New Ramsar Sites Added: India's Total Count Reaches 90
India has added five more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites, bringing the total number of wetlands of international importance in the country to 90.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- India now has a total of 90 Ramsar sites.
- Five new sites added from Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
- India has the highest number of Ramsar sites in South Asia.
- Ramsar Convention was signed in 1971 in Iran.
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. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | High | 3–6 | Environment is a reliable Railway GK category — national parks, endangered species, pollution. |
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 count of Ramsar sites has reached 90.
Q2. The Ramsar Convention is related to the conservation of which of the following?
- Forests
- Wetlands
- Oceans
- Grasslands
Explanation: The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
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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