- The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value.
- The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
- Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s geographic regions, have acceded to become “Contracting Parties”.
- The convention entered into force in India on 1 February 1982.
- India currently has 41 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), with a surface area of 1,071,861 hectare.
- India has added two new “Ramsar Sites”, its 40th and 41st.
- Sur Sarovar (Site no. 2440 on the List of Wetlands of International Importance), commonly known as Keetham Lake, is a human-made reservoir in the State of Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
- Lonar Lake (Site no. 2441), on the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra State, is an endorheic or closed basin, almost circular in shape, formed by a meteorite impact onto the basalt bedrock. The Site includes the lake as well as escarpments, which form the crater walls, and forested zones.
| Name of Site | State Location | Date of Declaration | Area (in Sq. km.) | |
| 1 | Asan Conservation Reserve | Uttarakhand | 21.7.2020 | 4.444 |
| 2 | Asthamudi Wetland | Kerala | 19.8.2002 | 614 |
| 3 | Beas Conservation Reserve | Punjab | 26.9.2019 | 64.289 |
| 4 | Bhitarkanika Mangroves | Orissa | 19.8.2002 | 650 |
| 5 | Bhoj Wetlands | Madhya Pradesh | 19.8.2002 | 32.01 |
| 6 | Chandertal Wetland | Himachal Pradesh | 8.11.2005 | 0.49 |
| 7 | Chilka Lake | Orissa | 1.10.1981 | 1165 |
| 8 | Deepor Beel | Assam | 19.8.2002 | 40 |
| 9 | East Kolkata Wetlands | West Bengal | 19.8.2002 | 125 |
| 10 | Harike Lake | Punjab | 23.3.1990 | 41 |
| 11 | Hokera Wetland | Jammu and Kashmir | 8.11.2005 | 13.75 |
| 12 | Kabartal Wetland | Bihar | 21.07.2020 | 26.20 |
| 13 | Kanjli Lake | Punjab | 22.1.2002 | 1.83 |
| 14 | Keoladeo Ghana NP | Rajasthan | 1.10.1981 | 28.73 |
| 15 | Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve | Punjab | 26.9.2019 | 3.439 |
| 16 | Kolleru Lake | Andhra Pradesh | 19.8.2002 | 901 |
| 17 | Loktak Lake | Manipur | 23.3.1990 | 266 |
| 18 | Lonar Lake | Maharashtra | 22.7.2020 | 4.27 |
| 19 | Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary | Gujarat | 24.09.2012 | 120 |
| 20 | Nandur Madhameshwar | Maharashtra | 21.6.2019 | 14.37 |
| 21 | Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary | Punjab | 26.9.2019 | 1.16 |
| 22 | Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 19.9.2019 | 2.246 |
| 23 | Parvati Agra Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 2.12.2019 | 7.22 |
| 24 | Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary | Tamil Nadu | 19.8.2002 | 385 |
| 25 | Pong Dam Lake | Himachal Pradesh | 19.8.2002 | 156.62 |
| 26 | Renuka Wetland | Himachal Pradesh | 8.11.2005 | 0.2 |
| 27 | Ropar Lake | Punjab | 22.1.2002 | 13.65 |
| 28 | Rudrasagar Lake | Tripura | 8.11.2005 | 2.4 |
| 29 | Saman Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 2.12.2019 | 52.63 |
| 30 | Samaspur Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 3.10.2019 | 79.94 |
| 31 | Sambhar Lake | Rajasthan | 23.3.1990 | 240 |
| 32 | Sandi Bird Sanctuary | Uttar Pradesh | 26.9.2019 | 30.85 |
| 33 | Sarsai Nawar Jheel | Uttar Pradesh | 19.9.2019 | 16.13 |
| 34 | Sasthamkotta Lake | Kerala | 19.8.2002 | 3.73 |
| 35 | Sunderbans Wetland | West Bengal | 30.1.2019 | 4230 |
| 36 | Surinsar-Mansar Lakes | Jammu and Kashmir | 8.11.2005 | 3.5 |
| 37 | Sur Sarovar | Uttar Pradesh | 21.8.2020 | 4.31 |
| 38 | Tsomoriri Lake | Jammu and Kashmir | 19.8.2002 | 120 |
| 39 | Upper Ganga River (Brijghat to Narora Stretch) | Uttar Pradesh | 8.11.2005 | 265.9 |
| 40 | Vembanad Kol Wetland | Kerala | 19.8.2002 | 1512.5 |
| 41 | Wular Lake | Jammu & Kashmir | 23.3.1990 | 189 |
