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State Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
By Rhett A Butler
Between May 2000 and August 2006, Brazil lost nearly 150,000 square kilometers of
forest—an area larger than Greece—and since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers (232,000 square miles) of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. Why is Brazil losing so much forest? What can be done to slow deforestation?
Amazon deforestation by state in Brazil, 1988-2005
| State | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Acre | 620 | 540 | 550 | 380 | 400 | 482 | 482 | 1208 | 433 | 358 | 536 | 441 | 547 | 419 | 730 | 885 | 769 | 541 |
| Amapá | 60 | 130 | 250 | 410 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 25 | 46 | 33 |
| Amazonas | 1510 | 1180 | 520 | 980 | 799 | 370 | 370 | 2114 | 1023 | 589 | 670 | 720 | 612 | 634 | 881 | 1632 | 1221 | 752 |
| Maranhão | 2450 | 1420 | 1100 | 670 | 1135 | 372 | 372 | 1745 | 1061 | 409 | 1012 | 1230 | 1065 | 958 | 1014 | 993 | 755 | 922 |
| Mato Grosso | 5140 | 5960 | 4020 | 2840 | 4674 | 6220 | 6220 | 10391 | 6543 | 5271 | 6466 | 6963 | 6369 | 7703 | 7892 | 10405 | 11814 | 7145 |
| Pará | 6990 | 5750 | 4890 | 3780 | 3787 | 4284 | 4284 | 7845 | 6135 | 4139 | 5829 | 5111 | 6671 | 5237 | 7324 | 6996 | 8521 | 5763 |
| Rondônia | 2340 | 1430 | 1670 | 1110 | 2265 | 2595 | 2595 | 4730 | 2432 | 1986 | 2041 | 2358 | 2465 | 2673 | 3067 | 3620 | 3834 | 3233 |
| Roraima | 290 | 630 | 150 | 420 | 281 | 240 | 240 | 220 | 214 | 184 | 223 | 220 | 253 | 345 | 84 | 439 | 311 | 133 |
| Tocantins | 1650 | 730 | 580 | 440 | 409 | 333 | 333 | 797 | 320 | 273 | 576 | 216 | 244 | 189 | 212 | 156 | 158 | 271 |
| Amazônia Legal | 21050 | 17770 | 13730 | 11030 | 13786 | 14896 | 14896 | 29059 | 18161 | 13227 | 17383 | 17259 | 18226 | 18165 | 21205 | 25151 | 27429 | 18793 |
Share of Amazon deforestation by state in Brazil, 1988-2005
| State | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Acre | 2.9% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 4.2% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 3.0% | 2.3% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| Amapá | 0.3% | 0.7% | 1.8% | 3.7% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Amazonas | 7.2% | 6.6% | 3.8% | 8.9% | 5.8% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 7.3% | 5.6% | 4.5% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 6.5% | 4.5% | 4.0% |
| Maranhão | 11.6% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 6.1% | 8.2% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 7.1% | 5.8% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 2.8% | 4.9% |
| Mato Grosso | 24.4% | 33.5% | 29.3% | 25.7% | 33.9% | 41.8% | 41.8% | 35.8% | 36.0% | 39.9% | 37.2% | 40.3% | 34.9% | 42.4% | 37.2% | 41.4% | 43.1% | 38.0% |
| Pará | 33.2% | 32.4% | 35.6% | 34.3% | 27.5% | 28.8% | 28.8% | 27.0% | 33.8% | 31.3% | 33.5% | 29.6% | 36.6% | 28.8% | 34.5% | 27.8% | 31.1% | 30.7% |
| Rondônia | 11.1% | 8.0% | 12.2% | 10.1% | 16.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 16.3% | 13.4% | 15.0% | 11.7% | 13.7% | 13.5% | 14.7% | 14.5% | 14.4% | 14.0% | 17.2% |
| Roraima | 1.4% | 3.5% | 1.1% | 3.8% | 2.0% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.4% | 1.9% | 0.4% | 1.7% | 1.1% | 0.7% |
| Tocantins | 7.8% | 4.1% | 4.2% | 4.0% | 3.0% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 1.8% | 2.1% | 3.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1.4% |
| Amazônia Legal | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Charts and Graphs showing Amazon deforestation on a state by state basis
Deforestation in Amazônia Legal State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Amazônia Legal State, Brazil, 1988-2005
measured stated-by-state by percent share of total forest loss
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Deforestation in Amazônia Legal State, Brazil, 1988-2005
Stated-by-state contribution to total forest loss
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Deforestation in Acre State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Amapá State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Amazonas State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Maranhão State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Mato Grosso State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Pará State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Rondônia State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Roraima State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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Deforestation in Tocantins State, Brazil, 1988-2005
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News on Brazil
Brazil to use body-heat sensing technology to find uncontacted Amazon tribes
(11/19/2008) Brazil will use a plane equipped with body-heat sensing technology to locate tribes in the Amazon rainforest, reports the Associated Press.
California joins effort to fight global warming by saving rainforests
(11/19/2008) California has joined the battle to fight global warming through rainforest conservation. In an agreement signed yesterday at a climate change conference in Beverly Hills, California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged financial assistance and technical support to help reduce deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia. The Memorandum of Understanding commits the California, Illinois and Wisconsin to work with the governors of six states and provinces within Indonesia and Brazil to help slow and stop tropical deforestation, a source of roughly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
IP laws not helping indigenous people protect traditional knowledge (repost)
(11/13/2008) Promoting capacity for self-governance rather than using conventional systems governing intellectual property rights may be a more effective way to safeguard traditional knowledge of indigenous groups, argues a new report published by an international team of IP experts. Released at an IP conference convened by Sciences Po, a French research institute, and The Innovation Partnership, a Canadian NGO, the report details how traditional knowledge is treated in Brazil, Kenya and Northern Canada. It finds significant differences in the effectiveness of IP laws and policies in protecting the wisdom and knowledge accumulated by indigenous communities.
Brazil OKs $4 billion dam in the Amazon rainforest
(11/13/2008) Brazil has given final go-ahead on a controversial dam on the Madeira river in the Amazon rainforest provided environmental conditions are met, reports the Associated Press.
Brazilian rancher claims he owns land American nun was killed defending in the Amazon
(11/12/2008) The rancher suspected or orchestrating the killing of an American nun in the Brazilian Amazon now claims he owns the land she died trying to defend, reports the Associated Press (AP).
EU's sustainable biofuels push angers Malaysia, Brazil
(11/7/2008) Eight developing countries threatened to file a World Trade Organization complaint against the E.U. for its proposed legislation to require imported biofuels to meet environmental standards, reports Reuters.
Brazil triples endangered species list
(11/5/2008) Brazil has nearly tripled the number of species on its endangered list due to development, overfishing, pollution, wildlife trafficking and deforestation, reports the Associated Press.
Brazil charges 81 with illegal Amazon deforestation
(11/2/2008) Brazil will file charges against 81 people accused of being the biggest destroyers of the Amazon rainforest, reports the Associated Press.
Wal-mart mulling contribution to Brazil's Amazon rainforest fund
(10/26/2008) Wal-mart may contribute to Brazil's fund for conserving the Amazon rainforest, said Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc.
Peru's uncontacted Amazon tribes under attack
(10/22/2008) Illegal logging in the Peruvian Amazon is driving uncontacted tribes into Brazil where they are in conflict over food and resources with other uncontacted groups, according to a Reuters interview with a leading expert on indigenous tribes.
Breakthrough may enable reforestation using mahogany
(10/16/2008) Brazilian researchers are closer to developing a way to establish large-scale mahogany plantations, reports the ITTO in its bi-monthly update. Scientists at the Federal Rural University of Amazonia (UFRA) have found that planting a matrix of mahogany with cedar reduces the incidence of the Hypsipyla grandella caterpillar, a chief pest of mahogany that has doomed previous attempts to reforest with the valuable hardwood species.
Brazil to have high resolution imagery for 86% of the Amazon by year end
(10/15/2008) Brazil will have high resolution imagery for 86 percent of its Amazon territory by the end of the year, according to Reuters. The images will help the country protect the Amazon rainforest and prosecute alleged environmental crimes, including illegal logging and agricultural expansion.
Slowing global economy will reduce Amazon deforestation
(10/8/2008) The global financial crisis will likely slow forest clearing in the Amazon rainforest, said Brazil's environment minister. Falling commodity prices combined with tighter credit and increased aversion to risk will undermine the economics of activities — including logging and agricultural expansion — that are key drivers of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Forest clearing in the region has shown an increasingly tight correlation to beef and soy prices in recent years. Both products are produced on cleared rainforest lands.
Anti-NGO rhetoric in Brazil a response to environmental criticism says environment minister
(10/8/2008) Accusations against foreign environmental groups operating in the Brazilian Amazon are "exaggerated" to deflect criticism on high deforestation rates in the region said Brazil's environment minister at a summit in Brasilia.
Forest corridors key to maintaining biodiversity in fragmented landscape
(10/7/2008) Alta Floresta, a region in the Brazilian Amazon state of Mato Grosso, has experienced one of the highest deforestation rates on the planet since the mid-1980s due to the influx of colonists and ranchers who converted nearly half the region's forest land to pasture and agricultural plots. The change has had significant ecological impacts, including reducing the availability of water, increasing the incidence of forest fires, fragmenting remaining forest cover, and diminishing the quality of habitat for wildlife.
'Children of the Amazon' looks at cultural loss of Amazon tribe confronted by deforestation
(10/5/2008) 'Children of the Amazon', a new documentary by Denise Zmekhol, looks at the cultural transformation of the Surui and Negarote tribes following the development and improvement of a highway that penetrates deep into the Amazon rainforest of western Brazil.
Brazilian government is biggest destroyer of the Amazon rainforest
(9/30/2008) A Brazilian government agency changed with land distribution to the poor is the largest driver of deforestation since 2005, according to the country's environmental ministry.
Brazil suspends Amazon road project until protected areas established
(9/26/2008) Brazil has temporarily suspended the paving of a major Amazon road pending demarcation of 13 neighboring protected areas, reports the Associated Press.
Brazil plans to cut Amazon deforestation to zero by 2015
(9/26/2008) Brazil aims to cut net deforestation to zero by 2015 according to a plan that will be released by the government next week.
Norway offers $1 billion towards saving the Amazon rainforest
(9/17/2008) Norway will donate up to a billion dollars to a Brazilian government fund that aims to protect the Amazon rainforest.
THE AMAZON RAINFOREST
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