Ramsar sites
The Ramsar sites are wetlands designated as of international importance. As of mid-2023, there are about 2500 designated sites with a total area over 250,000 hectares (620,000 acres). There are some on every continent except Antarctica; Europe has the most with over 1100 sites. See the official site list.
The Ramsar Convention is the international agreement covering conservation efforts on these sites. It was signed in the town of Ramsar, Iran in 1971. The actual conservation work is done by national, state/province or local governments; there is no international organization for it.
Some important wetland areas are on the 
UNESCO World Heritage Site list instead of or as well as being on the Ramsar list. For example, the marshes of southern Iraq have a UNESCO listing partly because they contain the ruins of several Sumerian cities.
Destinations
[edit]
Africa
[edit]Asia
[edit]East Asia
[edit]- 2 Mai Po Marshes
South Asia
[edit]
- 3 Bhitarkanika Mangroves
- 4 Bhoj Wetland
- 5 Chandra Taal
- 6 Chilika Lake
- 7 Deepor Beel
- 8 East Calcutta Wetlands
- 9 Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve
- 10 Hirakud Reservoir
- 11 Karikili Bird Sanctuary
- 12 Kerala Backwaters
- 13 Pallikaranai Wetland
- 14 Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
- 15 Runn of Kutch
- 16 Sundarbans
- 17 Thane Creek
- 18 Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Southeast Asia
[edit]- 19 Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary. An area on the edge of a major Philippine urban area, Metro Cebu, that is partly mangrove swamp and has about 50 species each of migratory and resident birds. There are fine diving or snorkeling sites nearby, plus some beaches and resorts (mostly mid-range).
Turkey
[edit]- 20 Akyatan Lagoon
- 21 Gediz Delta
- 22 Göksu Delta
- 23 Kızılırmak Delta
- 24 Kızören Sinkhole
- 25 Lake Burdur
- 26 Lake Kuş
- 27 Lake Kuyucuk
- 28 Lake Meke
- 29 Lake Nemrut
- 30 Lake Seyfe
- 31 Lake Uluabat
- 32 Sultan Marshes
- 33 Yumurtalık Lagoon
North America
[edit]Guatemala
[edit]- 34 Lake Lachua, Laguna Lachuá National Park, Guatemala. Karst lake set in a protected rainforest.
Mexico
[edit]
- 35 Cuatrociénegas (Protected Area of Plants and Animals Cuatrocienegas), Cuatrociénegas, Coahuila. Desert oasis in northern Mexico where cool freshwater springs feed pools called pozas. Several endemic fish and salamander species can be found only in the pools in this valley. There are also gypsum dunes nearby.
- 36 Huatulco
- 37 Lago de Pátzcuaro
- 38 El Mogote Wetlands
- 39 Islas Marietas
- 40 Lake Chapala
- 41 Lake Texcoco
- 42 Laguna de Hanson
- 43 Laguna de Metztitlán
- 44 Ojo de Liebre Lagoon UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 45 Bahia de Loreto
- 46 Sumidero Canyon
_female_-_Isla_Contoy_QR_2020.jpg)
- 47 Isla Contoy
- 48 Isla Isabel
- 49 Lagunas de Montebello
_-_Celestun_Biosphere_Reserve.jpg)
- 50 Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestún
- 51 Sian Ka'an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Oceania
[edit]Australia
[edit]Australian Capital Territory
[edit]- 52 Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site
New South Wales
[edit]