Eduqo
Indian Geography›Ch 5: Human Geography & World›Biosphere Reserves & Ramsar Sites
Master UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Ramsar Wetlands for competitive exams.
India has 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and over 80 Ramsar Sites. Nilgiri is the first Biosphere Reserve, while Sunderbans is the largest mangrove wetland protected globally.
Memory Hooks
| Site Name | State | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Nilgiri | TN, Ker, Kar | 1st Biosphere |
| Sundarbans | West Bengal | Mangroves |
| Loktak Lake | Manipur | Phumdis |
| Wular Lake | Jammu & Kashmir | Freshwater |
Core Zone
(Strict protection area)
Strict protection area
No human activity is allowed inside the core zone.
Buffer Zone
(Limited human use)
Limited human use
Research and tourism are permitted in the buffer zone.
Transition
(Cooperation zone)
Cooperation zone
Sustainable settlements and farming happen here.
Ramsar Site
(Wetland conservation)
Wetland conservation
Ramsar convention protects globally important wetlands.
All Ramsar sites are Biosphere ReservesOnly some wetlands overlap
Do not confuse Ramsar wetlands with UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as they follow different criteria.
India has 18 Ramsar SitesIndia has 80+ Ramsar Sites
Always update your numbers; India has crossed 80 Ramsar sites recently.
Nilgiri is in Kerala onlySpread across TN, Ker, Kar
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve spans across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
Q1.Which was the first Biosphere Reserve established in India?
Q2.Loktak Lake, famous for Phumdis, is located in which state?