--- title: "Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site: Facts | Model Diplomat" description: "The Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site, designated in 2019, is India's largest at 4,230 sq km—a mangrove delta and tiger habitat. Key facts for UPSC GS3 prep." url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/sundarbans-ramsar-site" --- [New](https://modeldiplomat.com/) # Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026 TL;DR - The Sundarban Wetland is India's largest Ramsar Site, a mangrove ecosystem in West Bengal designated under the Ramsar Convention in 2019. - When was the Sundarban Wetland designated a Ramsar Site and how large is it? - How does the Ramsar designation differ from the Sundarbans' UNESCO World Heritage status? - Is the Sundarban Wetland on the Montreux Record? - What domestic law governs the Sundarban Wetland's management in India? [Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026 Go beyond the definition ## Research Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site like a delegate Model Diplomat's AI drafts position papers, speeches, and country research with real sources — built for MUN and politics students. ## Timeline 1. 2 February 1971 The Sundarban Wetland was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfo… 2. 30 January 2019 The Sundarban Wetland was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfo… 3. 1 October 1981 India ratified the Convention on , acceding to obligations under Article 2, which requires each Contracting Party to designate at least one wetland for inclu… ## Positions at a glance ### Supporters The designation process under the Ramsar framework proceeds through a defined sequence. A Contracting Party identifies a candidate wetland meeting one or more of the nine Ramsar Criteria for Identifying Wetlands of International Importance, prepares a Ramsar Information Sheet documenting the site's ecological character, hydrology, and biodiversity, and submits it to the Ramsar Secretariat in Gland, Switzerland. The Secretariat reviews the documentation and, upon acceptance, enters the site on the List with a unique reference number and effective date. In India, the nodal authority is the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which coordinates with the relevant state government—here the Government of West Bengal—and the state forest department to compile the dossier. The Sundarban Wetland qualified under multiple criteria, including Criterion 2 (supporting vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species) and Criterion 4 (supporting species during critical life-cycle stages). ### Opponents The Sundarban Wetland faces documented threats that bear on its continued ecological character. Sea-level rise associated with climate change, increasing salinity intrusion, cyclonic events such as Cyclone Amphan in May 2020 and Cyclone Yaas in May 2021, embankment failures, and reduction of freshwater flow have been cited in assessments of the delta. The disappearance of islands such as Lohachara and the partial submergence of others have generated debate over climate-displaced populations. Human–wildlife conflict, particularly tiger attacks on fishers and honey collectors, remains acute. Critics have questioned whether India's accelerated designation of Ramsar Sites has been matched by adequate management-plan implementation and monitoring, given the resource constraints of state wetland authorities. ## Research it like a delegate Research on modeldiplomat.com ## Ask a follow-up about Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site Open a cited briefing in Model Diplomat search — timelines, positions, and sources you can use in committee or exam answers. [Start research on Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site](https://modeldiplomat.com/search?q=Explain%20Sundarban%20Wetland%20Ramsar%20Site%20%E2%80%94%20key%20dates%2C%20actors%2C%20positions%2C%20and%20sources) Example India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change secured the Sundarban Wetland's designation as Ramsar Site No. 2370 on 30 January 2019, India's largest at 4,230 square kilometres. Keep learning ## Go deeper than the definition [Explore all Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams lessons](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services)[Test yourself with a quiz](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/quiz/civil-services) ## Take Sundarban Wetland Ramsar Site beyond the glossary Ask the AI research engine built for diplomacy — get briefings, position papers, and speeches with sources you can cite in committee.