Back سونداربانس Arabic سونداربينز ARZ Sundarban Azerbaijani Сундарбан Byelorussian Сундарбан Bulgarian सुंदरबन Bihari সুন্দরবন Bengali/Bangla Sundarbans Catalan Sundarbans Czech Sundarbans Welsh
| Sundarbans | |
|---|---|
 Inside the Sundarbans | |
  Location of the Sundarbans in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta | |
| Location | |
| Nearest city | |
| Coordinates | 21°45′N 88°45′E / 21.750°N 88.750°E |
| Area | 10,277 km2 (3,968 sq mi)10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi) |
| Governing body | |
| Website | https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/452 |
| Official name | Sundarbans National Park |
| Location | Presidency division, West Bengal,  India |
| Includes | |
| Criteria | Natural: (ix)(x) |
| Reference | 452 |
| Inscription | 1987 (11th Session) |
| Area | 133,010 ha (513.6 sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 21°56′42″N 88°53′45″E / 21.94500°N 88.89583°E |
| Official name | The Sundarbans |
| Location | Khulna Division,  Bangladesh |
| Includes | |
| Criteria | Natural: (ix)(x) |
| Reference | 798 |
| Inscription | 1997 (21st Session) |
| Area | 139,500 ha (539 sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 21°57′N 89°11′E / 21.950°N 89.183°E |
| Official name | Sundarbans Reserved Forest |
| Designated | 21 May 1992 |
| Reference no. | 560[1] |
| Official name | Sundarban Wetland |
| Designated | 30 January 2019 |
| Reference no. | 2370[2] |
Sundarbans (Bengali: সুন্দরবন; pronounced /sʌnˈdɑːrbənz/) is a mangrove forest area in the Ganges Delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. It spans the area from the Hooghly River in India's state of West Bengal to the Baleswar River in Bangladesh's Khulna Division. It comprises closed and open mangrove forests, land used for agricultural purpose, mudflats and barren land, and is intersected by multiple tidal streams and channels.[3] Spread across 10,000 km2 (3,900 sq mi), it is the world's largest mangrove forest. The islands are also of great economic importance as a storm barrier, shore stabiliser, nutrient and sediment trap, a source of timber and natural resources, and support a wide variety of aquatic, benthic and terrestrial organisms. They are an excellent example of the ecological processes of monsoon rain flooding, delta formation, tidal influence and plant colonisation. Covering 133,010 ha, the area is estimated to comprise about 55% forest land and 45% wetlands in the form of tidal rivers, creeks, canals and vast estuarine mouths of the river. About 66% of the entire mangrove forest area is estimated to occur in Bangladesh, with the remaining 34% in India.[1]
Four protected areas in the Sundarbans are enlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, viz. Sundarbans West, Sundarbans South, Sundarbans East in Bangladesh and Sundarbans National Park in India.[4] The Indian Sundarbans were considered endangered in a 2020 assessment under the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems framework.[5] The most abundant tree species are sundri (Heritiera fomes) and gewa (Excoecaria agallocha). The forests provide habitat to 453 fauna wildlife, including 290 bird, 120 fish, 42 mammal, 35 reptile and eight amphibian species.[6] Despite a total ban on all killing or capture of wildlife other than fish and some invertebrates, there has been a consistent pattern of depleted biodiversity or loss of species in the 20th century, with the ecological quality of the forest declining.[7]
The Sundarbans are under threat from both natural and human-made causes. In 2007, the landfall of Cyclone Sidr damaged around 40% of the Sundarbans. The forest is also suffering from increased salinity caused by sea level rise due to effects of climate change and reduced freshwater supply. In May 2009, Cyclone Aila devastated the Sundarbans with massive casualties. At least 100,000 people were affected by this cyclone.[8] Climate change is expected to continue to negatively affect both natural systems and human populations in the region, resulting in further ecosystem degradation and climate migration. Experts examining the region recommend further focus on mangrove restoration and management and advocating for adaptation of human populations, through processes like managed retreat and investments in resilient infrastructure.[9] The proposed coal-fired Rampal power station is anticipated to further damage this unique mangrove forest according to a 2016 report by UNESCO.[10]
- ^ "Sundarbans Reserved Forest, Bangladesh". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Sundarban Wetland, India". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Sundarbans National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 19 November 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ Giri, C.; Pengra, B.; Zhu, Z.; Singh, A.; Tieszen, L. L. (2007). "Monitoring mangrove forest dynamics of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh and India using multi-temporal satellite data from 1973 to 2000". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 73 (1–2): 91–100. Bibcode:2007ECSS...73...91G. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2006.12.019.
- ^ Sievers, M.; Chowdhury, M. R.; Adame, M. F.; Bhadury, P.; Bhargava, R.; Buelow, C.; Friess, D. A.; Ghosh, A.; Hayes, M. A.; McClure, E. C.; Pearson, R. M. (2020). "Indian Sundarbans mangrove forest considered endangered under Red List of Ecosystems, but there is cause for optimism" (PDF). Biological Conservation. 251: 108751. Bibcode:2020BCons.25108751S. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108751. hdl:10072/400371. S2CID 222206165. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ Iftekhar, M. S.; Islam, M. R. (2004). "Managing mangroves in Bangladesh: A strategy analysis" (PDF). Journal of Coastal Conservation. 10 (1): 139–146. doi:10.1652/1400-0350(2004)010[0139:MMIBAS]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 130056584. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ Manna, S.; Chaudhuri, K.; Bhattacharyya, S.; Bhattacharyya, M. (2010). "Dynamics of Sundarban estuarine ecosystem: Eutrophication induced threat to mangroves". Saline Systems. 6: 8. doi:10.1186/1746-1448-6-8. PMC 2928246. PMID 20699005.
- ^ "Cyclone Aila". NASA. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
- ^ Danda, A. A.; Ghosh, N.; Bandyopadhyay, J. & Hazra, S. (2020). Strategic and Managed Retreat as Adaptation: Addressing Climate Vulnerability in the Sundarbans (Report). New Delhi: Observer Research Foundation. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Iftekhar, M. (2016). "Unesco calls for shelving Rampal project". Prothom Alo. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
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