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. 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 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.

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