperation. It was signed on 2 February 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran, and is the only global environmental treaty dealing with a single ecosystem type.
Ramsar recognition helps promote the conservation of wetlands, biodiversity, water security and sustainable use of wetland resources.
Key Facts on Ramsar Convention
| Adopted | 1971 |
| Place | Ramsar, Iran |
| Convention came into force | 1975 |
| Nature | Intergovernmental treaty |
| Focus | Conservation and wise use of wetlands |
| Secretariat | Gland, Switzerland |
| India became a party | 1982 |
India-Specific Data
| Particular | Details |
| India’s accession | 1 February 1982 |
| India’s first Ramsar Sites | Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) |
Recent Update (2026)
| Particular | Details |
| India’s total Ramsar Sites | 101 (as of August 2026) |
| India’s 101st Ramsar Site | Glaw Lake of Arunachal Pradesh |
| India’s global ranking | 3rd highest number of Ramsar Sites, after the United Kingdom (176) and Mexico (144) |
| Uttar Pradesh’s Ramsar count | Sites |
Conclusion
The Ramsar Convention (1971) is the sole global treaty dedicated to a single ecosystem type; India, a signatory since 1982, reached 100 Ramsar Sites in June 2026 with the designation of the Jai Prakash Narayan Bird Sanctuary (Surha Tal), placing it third globally after the United Kingdom and Mexico.
| This concept has been elaborately explained in the article Glaw Lake Declared Arunachal Pradesh’s First Ramsar Site |