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List of Biosphere Reserves in India

List of Biosphere Reserves in India

Biosphere reserves are an important topic for UPSC Prelims 2022. Every year aspirants can find questions based on biosphere reserves in UPSC CSE Prelims. The good thing about these types of questions is that these are ‘either you know or you don’t’ type questions. If you mark it, it is highly probable that you will mark it right. We highly recommend you to go through this list a few times, to have a good grasp on this topic.

 

Before going to the list, let us first understand

What are biosphere reserves?

  • Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over large area of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
  • BRs are designated to deal with one of the most important questions of reconciling the conservation of biodiversity, the quest for economic and social development and maintenance of associated cultural values.
  • BRs are thus special environments for both people and the nature and are living examples of how human beings and nature can co-exist while respecting each other’s’ needs.
  • Below is the list of all the biosphere reserves in India.

 

List of Biosphere Reserves in India_3.1

 

Biosphere reserves in India

 

Sl. No. Name of Biosphere Reserve Established in Location (States)
1 Nilgiri 1986 Part of Wayanad, Nagarhole, Bandipur and Madumalai, Nilambur, Silent Valley, and Siruvani hills (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka).
2 Nanda Devi 1988 Part of Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts (Uttarakhand).
3 Nokrek 1988 Part of Garo Hills (Meghalaya).
4 Great Nicobar 1989 Southernmost islands of Andaman And Nicobar (A&N Islands).
5 Gulf of Mannar 1989 The Indian part of the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka (Tamil Nadu).
6 Manas 1989 Part of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamprup, and Darang districts (Assam).
7 Sunderbans 1989 Part of the delta of Ganges and Brahmaputra river system

(West Bengal).

8 Simlipal 1994 Part of the Mayurbhanj district (Orissa).
9 Dibru-Saikhowa 1997 Part of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia Districts (Assam).
10 Dehang-Dibang 1998 Part of Siang and Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
11 Pachmarhi 1999 Parts of Betul, Hoshangabad, and Chindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh.
12 Khangchendzonga 2000 Parts of Khangchendzonga hills and Sikkim.
13 Agasthyamalai 2001 Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries and their adjoining areas in Kerala.
14 Achanakamar –    Amarkantak 2005 Covers parts of Anupur and Dindori districts of M.P. and parts of Bilaspur districts of Chhattishgarh State.
15 Kachchh 2008 Part of Kachchh, Rajkot, Surendra Nagar, and Patan Civil Districts of Gujarat State.
16 Cold Desert 2009 Pin Valley National Park and surroundings; Chandratal and Sarchu & Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh.
17 Seshachalam Hills 2010 Seshachalam Hill Ranges covering parts of Chittoor and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.
18 Panna 2011 Part of Panna and Chhattarpur districts in Madhya Pradesh.

 

 

List of Biosphere Reserves in India_4.1

 

Biosphere Reserves under Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme of UNESCO

  • The UNESCO has introduced the designation ‘Biosphere Reserve’ for natural areas to minimize conflict between development and conservation.
  • BRs are nominated by national government which meet a minimal set of criteria and adhere to minimal set of conditions for inclusion in the world network of Biosphere reserves under the Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme of UNESCO.
  • Globally, there are 686 biosphere reserves in 122 countries, including 20 transboundary sites.

 

Biosphere Reserves under MAB

India has 12 internationally recognised BRs. They are as follows.

Sl. No. YEAR NAME STATES
1 2000 Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
2 2001 Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
3 2001 Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve West Bengal
4 2004 Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Uttarakhand
5 2009 Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh
6 2009 Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Meghalaya
7 2009 Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Odisha
8 2012 Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve Chhattisgarh
9 2013 Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Great Nicobar
10 2016 Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve Kerala and Tamil Nadu
11 2018 Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve Part of North and West Sikkim districts
12 2020 Panna Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh

 

FAQs

Q. Which was the first Biosphere Reserve in India?

Ans. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

 

Q. Which Biosphere Reserve recently got the UNESCO status?

Ans. Panna Biosphere Reserve

 

Q. How many Biosphere Reserves are there in India?

Ans. India has a total of 18 Biosphere Reserves.

 

Q. Which protected areas forms Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve?

Ans. Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries.

 

Q. Where is Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve located?

Ans. Madhya Pradesh

 

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FAQs

Which was the first Biosphere Reserve in India?

Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve

Which Biosphere Reserve recently got the UNESCO status?

Panna Biosphere Reserve

Which protected areas forms Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve?

Neyyar, Peppara, and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Where is Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve located?

Madhya Pradesh

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