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The
Sundarbans
is
the
largest
single
block
of
tidal
halophytic
mangrove
forest
in
the
world.[1]
It
lies
at
the
mouth
of
the
Ganges
and
is
spread
across
areas
of
Bangladesh
and
West
Bengal,
India,
forming
the
seaward
fringe
of
the
delta.
The
forest
covers
10,000
sq.km
of
which
about
6,000
are
in
Bangladesh.
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It
became
inscripted
as a
UNESCO
world
heritage
site
in
1997,
but
while
the
Bangladeshi
and
Indian
portions
constitute
the
same
continuous
ecotope,
these
are
separately
listed
in
the
UNESCO
world
heritage
list
as
the
Sundarbans
and
Sundarbans
National
Park,
respectively.
The
Sundarbans
is
intersected
by a
complex
network
of
tidal
waterways,
mudflats
and
small
islands
of
salt-tolerant
mangrove
forests.
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The
area
is
known
for
the
eponymous
Royal
Bengal
Tiger,
as
well
as
numerous
fauna
including
species
of
birds,
spotted
deer,
crocodiles
and
snakes.
It
is
estimated
that
there
are
now
500
Bengal
tigers
and
about
30,000
spotted
deer
in
the
area.
Sundarbans
was
designated
a
Ramsar
site
on
May
21,
1992 |
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