Indian Journal of Geo Marine Sciences Vol. 47 (04), April 2018, pp. 766-772 Review Article An overview on global mangroves distribution SK Chand Basha* Department of Zoology and Aquaculture, Acharya Nagarjuna University.522 510, Andhra Pradesh, India *[E.Mail: mahashaf@gmail.com] Received 23 May 2016; Revised 17 November 2016 Present study assesses the Global Distribution of Mangroves, important species, Causes of degradation in different countries of the globe. Global mangroves distribution may be categorized as western and eastern zones sprawled in 112 countries of tropical and subtropical regions. Present review describes the distribution of mangroves in important mangroves nations of the aforesaid regions for instance, regarding West Africa, important mangroves nations viz... Mauritania, Nigeria, Democratic republic of Congo and others has been discussed. Keeping in view of its value of biodiversity and services, in the midst of sizeable mangroves degradation, effective conservation of mangroves in a sustainable way is the dire need. [Keywords: Mangroves, South Asian mangroves, South East Asian mangroves and Sustainable development]. Introduction The term Mangroves denotes a group of 68 woody halophytic plant communities 1 which have the ability to adapt to the extreme transitional zone, which embodies divergent habitats between marine and terrestrial environments. Mangroves are the world’s high yielding ecosystems, adaptations of whose are second to none. Mangroves adaptations are unpalatable in terms of adapting to regular fluctuations in tides, higher saline conditions and nil/near nil oxygenic conditions. Evolving stilt roots makes mangroves to cope-up with tidal fluctuations. Evolving xeromorphic and halophytic conditions enables mangroves to adapt to higher saline conditions and evolving pneumatophores becomes an answer to nill/near nill oxygenic conditions. Mangroves accompanies elaborated spectrum of services viz…Protection of coast, Carbon sequestration, Land accretion, Water quality and Pollution control, Food, Timber, Dyes and others, out of these mangroves coastal protection role is incredible in which mangroves protects the coasts from tsunamis, cyclones, floods and sea inundations 2 . Three fourths of the tropical and sub tropical nations coasts has been sprawled by mangroves, but currently less than half of them remains, out of it more than half are in degraded conditions 3 . For convenience global mangroves distribution are distinguished into two zones 1 1. West zone 2. East zone. West zone embodies African coast of Atlantic, North and South American portions, which also comprises Galapagos islands and the East zone embodies eastern part of African coast, South asian countries viz…India and Pakistan, South east asian countries like Indonesian archipelago and Australia and New zealand. East zone found to embodies higher species richness 1 .With respect to coordinational extents location of mangroves limited to 32 o N and 38 o S, sprawling in 112 countries coastlines of tropical and subtropical regions for an area between 167000 and 181000 km 2 2 . Bangladesh reported to possess world’s single largest mangrove area stretching over 600000 ha 2 . 35% of global mangroves have lost in last two decades 4 . Objectives of the Review  To review Global Mangroves distribution starting from Americas on West side, followed by Africa, South asian, South east asian, ending with Australia and New zealand mangroves on East side.  To review important mangrove nations of different regions and its different aspects viz… Size of mangroves, important mangrove species and causes of mangroves degradation, particularly of anthropological origin.  To review Indian Mangroves distribution, and some of its important mangrove regions.