1. For the purposes of this Convention, wetlands are ranges of marshes, fens, peatlands or natural or artificial waters, permanent or temporary, where water is stagnant or common, fresh, brackish or salted, including Water bodies whose depth at low tide does not exceed six metres.

2. For the purposes of this Convention, waterbirds shall be the birds whose existence depends, ecologically, on the wetlands.

(1) Each Contracting Party shall designate the appropriate wetlands of its territory to be included in the list of wetlands of international importance, hereinafter referred to as "the list", which shall be maintained by the Office established under Art. 8. The boundaries of each wetland area shall be accurately described and reported on a map, and may include shoreline or coastal areas adjacent to the wetland and islands or marine water bodies of greater depth Six metres at low tide, surrounded by the wetland, especially when these areas, islands or bodies of water are important as waterfowl habitat.

2. The choice of wetlands to be placed on the list should be based on their international significance from an ecological, botanical, zoological, limnological or hydrological perspective. Should be recorded, in the first place, wetlands of international importance to waterbirds in any season. ¹

(3) The inclusion of a wetland on the list shall be made without prejudice to the exclusive rights of sovereignty of the Contracting Party in the territory of which it is located.

(4) Each Contracting Party shall designate at least one wetland to be entered on the list at the time of signature of the Convention or deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession, in accordance with the provisions of Art. 9.

(5) Any Contracting Party shall have the right to add to the list of other wetlands located on its territory, to extend those already listed, or for pressing reasons of national interest, to withdraw from the list or to reduce the scope of the Wetlands already registered and, as quickly as possible, informs the organization or government responsible for the duties of the Standing Office specified by s. 8.

Each Contracting Party shall take into account its international responsibilities, at international level, for the conservation, management and rational use of migratory populations of waterbirds, when designating zones The wetland of its territory to be placed on the list only when it exercises its right to modify its inscriptions. ²

The Contracting Parties shall develop and apply their development plans in such a way as to promote the conservation of the wetlands on the list and, as far as possible, the rational use of wetlands in their territory.

(2) Each Contracting Party shall take the necessary steps to be informed as soon as possible of the changes in the ecological characteristics of the wetlands on its territory and entered on the list, which have occurred, or are By train or likely to occur as a result of technological change, pollution or other human intervention. Information on such changes shall be transmitted without delay to the organization or government responsible for the functions of the Permanent Office specified in Art. 8.

Each Contracting Party shall promote the conservation of wetlands and waterbirds by creating natural reserves in wetlands, whether or not they are listed, and adequately provide for their monitoring.

2. Where a Contracting Party, for pressing reasons of national interest, withdraws a wetland from the list or reduces its extent, it should compensate as far as possible any loss of resources in wetlands and, in In particular, it should create new nature reserves for waterbirds and for the protection, in the same or other regions, of a suitable portion of their previous habitat.

3. Contracting Parties shall encourage research and the exchange of data and publications relating to wetlands, their flora and fauna.

4. The Contracting Parties shall endeavour, through their management, to increase the populations of waterbirds in the appropriate wetlands.

5. Contracting Parties shall promote the training of qualified personnel for the study, management and monitoring of wetlands.

The Contracting Parties shall consult each other on the implementation of the obligations under the Convention, particularly in the case of a wetland extending over the territories of more than one Contracting Party or where a drainage basin is Shared among several Contracting Parties.

They shall at the same time endeavour to coordinate and support their present and future policies and regulations relating to the conservation of wetlands, their flora and fauna.

1. A Conference of the Contracting Parties shall be established to review and promote the implementation of this Convention. The Bureau referred to in paragraph 1. 1 of the art. 8 convenes ordinary sessions of the Conference at intervals of not more than three years, unless the Conference decides otherwise, and special sessions where the written request is made by at least one third of the Parties Contracting. The Conference of the Contracting Parties shall determine, at each of its ordinary sessions, the date and place of its next ordinary session. ¹

2. The Conference of the Contracting Parties shall have the following powers: ²

(a)

To discuss the implementation of the Convention,

(b) ³ To discuss additions and changes to the list,

(c)

To review information on changes in the ecological characteristics of the wetlands in the list provided under subs. 2 of the art. 3,

(d)

To make recommendations, in general or in particular, to the Contracting Parties, concerning the conservation, management and rational use of wetlands, their flora and fauna,

(e)

To request relevant international bodies to prepare reports and statistics on topics of an essentially international nature relating to wetlands,

(f) ⁴

To adopt other recommendations or resolutions in order to promote the functioning of this Convention.

Contracting Parties shall ensure that those responsible at all levels for the management of wetlands are informed of the recommendations of such conferences relating to the conservation, management and rational use of wetlands. Wetlands and their flora and fauna and ensure that these recommendations are taken into account. ⁵

The Conference of Contracting Parties shall adopt an Rules of Procedure at each of its sessions. ⁶

5. The Conference of Contracting Parties shall establish and regularly review the Financial Regulation of this Convention. At each of its ordinary sessions, it shall adopt the budget for the following year by a two-thirds majority of the Contracting Parties present and voting. ⁷

Each Contracting Party shall contribute to this budget in accordance with a scale of contributions adopted unanimously by the Contracting Parties present and voting at an ordinary session of the Conference of Contracting Parties. ⁸

1. Contracting Parties should include in their representation at these conferences persons who are experts for wetlands or waterbirds by virtue of the knowledge and experience acquired by functions Scientific, administrative or other appropriate functions.

2. Each Contracting Party represented at a Conference shall have one vote, the recommendations, resolutions and decisions being adopted by a simple majority of the Contracting Parties present and voting, unless this Convention Provides for other provisions. ¹

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and its resources shall carry out the functions of the Permanent Bureau under this Convention until such time as another organization or government is designated by a majority of the Two thirds of all Contracting Parties.

2. The functions of the Permanent Office are, inter alia:

(a)

Assist in the convening and organization of conferences referred to in s. 6,

(b)

To keep the list of wetlands of international importance, and to receive from Contracting Parties the information provided for in subs. 5 of the art. 2, on any additions, extensions, deletions or decreases relating to the wetlands on the list,

(c)

To receive from the Contracting Parties the information provided for in accordance with paragraph 1. 2 of the art. 3 on any changes to the ecological conditions of the wetlands listed,

(d)

Notify all Contracting Parties of any changes to the list, or any changes in the characteristics of the listed wetlands, and arrange for these matters to be discussed at the next conference,

(e)

Inform the Contracting Party concerned of the recommendations of the conferences with regard to the changes to the list or changes in the characteristics of the listed wetlands.

The Convention is open for signature for an indefinite period.

2. Any member of the United Nations, one of its specialized agencies, or the International Atomic Energy Agency, or any Party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice ¹ May become a Contracting Party to this Convention by:

(a)

Signature without reservation of ratification,

(b)

Signature subject to ratification, followed by ratification,

(c)

Membership.

(3) Ratification or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of ratification or accession with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (hereinafter referred to as the "Depositary").

The Convention will enter into force four months after seven States have become Contracting Parties to the Convention in accordance with the provisions of s. 2 of the art. 9.

2. Thereafter, the Convention shall enter into force, for each Contracting Party, four months after the date of its signature without reservation as to ratification, or the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession.

(1) This Convention may be amended at a meeting of the Contracting Parties convened for that purpose in accordance with this Article.

2. Proposals for amendments may be submitted by any Contracting Party.

3. The text of any amendment proposal and the reasons for this proposal shall be communicated to the organization or government acting as a permanent office within the meaning of the Convention (hereinafter referred to as "the Bureau"), and shall be communicated by Office without delay to all Contracting Parties. Any comments on the text emanating from a Contracting Party shall be communicated to the Bureau within three months of the date on which the amendments have been communicated to the Contracting Parties by the Bureau. The Bureau, immediately after the deadline for submission of comments, shall communicate to the Contracting Parties all comments received on that date.

4. A meeting of the Contracting Parties to consider an amendment communicated in accordance with s. 3 shall be convened by the Bureau at the written request of one third of the number of Contracting Parties. The Bureau shall consult the Parties with regard to the date and place of the meeting.

5. The amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Contracting Parties present and voting.

6. Where it has been adopted, an amendment shall enter into force, for the Contracting Parties which have accepted it, on the first day of the fourth month following the date on which two thirds of the Contracting Parties have deposited an instrument of acceptance with the Depositary. For any Contracting Party which deposits an instrument of acceptance after the date on which two thirds of the Contracting Parties have deposited an instrument of acceptance, the amendment shall enter into force on the first day of the fourth month following the date of the Deposit of the instrument of acceptance of that Party.

The Convention will remain in force indefinitely.

(2) Any Contracting Party may denounce the Convention after a period of five years after the date on which it has entered into force for that Party, by making the notification in writing to the Depositary. The denunciation shall take effect four months after the day on which the notification has been received by the Depositary.

The Depositary shall inform as soon as possible all States which have signed or acceded to the Convention:

(a)

The signatures of the Convention,

(b)

Deposits of instruments of ratification of the Convention,

(c)

Deposits of instruments of accession to the Convention,

(d)

The date of entry into force of the Convention,

(e)

Notifications of denunciation of the Convention.

2. When the Convention enters into force, the Depositary shall register it with the United Nations Secretariat in accordance with art. 102 of the Charter ¹ .

In witness whereof, The undersigned, duly mandated to that effect, have signed this Convention.

Done at Ramsar on 2 February 1971 in one original copy in the English, French, German and Russian languages, all texts being equally authentic, which shall be entrusted to the Depositary who will deliver certified copies Compliant with all Contracting Parties. ²

(Suivent signatures)