Editing Geography of India (section)

==== Wetlands ====
[[Image:Sunderbans map.png|thumb|A map of the Indian [[Sunderbans]] in [[West Bengal]]]]
[[File:Pichavaram Mangrove.jpg|thumb|[[Pichavaram]] Mangroves, [[Tamil Nadu]]]]
India's [[wetland]] ecosystem is widely distributed from the cold and arid located in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, and those with the wet and humid climate of peninsular India. Most of the wetlands are directly or indirectly linked to river networks. The Indian government has identified a total of 71 wetlands for conservation and are part of sanctuaries and national parks.<ref name="yearbook1">[[#Yearbook|India Yearbook]], p. 306</ref> Mangrove forests are present all along the Indian coastline in sheltered estuaries, creeks, backwaters, salt marshes and mudflats. The mangrove area covers a total of {{convert|4461|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}},<ref name="yearbook2">[[#Yearbook|India Yearbook]], p. 309</ref> which comprises 7% of the world's total mangrove cover. Prominent mangrove covers are located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the [[Sundarbans]] delta, the [[Gulf of Kutch]] and the deltas of the Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna rivers. Parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala also have large mangrove covers.<ref name="manorama5">{{cite book | title = Manorama Yearbook 2006 ''(India – Environment)''|pages =580}}</ref>

The [[Sundarbans]] delta is home to the largest mangrove forest in the world. It lies at the mouth of the Ganges and spreads across areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal. The Sundarbans is a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]], but is identified separately as the Sundarbans (Bangladesh) and the [[Sundarbans National Park]] (India). The Sundarbans are intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests. The area is known for its diverse fauna, being home to a large variety of species of birds, spotted deer, crocodiles and snakes. Its most famous inhabitant is the [[Bengal tiger]]. It is estimated that there are now 400 Bengal tigers and about 30,000 spotted deer in the area.

The [[Rann of Kutch]] is a marshy region located in northwestern Gujarat and the bordering [[Sindh]] province of Pakistan. It occupies a total area of {{convert|27900|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="NG">{{NatGeo ecoregion|name=Rann of Kutch|id=im0901|access-date=19 November 2008}}</ref> The region was originally a part of the Arabian Sea. Geologic forces such as earthquakes resulted in the damming up of the region, turning it into a large saltwater lagoon. This area gradually filled with silt thus turning it into a seasonal salt marsh. During the monsoons, the area turn into a shallow marsh, often flooding to knee-depth. After the monsoons, the region turns dry and becomes parched.