The Amazon rainforest plays a significant role in regulating the planet’s climate and harboring much of its biodiversity. The forest influences weather patterns and stores vast quantities of carbon, making its health a global concern. The ongoing loss of this forest cover from human activities threatens this natural balance.
Current State and Historical Rates of Deforestation
Across the nine countries it spans, the Amazon has seen a significant reduction in its forest cover. Since 1978, over 185 million acres of forest have been cleared, and an estimated 17 percent of the entire Amazon biome has been deforested.
In 2024, deforestation across the Amazon basin reached over 1.7 million hectares (4.3 million acres), a 34% increase from 2023 but a 12% decrease from the 2022 peak. In the Brazilian Amazon, the annual rate for the period ending in July 2024 was 6,288 square kilometers, the lowest in nine years. This is a notable drop from the 2019-2022 period, when rates exceeded 10,000 square kilometers annually.
Brazil’s recent decline contrasts with the historical trajectory. The highest deforestation rates were recorded in the mid-1990s and early 2000s, peaking at 27,772 square kilometers in 2004. Following this, rates fell by 75%, reaching a low in 2012 before gradually increasing again until the most recent decline.
In 2024, fires had a record-breaking impact, affecting 2.8 million hectares (6.9 million acres) of primary forest, with particular severity in Brazil and Bolivia. While deforestation data tracks clear-cutting, forest degradation from fires represents another form of damage. This process weakens the ecosystem and often precedes outright clearing.
Primary Drivers of Deforestation
The conversion of forest for agricultural purposes is the predominant cause of deforestation. Cattle ranching is the largest driver, responsible for an estimated 80% of forest clearing. Global demand for beef, with Brazil as the world’s largest exporter, fuels the expansion of pastures into vast tracts of land.
Large-scale agriculture, particularly for soy cultivation, is another significant factor. While policies like the Soy Moratorium have had some success, the demand for soy as animal feed continues to exert pressure on the forest frontier. Small-scale subsistence farming also contributes to forest loss as local farmers clear land for their crops.
Infrastructure projects are another direct cause of forest loss. The construction of roads, like the Trans-Amazonian Highway, opens remote areas to settlement and economic activities, leading to further clearing. The building of large hydroelectric dams also floods extensive areas of forest.
Other economic activities contribute to the destruction. Legal and illegal logging operations degrade the forest, while mining for resources like gold and iron ore results in direct clearing and pollution. These activities are often intertwined, as cleared areas are later converted to agricultural use.
Geographical Breakdown of Deforestation
Forest loss is not evenly distributed across the nine countries of the Amazon basin. Brazil, containing about 62% of the Amazon, accounts for the largest portion of deforestation. In 2024, Brazil was responsible for 54.7% of the total loss, with 954,126 hectares of primary forest cleared. The states of Pará, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso consistently lead in forest destruction.
Bolivia has emerged as a hotspot for deforestation, experiencing record-high forest loss in recent years. In 2024, the country accounted for 27.3% of the Amazon’s total deforestation, losing 476,030 hectares of primary forest. This figure was the highest annual loss ever recorded for Bolivia.
Peru and Colombia also face substantial deforestation. In 2024, Peru lost 141,781 hectares (8.1% of the total), its sixth-highest loss on record. Colombia accounted for 4.7% of the total, with 81,396 hectares cleared, a significant increase from the previous year.
The remaining Amazonian countries—Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana—experience lower absolute levels of deforestation. However, their collective loss still represents a significant portion of the total annual destruction across the biome.
Statistical Impact on Climate and Biodiversity
The clearing of the Amazon rainforest has significant implications for the global climate and biodiversity. The forest acts as a massive carbon reservoir, storing an estimated 150-200 billion metric tons of carbon in its trees and soils. When the forest is cut and burned, this stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Deforestation and fires in the Brazilian Amazon alone can release 0.2 to 0.3 billion tons of carbon per year, a figure that can double during years of severe drought.
This release of carbon disrupts the Amazon’s role as a carbon sink. While the intact forest still absorbs more carbon than it releases, the overall capacity is diminishing. Some studies suggest that the Amazon may only be absorbing half the amount of carbon dioxide it did just two decades ago. This reduction, combined with emissions from deforestation, affects the global climate system.
The Amazon is home to an estimated 10% of the world’s known biodiversity. Deforestation leads directly to habitat loss, which is the primary threat to these species. The scale of forest loss has led to a 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations in the region between 1970 and 2020. This loss of biodiversity also makes the entire ecosystem less resilient to climate change.
There is a concern that the Amazon is approaching a “tipping point,” a threshold beyond which large parts of the rainforest could irreversibly transform into a drier, savanna-like ecosystem. Scientists estimate this tipping point could be reached if 20-25% of the forest is lost. With current deforestation levels at around 17%, the Amazon is moving closer to this threshold, which would have significant consequences for regional climate patterns and global biodiversity.