List of parties to the Ramsar Convention

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This is a list of parties contracting to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, also known as the Convention on Wetlands. The convention's mission is "the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world". It calls upon contracting parties to recognize the interdependence of humans and the environment as well as the ecological functions of wetlands, such as wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, and flood control.

The Ramsar Convention is the oldest multilateral international conservation convention and the only one to deal with one habitat or ecosystem type, wetlands. The convention's headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland, and it works closely with the International Union for Conservation of Nature. [1] [2] [3]

The convention was held in the city of Ramsar, Iran, in February 1971 and was originally contracted by seven countries when it came into force on 21 December 1975. As of November 2023, there are 172 contracting parties and 2,500 designated sites covering 257,106,360 hectares (635,323,700 acres). 171 of the contracting parties have designated at least one Ramsar site, and 32 of the contracting countries have only one site. The country with the most sites is the United Kingdom with 175. To become a Ramsar site, a site must be nominated by a contracting country, meet at least one of nine criteria, and undergo scientific review.

The table lists the countries contracting to the convention, the entry date of each country to the convention, the number of Ramsar sites in each country, and the total area of all Ramsar sites in each country.

Ramsar Convention contracting parties [4]
CountryRegionEntry date [5] Ramsar sitesArea
hectaresacres
Albania Europe29 February 1996 4 98,181242,610
Algeria Africa4 March 1984 50 3,032,8137,494,240
Andorra Europe23 November 2012 3 6,87017,000
Angola Africa10 October 2021 0 00
Antigua and Barbuda Latin America and the Caribbean2 October 2005 1 3,6008,900
Argentina Latin America and the Caribbean4 September 1992 23 5,714,01614,119,640
Armenia Europe6 November 1993 3 493,5111,219,490
Australia Oceania21 December 1975 67 8,378,16220,702,890
Austria Europe16 April 1983 24 125,046309,000
Azerbaijan Europe21 September 2001 2 99,560246,000
Bahamas Latin America and the Caribbean7 June 1997 1 32,60081,000
Bahrain Asia27 February 1998 2 6,81016,800
Bangladesh Asia21 September 1992 2 611,2001,510,000
Barbados Latin America and the Caribbean12 April 2006 1 3382
Belarus Europe25 August 1991 26 777,8951,922,220
Belgium Europe4 July 1986 9 46,944116,000
Belize Latin America and the Caribbean22 August 1998 2 23,59258,300
Benin Africa24 May 2000 4 2,587,3426,393,460
Bhutan Asia7 September 2012 3 1,2253,030
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Latin America and the Caribbean27 October 1990 11 14,842,40536,676,380
Bosnia and Herzegovina Europe1 March 1992 3 57,192141,320
Botswana Africa9 April 1997 1 5,537,40013,683,000
Brazil Latin America and the Caribbean24 September 1993 27 26,794,45566,210,540
Bulgaria Europe24 January 1976 11 49,397122,060
Burkina Faso Africa27 October 1990 25 1,940,4814,795,030
Burundi Africa5 October 2002 4 78,515194,010
Cambodia Asia23 October 1999 5 85,235210,620
Cameroon Africa20 July 2006 7 827,0602,043,700
Canada North America15 May 1981 37 13,086,76732,338,110
Cape Verde Africa18 November 2005 4 2,3005,700
Central African Republic Africa5 April 2006 2 376,300930,000
Chad Africa13 October 1990 6 12,405,06830,653,590
Chile Latin America and the Caribbean27 November 1981 16 363,927899,280
China Asia31 July 1992 82 7,647,89518,898,360
Colombia Latin America and the Caribbean18 October 1998 10 814,7172,013,210
Comoros Africa9 June 1995 3 16,03039,600
Congo Africa18 October 1998 14 13,813,86534,134,800
Costa Rica Latin America and the Caribbean27 April 1992 12 569,7421,407,860
Côte d'Ivoire Africa27 June 1996 6 127,344314,670
Croatia Europe25 June 1991 5 93,590231,300
Cuba Latin America and the Caribbean12 August 2001 6 1,188,4112,936,630
Cyprus Europe11 November 2001 1 1,1072,740
Czech Republic Europe1 January 1993 14 60,207148,770
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Asia16 January 2018 2 7,24117,890
Democratic Republic of the Congo Africa18 May 1996 4 11,906,61729,421,890
Denmark Europe2 January 1978 43 2,335,9395,772,230
Djibouti Africa22 March 2003 1 3,0007,400
Dominican Republic Latin America and the Caribbean15 September 2002 6 225,173556,410
Ecuador Latin America and the Caribbean7 January 1991 19 1,064,4832,630,390
Egypt Africa9 September 1988 4 415,5321,026,800
El Salvador Latin America and the Caribbean22 May 1999 8 228,719565,180
Equatorial Guinea Africa2 October 2003 3 136,000340,000
Estonia Europe29 July 1994 17 306,481757,330
Eswatini Africa15 June 2013 3 1,1832,920
Fiji Oceania11 August 2006 2 135,515334,860
Finland Europe21 December 1975 49 799,5181,975,650
France Europe1 December 1986 53 3,808,2509,410,400
Gabon Africa30 April 1987 9 3,001,7697,417,530
The Gambia Africa16 January 1997 3 31,24477,210
Georgia Europe7 June 1997 4 36,01089,000
Germany Europe26 June 1976 35 869,2652,148,000
Ghana Africa22 June 1988 6 176,134435,240
Greece Europe21 December 1975 10 163,501404,020
Grenada Latin America and the Caribbean22 September 2012 1 5181,280
Guatemala Latin America and the Caribbean26 October 1990 7 628,5921,553,280
Guinea Africa18 March 1993 16 9,065,44622,401,200
Guinea-Bissau Africa14 May 1990 4 1,189,6332,939,650
Honduras Latin America and the Caribbean23 October 1993 12 305,927755,960
Hungary Europe11 August 1979 29 260,668644,120
Iceland Europe2 April 1978 6 128,666317,940
India Asia1 February 1982 75 1,326,6773,278,290
Indonesia Asia8 August 1992 7 1,372,9763,392,700
Iran (Islamic Republic of) Asia21 December 1975 25 1,488,6243,678,470
Iraq Asia17 February 2008 4 537,9001,329,000
Ireland Europe15 March 1985 45 66,994165,550
Israel Europe12 March 1997 2 366900
Italy Europe14 April 1977 57 73,982182,810
Jamaica Latin America and the Caribbean7 February 1998 4 37,84793,520
Japan Asia17 October 1980 53 155,174383,440
Jordan Asia10 May 1977 2 13,47233,290
Kazakhstan Asia2 May 2007 10 3,188,5577,879,100
Kenya Africa5 October 1990 6 265,449655,940
Kiribati Oceania3 August 2013 1 1,0332,550
Kuwait Asia5 September 2015 1 50,948125,900
Kyrgyzstan Asia12 March 2003 3 679,4081,678,850
Lao People's Democratic Republic Asia28 October 2010 2 14,76036,500
Latvia Europe25 November 1995 6 150,318371,440
Lebanon Asia16 August 1999 4 1,0752,660
Lesotho Africa1 November 2004 1 4341,070
Liberia Africa2 November 2003 5 95,879236,920
Libya Africa5 August 2000 2 83210
Liechtenstein Europe6 December 1991 1 101250
Lithuania Europe20 December 1993 7 65,581162,050
Luxembourg Europe15 August 1998 2 17,21342,530
Madagascar Africa25 January 1999 21 2,147,9115,307,600
Malawi Africa14 March 1997 1 286,356707,600
Malaysia Asia10 March 1995 7 134,182331,570
Mali Africa25 September 1987 4 4,204,64010,389,900
Malta Europe30 January 1989 2 117290
Marshall Islands Oceania13 November 2004 2 70,119173,270
Mauritania Africa22 February 1983 4 1,240,6003,066,000
Mauritius Africa30 September 2001 3 401990
Mexico North America4 November 1986 144 8,721,91121,552,310
Monaco Europe20 December 1997 1 2357
Mongolia Asia8 April 1998 11 1,439,5303,557,200
Montenegro Europe3 June 1996 3 21,62753,440
Morocco Africa20 October 1980 38 316,086781,070
Mozambique Africa3 December 2004 2 4,534,87211,205,910
Myanmar Asia17 March 2005 6 278,679688,630
Namibia Africa23 December 1995 5 676,5641,671,830
Nepal Asia17 April 1988 10 60,561149,650
Netherlands Europe23 September 1980 58 928,5132,294,410
New Zealand Oceania13 December 1976 7 67,186166,020
Nicaragua Latin America and the Caribbean30 November 1997 9 406,8521,005,350
Niger Africa30 August 1987 14 7,534,28918,617,630
Nigeria Africa2 February 2001 11 1,076,7282,660,650
North Macedonia Europe8 September 1991 3 46,821115,700
Norway Europe21 December 1975 63 909,1342,246,520
Oman Asia19 August 2013 3 213,876528,500
Pakistan Asia23 November 1976 19 1,343,6273,320,170
Palau Oceania18 February 2003 1 5001,200
Panama Latin America and the Caribbean26 November 1990 5 220,737545,450
Papua New Guinea Oceania16 July 1993 2 594,9241,470,090
Paraguay Latin America and the Caribbean7 October 1995 6 785,9701,942,200
Peru Latin America and the Caribbean30 March 1992 14 6,789,68516,777,680
Philippines Asia8 November 1994 8 247,684612,040
Poland Europe22 March 1978 19 152,964377,980
Portugal Europe24 March 1981 31 132,487327,380
Republic of Korea Asia28 July 1997 24 20,21449,950
Republic of Moldova Europe20 October 2000 3 94,705234,020
Romania Europe21 September 1991 20 1,177,7482,910,280
Russian Federation Europe11 February 1977
(ratified as Soviet Union)
 35 10,323,76725,510,580
Rwanda Africa1 April 2006 1 6,73616,650
Saint Lucia Latin America and the Caribbean19 June 2002 2 85210
Samoa Oceania6 February 2005 3 5,76714,250
Sao Tome and Principe Africa21 December 2006 1 2357
Senegal Africa11 November 1977 9 159,137393,240
Serbia Europe27 April 1992
(ratified as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)
 11 130,411322,250
Seychelles Africa22 March 2005 3 44,025108,790
Sierra Leone Africa13 April 2000 1 295,000730,000
Slovakia Europe1 January 1993 14 40,697100,560
Slovenia Europe25 June 1991 3 8,20520,270
South Africa Africa21 December 1975 29 572,7621,415,330
South Sudan Africa10 October 2013 1 5,700,00014,000,000
Spain Europe4 September 1982 76 313,083773,640
Sri Lanka Asia15 October 1990 6 198,172489,690
Sudan Africa7 May 2005 4 3,436,0098,490,560
Suriname Latin America and the Caribbean22 November 1985 1 12,00030,000
Sweden Europe21 December 1975 68 665,4741,644,420
Switzerland Europe16 May 1976 11 14,69036,300
Syrian Arab Republic Asia5 July 1998 1 10,00025,000
Tajikistan Asia18 November 2001 5 94,600234,000
Thailand Asia13 September 1998 15 405,2191,001,320
Togo Africa4 November 1995 4 1,210,4002,991,000
Trinidad and Tobago Latin America and the Caribbean21 April 1993 3 15,91939,340
Tunisia Africa24 March 1981 42 844,6852,087,260
Turkey Europe13 November 1994 14 184,487455,880
Turkmenistan Asia3 July 2009 1 267,124660,080
Uganda Africa4 July 1988 12 454,3031,122,610
Ukraine Europe1 December 1991 50 802,6041,983,280
United Arab Emirates Asia29 December 2007 10 39,16696,780
United Kingdom Europe5 May 1976 175 1,283,0403,170,500
United Republic of Tanzania Africa13 August 2000 4 4,868,42412,030,140
United States of America North America18 December 1986 41 1,884,5514,656,830
Uruguay Latin America and the Caribbean22 September 1984 3 435,8371,076,980
Uzbekistan Asia8 February 2002 4 674,4001,666,000
Vanuatu Oceania4 November 2019 1 8,248.120,381
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Latin America and the Caribbean23 November 1988 5 265,668656,480
Vietnam Asia20 January 1989 9 120,549297,880
Yemen Asia8 February 2008 1 5801,400
Zambia Africa28 December 1991 8 4,030,5009,960,000
Zimbabwe Africa3 May 2013 7 453,8281,121,430

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramsar Convention</span> International treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramsar site</span> Wetland site as designated by the Ramsar Convention

A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, also known as "The Convention on Wetlands", an international environmental treaty signed on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, under the auspices of UNESCO. It came into force on 21 December 1975, when it was ratified by a sufficient number of nations. It provides for national action and international cooperation regarding the conservation of wetlands, and wise sustainable use of their resources. Ramsar identifies wetlands of international importance, especially those providing waterfowl habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Important Bird Area</span> Area recognized as a habitat for bird population conservation

An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of South Dakota and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Created in 1935, it is a wetlands of international importance and a Globally Important Bird Area. Over 260 bird species are found in the refuge, including many migratory bird species and the world's largest breeding colony of Franklin's gulls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Poland</span>

Protected areas of Poland include the following categories, as defined by the Act on Protection of Nature of 16 April 2004, by the Polish Parliament:

The Port Phillip Bay and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site is one of the Australian sites listed under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. It was designated on 15 December 1982, and is listed as Ramsar Site No.266. Much of the site is also part of either the Swan Bay and Port Phillip Bay Islands Important Bird Area or the Werribee and Avalon Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of their importance for wetland and waterbirds as well as for orange-bellied parrots. It comprises some six disjunct, largely coastal, areas of land, totalling 229 km2, along the western shore of Port Phillip and on the Bellarine Peninsula, in the state of Victoria. Wetland types protected include shallow marine waters, estuaries, freshwater lakes, seasonal swamps, intertidal mudflats and seagrass beds.

Crooked Tree Wild Life Sanctuary (CTWS) is a protected area in Belize. It is recognized as a Wetland of International Importance. It was designated as a waterfowl habitat on April 22, 1998, under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. During Belize's dry season many resident and migratory birds find refuge in the lagoons. The sanctuary contains 16,400 acres (6,600 ha) of lagoons, creeks, log wood swamps, broad leaf forest and pine savanna, home to hundreds of species of wildlife. The sanctuary protects globally endangered species including the Central American river turtle (locally known as hicatee), Mexican black howler monkey, and yellow-headed parrot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River wetlands</span> Protected area in Tasmania, Australia

The Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River wetlands is a wetland site comprises the floodplain of the lower Ringarooma River in north-eastern Tasmania, Australia. In 1982 it was designated a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dixon Waterfowl Refuge</span> Wetland preserve in Putnam County, Illinois

The Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge is a 3,100-acre riverine wetland in Putnam County, Illinois. Located just south of the county seat of Hennepin, it occupies the former site of Hennepin Lake and adjacent Hopper Lake. The reclaimed wetland is a Ramsar treaty site, a wetland of international importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected areas of Scotland</span> Designated area for protection in Scotland

Many parts of Scotland are protected in accordance with a number of national and international designations because of their environmental, historical or cultural value. Protected areas can be divided according to the type of resource which each seeks to protect. NatureScot has various roles in the delivery of many environmental designations in Scotland, i.e. those aimed at protecting flora and fauna, scenic qualities and geological features. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designations that protect sites of historic and cultural importance. Some international designations, such as World Heritage Sites, can cover both categories of site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caithness Lochs</span> Series of lochs in northern Scotland

Caithness Lochs is a protected wetland area in the historic county of Caithness in the far north of Scotland. With a total area of 1,379 hectares, it covers six freshwater lochs and a complex area of fen and swamp, and has been protected as a Ramsar Site since 1998.

References

  1. ↑ "A brief history of the Ramsar Convention". The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. 27 October 2011. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention" . Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Heinen, Joel (20 June 2007). Hite, Kirsten (ed.). "Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat". Encyclopedia of Earth. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands". The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. 13 February 2013. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  5. ↑ This is the date the Convention came into force for the state, not the date of the ratification of the treaty.
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