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 .
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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 [ update] , 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.
More information Country, Region ...
Ramsar Convention contracting parties[4]
Country
Region
Entry date[5]
Ramsar sites
Area
hectares
acres
Albania
Europe
29 February 1996
4
98,181
242,610
Algeria
Africa
4 March 1984
50
3,032,813
7,494,240
Andorra
Europe
23 November 2012
3
6,870
17,000
Angola
Africa
10 October 2021
0
0
0
Antigua and Barbuda
Latin America and the Caribbean
2 October 2005
1
3,600
8,900
Argentina
Latin America and the Caribbean
4 September 1992
23
5,714,016
14,119,640
Armenia
Europe
6 November 1993
3
493,511
1,219,490
Australia
Oceania
21 December 1975
67
8,378,162
20,702,890
Austria
Europe
16 April 1983
24
125,046
309,000
Azerbaijan
Europe
21 September 2001
2
99,560
246,000
Bahamas
Latin America and the Caribbean
7 June 1997
1
32,600
81,000
Bahrain
Asia
27 February 1998
2
6,810
16,800
Bangladesh
Asia
21 September 1992
2
611,200
1,510,000
Barbados
Latin America and the Caribbean
12 April 2006
1
33
82
Belarus
Europe
25 August 1991
26
777,895
1,922,220
Belgium
Europe
4 July 1986
9
46,944
116,000
Belize
Latin America and the Caribbean
22 August 1998
2
23,592
58,300
Benin
Africa
24 May 2000
4
2,587,342
6,393,460
Bhutan
Asia
7 September 2012
3
1,225
3,030
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Latin America and the Caribbean
27 October 1990
11
14,842,405
36,676,380
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe
1 March 1992
3
57,192
141,320
Botswana
Africa
9 April 1997
1
5,537,400
13,683,000
Brazil
Latin America and the Caribbean
24 September 1993
27
26,794,455
66,210,540
Bulgaria
Europe
24 January 1976
11
49,397
122,060
Burkina Faso
Africa
27 October 1990
25
1,940,481
4,795,030
Burundi
Africa
5 October 2002
4
78,515
194,010
Cambodia
Asia
23 October 1999
5
85,235
210,620
Cameroon
Africa
20 July 2006
7
827,060
2,043,700
Canada
North America
15 May 1981
37
13,086,767
32,338,110
Cape Verde
Africa
18 November 2005
4
2,300
5,700
Central African Republic
Africa
5 April 2006
2
376,300
930,000
Chad
Africa
13 October 1990
6
12,405,068
30,653,590
Chile
Latin America and the Caribbean
27 November 1981
16
363,927
899,280
China
Asia
31 July 1992
82
7,647,895
18,898,360
Colombia
Latin America and the Caribbean
18 October 1998
10
814,717
2,013,210
Comoros
Africa
9 June 1995
3
16,030
39,600
Congo
Africa
18 October 1998
14
13,813,865
34,134,800
Costa Rica
Latin America and the Caribbean
27 April 1992
12
569,742
1,407,860
Côte d'Ivoire
Africa
27 June 1996
6
127,344
314,670
Croatia
Europe
25 June 1991
5
93,590
231,300
Cuba
Latin America and the Caribbean
12 August 2001
6
1,188,411
2,936,630
Cyprus
Europe
11 November 2001
1
1,107
2,740
Czech Republic
Europe
1 January 1993
14
60,207
148,770
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Asia
16 January 2018
2
7,241
17,890
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Africa
18 May 1996
4
11,906,617
29,421,890
Denmark
Europe
2 January 1978
43
2,335,939
5,772,230
Djibouti
Africa
22 March 2003
1
3,000
7,400
Dominican Republic
Latin America and the Caribbean
15 September 2002
6
225,173
556,410
Ecuador
Latin America and the Caribbean
7 January 1991
19
1,064,483
2,630,390
Egypt
Africa
9 September 1988
4
415,532
1,026,800
El Salvador
Latin America and the Caribbean
22 May 1999
8
228,719
565,180
Equatorial Guinea
Africa
2 October 2003
3
136,000
340,000
Estonia
Europe
29 July 1994
17
306,481
757,330
Eswatini
Africa
15 June 2013
3
1,183
2,920
Fiji
Oceania
11 August 2006
2
135,515
334,860
Finland
Europe
21 December 1975
49
799,518
1,975,650
France
Europe
1 December 1986
53
3,808,250
9,410,400
Gabon
Africa
30 April 1987
9
3,001,769
7,417,530
The Gambia
Africa
16 January 1997
3
31,244
77,210
Georgia
Europe
7 June 1997
4
36,010
89,000
Germany
Europe
26 June 1976
35
869,265
2,148,000
Ghana
Africa
22 June 1988
6
176,134
435,240
Greece
Europe
21 December 1975
10
163,501
404,020
Grenada
Latin America and the Caribbean
22 September 2012
1
518
1,280
Guatemala
Latin America and the Caribbean
26 October 1990
7
628,592
1,553,280
Guinea
Africa
18 March 1993
16
9,065,446
22,401,200
Guinea-Bissau
Africa
14 May 1990
4
1,189,633
2,939,650
Honduras
Latin America and the Caribbean
23 October 1993
12
305,927
755,960
Hungary
Europe
11 August 1979
29
260,668
644,120
Iceland
Europe
2 April 1978
6
128,666
317,940
India
Asia
1 February 1982
75
1,326,677
3,278,290
Indonesia
Asia
8 August 1992
7
1,372,976
3,392,700
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Asia
21 December 1975
25
1,488,624
3,678,470
Iraq
Asia
17 February 2008
4
537,900
1,329,000
Ireland
Europe
15 March 1985
45
66,994
165,550
Israel
Europe
12 March 1997
2
366
900
Italy
Europe
14 April 1977
57
73,982
182,810
Jamaica
Latin America and the Caribbean
7 February 1998
4
37,847
93,520
Japan
Asia
17 October 1980
53
155,174
383,440
Jordan
Asia
10 May 1977
2
13,472
33,290
Kazakhstan
Asia
2 May 2007
10
3,188,557
7,879,100
Kenya
Africa
5 October 1990
6
265,449
655,940
Kiribati
Oceania
3 August 2013
1
1,033
2,550
Kuwait
Asia
5 September 2015
1
50,948
125,900
Kyrgyzstan
Asia
12 March 2003
3
679,408
1,678,850
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Asia
28 October 2010
2
14,760
36,500
Latvia
Europe
25 November 1995
6
150,318
371,440
Lebanon
Asia
16 August 1999
4
1,075
2,660
Lesotho
Africa
1 November 2004
1
434
1,070
Liberia
Africa
2 November 2003
5
95,879
236,920
Libya
Africa
5 August 2000
2
83
210
Liechtenstein
Europe
6 December 1991
1
101
250
Lithuania
Europe
20 December 1993
7
65,581
162,050
Luxembourg
Europe
15 August 1998
2
17,213
42,530
Madagascar
Africa
25 January 1999
21
2,147,911
5,307,600
Malawi
Africa
14 March 1997
1
286,356
707,600
Malaysia
Asia
10 March 1995
7
134,182
331,570
Mali
Africa
25 September 1987
4
4,204,640
10,389,900
Malta
Europe
30 January 1989
2
117
290
Marshall Islands
Oceania
13 November 2004
2
70,119
173,270
Mauritania
Africa
22 February 1983
4
1,240,600
3,066,000
Mauritius
Africa
30 September 2001
3
401
990
Mexico
North America
4 November 1986
144
8,721,911
21,552,310
Monaco
Europe
20 December 1997
1
23
57
Mongolia
Asia
8 April 1998
11
1,439,530
3,557,200
Montenegro
Europe
3 June 1996
3
21,627
53,440
Morocco
Africa
20 October 1980
38
316,086
781,070
Mozambique
Africa
3 December 2004
2
4,534,872
11,205,910
Myanmar
Asia
17 March 2005
6
278,679
688,630
Namibia
Africa
23 December 1995
5
676,564
1,671,830
Nepal
Asia
17 April 1988
10
60,561
149,650
Netherlands
Europe
23 September 1980
58
928,513
2,294,410
New Zealand
Oceania
13 December 1976
7
67,186
166,020
Nicaragua
Latin America and the Caribbean
30 November 1997
9
406,852
1,005,350
Niger
Africa
30 August 1987
14
7,534,289
18,617,630
Nigeria
Africa
2 February 2001
11
1,076,728
2,660,650
North Macedonia
Europe
8 September 1991
3
46,821
115,700
Norway
Europe
21 December 1975
63
909,134
2,246,520
Oman
Asia
19 August 2013
3
213,876
528,500
Pakistan
Asia
23 November 1976
19
1,343,627
3,320,170
Palau
Oceania
18 February 2003
1
500
1,200
Panama
Latin America and the Caribbean
26 November 1990
5
220,737
545,450
Papua New Guinea
Oceania
16 July 1993
2
594,924
1,470,090
Paraguay
Latin America and the Caribbean
7 October 1995
6
785,970
1,942,200
Peru
Latin America and the Caribbean
30 March 1992
14
6,789,685
16,777,680
Philippines
Asia
8 November 1994
8
247,684
612,040
Poland
Europe
22 March 1978
19
152,964
377,980
Portugal
Europe
24 March 1981
31
132,487
327,380
Republic of Korea
Asia
28 July 1997
24
20,214
49,950
Republic of Moldova
Europe
20 October 2000
3
94,705
234,020
Romania
Europe
21 September 1991
20
1,177,748
2,910,280
Russian Federation
Europe
11 February 1977 (ratified as Soviet Union )
35
10,323,767
25,510,580
Rwanda
Africa
1 April 2006
1
6,736
16,650
Saint Lucia
Latin America and the Caribbean
19 June 2002
2
85
210
Samoa
Oceania
6 February 2005
3
5,767
14,250
Sao Tome and Principe
Africa
21 December 2006
1
23
57
Senegal
Africa
11 November 1977
9
159,137
393,240
Serbia
Europe
27 April 1992 (ratified as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia )
11
130,411
322,250
Seychelles
Africa
22 March 2005
3
44,025
108,790
Sierra Leone
Africa
13 April 2000
1
295,000
730,000
Slovakia
Europe
1 January 1993
14
40,697
100,560
Slovenia
Europe
25 June 1991
3
8,205
20,270
South Africa
Africa
21 December 1975
29
572,762
1,415,330
South Sudan
Africa
10 October 2013
1
5,700,000
14,000,000
Spain
Europe
4 September 1982
76
313,083
773,640
Sri Lanka
Asia
15 October 1990
6
198,172
489,690
Sudan
Africa
7 May 2005
4
3,436,009
8,490,560
Suriname
Latin America and the Caribbean
22 November 1985
1
12,000
30,000
Sweden
Europe
21 December 1975
68
665,474
1,644,420
Switzerland
Europe
16 May 1976
11
14,690
36,300
Syrian Arab Republic
Asia
5 July 1998
1
10,000
25,000
Tajikistan
Asia
18 November 2001
5
94,600
234,000
Thailand
Asia
13 September 1998
15
405,219
1,001,320
Togo
Africa
4 November 1995
4
1,210,400
2,991,000
Trinidad and Tobago
Latin America and the Caribbean
21 April 1993
3
15,919
39,340
Tunisia
Africa
24 March 1981
42
844,685
2,087,260
Turkey
Europe
13 November 1994
14
184,487
455,880
Turkmenistan
Asia
3 July 2009
1
267,124
660,080
Uganda
Africa
4 July 1988
12
454,303
1,122,610
Ukraine
Europe
1 December 1991
50
802,604
1,983,280
United Arab Emirates
Asia
29 December 2007
10
39,166
96,780
United Kingdom
Europe
5 May 1976
175
1,283,040
3,170,500
United Republic of Tanzania
Africa
13 August 2000
4
4,868,424
12,030,140
United States of America
North America
18 December 1986
41
1,884,551
4,656,830
Uruguay
Latin America and the Caribbean
22 September 1984
3
435,837
1,076,980
Uzbekistan
Asia
8 February 2002
4
674,400
1,666,000
Vanuatu
Oceania
4 November 2019
1
8,248.1
20,381
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Latin America and the Caribbean
23 November 1988
5
265,668
656,480
Vietnam
Asia
20 January 1989
9
120,549
297,880
Yemen
Asia
8 February 2008
1
580
1,400
Zambia
Africa
28 December 1991
8
4,030,500
9,960,000
Zimbabwe
Africa
3 May 2013
7
453,828
1,121,430
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