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Table 1.2. Major Wetlands and Ramsar Sites
Source: Wetlands International 2011
Country
Botswana
Malawi
Mozambique
Namibia
Tanzania
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Wetland
Okavango Delta System
Lake Chilwa
Lago Niassa e Zona Costeira
Marromeu Complex
Etosha Pan, Lake Oponono & Cuvelai
drainage
Orange River Mouth
Sandwich Harbour
Walvis Bay
Kilombero Valley Floodplain
Lake Natron Basin
Malagarasi-Muyovozi Wetlands
Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar site
Bangweulu Swamps
Busanga Swamps
Kafue Flats
Luangwa Flood Plains
Lukanga Swamps
Mweru wa Ntipa
Tanganyika
Zambezi Floodplains
Mid-Zambezi Valley and Mana Pools
Save River System
Gorhwe and Manjinji Pans
Pans of the Western Districts
Area (ha)
5 537 400
224 800
1 363 700
688 000
600 000
500
16 500
12 600
796 735
224 781
3 250 000
596 908
1 100 000
200 000
600 500
250 000
260 000
490 000
230 000
900 000
36 000
4 000
15 000
(estimate)
Utilisation
Hunting, tourism, subsistence farming,
fishing, and livestock grazing
Fishing, agriculture (rice and dimba
cultivation), and livestock grazing
Fishing, agriculture, animal rearing,
hunting, trade and handicrafts
Wildlife, fishing, agriculture
Farming, fishing domestic water supply,
wildlife
Restricted recreation
Fishing, guano collection, hunting, tourism
Wildlife, recreation, salt production
Fishing, tourism, agriculture
Semi-nomadic pastoralism, tourism,
planned soda ash exploitation
Hunting, honey gathering, harvesting
forest products and cattle grazing
Fishing, cultivation (especially rice),
seaweed farming and tourism
Ecotourism
Wildlife, Fishing, tourism
Wildlife, fishing, grazing, tourism
Wildlife
Wildlife, Reeds for basket making
Wildlife, fishing
Fishing, forest products
Wildlife, fishing, reeds and sedges for
handicraft, rice cultivation
Tourism
Agriculture
Wildlife
Tourism
Ramsar listed
9 Dec 1996
14 Nov 1996
26 April 2011
3 Aug 2004
23 Aug 1995
23 Aug 1995
23 Aug 1995
23 Aug 1995
25 April 2002
4 July 2001
13 April 2000
29 Oct 2004
28 Aug 1991
2 Feb 2007
28 Aug 1991
2 Feb 2007
2 Feb 2007
2 Feb 2007
2 Feb 2007
2 Feb 2007
Not listed
Not listed
Not listed
Not listed
The Ramsar Convention is a global
environmental treaty governing the use of
wetlands. The treaty was signed in Ramsar,
Iran in 1971. The convention’s mission is the
“conservation and wise use of all wetlands
through local and international actions and
international cooperation as a contribution
towards achieving sustainable development
throughout the world”. Wetlands are among
the world’s most threatened ecosystems.
Ramsar Convention
One of the main activities of the convention
is the designation of wetlands of international
importance as Ramsar sites. The other
activities are the promotion of wise use of
wetlands in each signatory country and
international cooperation to further the wise
use of wetlands and their resources. Angola
and Zimbabwe are the only countries in the
Zambezi basin that are not parties to the
Ramsar Convention.
© Leonissah Munjoma