India Adds Five New Wetlands to the List of Ramsar Sites
India has designated five more wetlands as Ramsar sites, bringing the total number of such sites in the country to 85.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- Five new wetlands added to India's Ramsar sites list.
- Total number of Ramsar sites in India reaches 85.
- Includes Nanjarayan Lake (TN) and Thane Creek (Maharashtra).
- India holds the highest number of Ramsar sites in South Asia.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Very High | 12–20 | Environment and Ecology is a separate section in UPSC Prelims. GS-III includes environment, climate change, and disaster management. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 3–5 | National parks, Ramsar sites, pollution levels, and climate summits appear in SSC GK. |
| State PCS / PSC | High | 5–8 | State PCS papers test both central environment policy and state-specific conservation achievements. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- New Ramsar sites, UNESCO sites, Biosphere Reserves: name, state/country, reason for designation
- Climate summit outcomes: COP targets, India's commitments, new agreements
- Pollution data: India's air quality rank, river clean-up updates, plastic ban updates
- Endangered species: IUCN category, habitat, threats, conservation project
- Environmental laws and policies: recent amendments to Environment Protection Act, Forest Rights Act
Practice Questions
Q1. How many Ramsar sites does India have as of May 2026?
- 75
- 80
- 85
- 90
Explanation: With the addition of five new sites, India's total number of Ramsar sites has reached 85.
Q2. In which state is the newly designated Ramsar site 'Nanjarayan Lake' located?
- Kerala
- Tamil Nadu
- Karnataka
- Andhra Pradesh
Explanation: Nanjarayan Lake is located in Tamil Nadu and was recently added to the Ramsar list.
How to Prepare Environment for Government Exams
Ramsar sites and World Heritage Site additions are announced annually. Compile the year's additions — they are direct exam questions.
For UPSC, understand the international treaty context: Paris Agreement, CBD, CITES, Ramsar — know what each treaty does.
Climate news = policy news. Always note the government response to any environmental event — that's what UPSC Mains tests.
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