Western Ghats
The Western Ghats as a World Heritage site and biodiversity hotspot: key numbers, the Gadgil and Kasturirangan reports and the eco-sensitive area debate.
In 60 seconds
- The Western Ghats are a 1,600 km mountain chain along India's west coast, older than the Himalayas.
- UNESCO inscribed them on the World Heritage List in 2012 as a serial property of 39 component parts.
- They were listed under natural criteria (ix) and (x), for ecological processes and biodiversity.
- They cover parts of six states: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- A seventh draft notification in July 2026 proposed 56,825.7 sq km as an Ecologically Sensitive Area, with Karnataka's share the largest.
For your exam
UPSC asks the Western Ghats in Prelims geography and environment (hotspots, endemic species, ESA rules) and in Mains GS 3 (conservation versus development, landslides). Compare Gadgil and Kasturirangan clearly.
SSC asks map-based one-liners: highest peak (Anamudi), the six states, and that the Ghats are a UNESCO site since 2012.
For KPSC, link the Ghats to Karnataka's rivers (Kaveri, Tunga, Bhadra, Sharavathi), the Malnad region, Kudremukh and the Agumbe rainforest. Karnataka has the largest share of the proposed ESA, which makes it a strong Mains topic.
Where they are and why they matter
The Western Ghats, also called the Sahyadri, run for about 1,600 km parallel to the west coast, from Gujarat to the southern tip of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The range intercepts the south-west monsoon winds, which gives heavy rain to the western slopes and shapes the monsoon over peninsular India. Most of the peninsula’s west-flowing and east-flowing rivers, including the Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri, rise here.
World Heritage status
The World Heritage Committee inscribed the Western Ghats in 2012 at its 36th session in Saint Petersburg (decision 36 COM 8B.10). It is a serial property of 39 component parts spread across protected areas and reserve forests. It was listed under criterion (ix) for ongoing ecological processes and criterion (x) for biodiversity.
Biodiversity in numbers
- 352 of about 650 tree species are endemic (54%).
- Endemism is 65% for amphibians, 62% for reptiles and 53% for fishes.
- The Ghats and Sri Lanka together form one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
Gadgil and Kasturirangan
| Gadgil panel (WGEEP), 2011 | Kasturirangan group (HLWG), 2013 | |
|---|---|---|
| Area to protect | Whole Western Ghats, in three zones (ESZ-I, II, III) | About 37% of the Ghats, about 60,000 sq km |
| Response | Opposed by states as too restrictive | Basis of the later draft notifications |
The eco-sensitive area drafts
The Union Environment Ministry has issued draft notifications to declare part of the Ghats an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA). The seventh draft, reissued in July 2026, proposes 56,825.7 sq km across the six states and is open for objections for 60 days. Inside an ESA, mining, quarrying, sand mining, new thermal power plants and red-category industries are banned; agriculture and local livelihoods continue. Karnataka’s proposed share is 20,668 sq km, the largest of any state.
Key facts
| World Heritage inscription | 2012, 36th session, Saint Petersburg [1] |
|---|---|
| Criteria | (ix) and (x), natural [1] |
| Component parts | 39 [1] |
| Length | About 1,600 km [1] |
| Area of the range | About 140,000 sq km [1] |
| Tree endemism | 352 of about 650 tree species (54%) [1] |
| Proposed ESA (2026 draft) | 56,825.7 sq km across six states [2] |
| Karnataka share of ESA | 20,668 sq km, the largest [2] |
In the news
No NOVIQ articles on this topic yet. When one is published, it will appear here automatically.
Sources
- Decision 36 COM 8B.10: Western Ghats (India), UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Western Ghats Ecologically Sensitive Area: 7th draft notification (29 July 2026), Drishti IAS, summary of the MoEFCC draft
Facts checked against these sources as of 5 November 2026. When something changes, this note is updated.