Brazil has witnessed a significant escalation in tree cover loss over the past two decades, with the latest incident being a wildfire in the State of Amazonas. The country's vast land area of over 850 million hectares includes a tree cover extent of approximately 519 million hectares. However, this green expanse has been under threat, with a net loss of over 28 million hectares of tree cover, marking a 5.93% change.
Shifting agriculture has been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, accounting for a substantial portion of the deforestation. Forestry activities and urbanization also contribute to the diminishing tree canopy. Wildfires, although less frequent, pose a severe risk to the remaining forested areas, as evidenced by the recent fire alert in Amazonas.
Explore country profileThe cumulative impact of these factors has led to a significant increase in tree cover loss, with the highest recorded loss exceeding 5.30 million hectares in a single year. Despite some gains in tree cover, the overall trend shows a disturbing trajectory of habitat destruction that could have lasting effects on Brazil's biodiversity and climate.
