Ranthambore Tiger Reserve was among the first nine Tiger Reserves declared in 1973 at the launch of Project Tiger in India. It comprised the former Sawai Madhopur Wildlife Sanctuary of 392.5 sq. km. Reserved Forest (constituted in 1955).
Ranthambore National Park with an area of 274.5 sq. km. was constituted from within the Tiger Reserve in 1980. In the then Tiger Reserve, the National Park area was being managed as the core and the rest as buffer until in 1992, Keladevi Sanctuary having an area of 674 sq. km. of Protected Forest (constituted in 1983), Sawai Mansingh Sanctuary with an area of 127 sq. km. (constituted in 1984), Kualji Close Area of 7.58 sq. km. and some other forest areas were added to the Reserve.
Archaeological Richness: Ranthambore fort and temples of medieval period.
Forest Types: Northern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests -5B