The largest phumdi in the world covers an area of 40 sq kms and is located on the southeastern shore of the Loktak Lake.

Keibul Lamjao National Park, located on this phumdi, is the only floating national park in the world and serves as the last natural refuge of the endangered Sangai.

The Loktak Lake is an ancient lake that plays an important role in the economy of Manipur by providing water for hydropower generation, irrigation, and drinking water supply.

The lake has come under severe pressure due to human activity, with a population of about 100,000 people living in the 55 rural and urban hamlets around the lake.

The Manipur River and the Barak River are the two river systems that drain the Manipur state, with the Manipur River flowing through the Manipur Valley. 

The Manipur River and several tributaries feed the Loktak Lake, which has only one outlet, the ‘Ungamel Channel’ (Ithai Barrage). 

The lake is home to 57 species of waterbirds and another 14 species of wetland-associated birds. 28 species of migratory waterfowl and 425 species of animals have been recorded, including rare animals such as the Indian python, sambhar, and barking deer.

Imphal, the capital city of Manipur, is well connected by road and air and is located 39 km away from the lake. 

The livelihood of people dependent on the sale of edible fruit and rhizome of lotus plant products and Euryale ferox (thanging) has suffered due to a steep decline in the growth of these plant species.

The Loktak Lake was designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1990 and listed under the Montreux Record in 1993.

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