§ 34. Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list information available to him on all current contracting parties to the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, the number of sites each has designated and the total area this covers.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am advised by the Ramsar convention secretariat that the information is as follows:
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Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention Number of Wetlands Designated Areas of Wetland (Hectares) Australia 27 1,284,090 Finland 11 101,343 Norway 14 17,545 Sweden 20 271,075 South Africa 2 9,968 Iran 18 1,297,550 Greece 11 78,600 Bulgaria 4 2,097 United Kingdom 31 91,333 Switzerland 2 1,816 Federal Republic of Germany 20 314,315 Pakistan 9 20,990 New Zealand 2 14,807
Number of Wetlands Designated Areas of Wetland (Hectares) USSR 12 2,987,185 Italy 40 51,476 Jordan 1 7,372 Yugoslavia 2 18,094 Senegal 3 96,000 Denmark 26 593,372 Poland 5 7,090 Iceland 1 20,000 German DR 8 49,600 Hungary 8 29,450 Netherlands 13 263,185 Japan 2 5,571 Morocco 4 10,580 Tunisia 1 12,600 Portugal 2 30,563 Canada 17 10,380,014 Chile 1 4,877 India 2 119,400 Spain 3 52,392 Mauritania 1 1,173,000 Austria 5 85,150 Algeria 2 8,400 Uruguay 1 200,000 Ireland 5 9,289 Surinam 1 12,000 Belgium 6 7,635 Mexico 1 48,0001 France 1 85,000 United States 4 350,911 349 20,234,275 1 Approximately