Brazil has lost over half a million square kilometers of forest in the past two decades. The expansion of agriculture for beef and soybean production, coupled with increased logging and infrastructure development, are the main causes of large-scale deforestation. This also leads to periodic fires in the Amazon rainforest, raising concerns across the globe.
Here are the top 15 countries with the highest deforestation rates:
- Brazil decreased by 517,464 km² of forest, equivalent to a 9% reduction.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo decreased by 181,721 km² of forest, equivalent to a 13% reduction.
- Angola decreased by 111,012 km² of forest, equivalent to a 14% reduction.
- Sudan decreased by 106,213 km² of forest, equivalent to a 37% reduction.
- Indonesia decreased by 95,903 km² of forest, equivalent to a 9% reduction.
- Tanzania decreased by 80,220 km² of forest, equivalent to a 15% reduction.
- Paraguay decreased by 68,266 km² of forest, equivalent to a 30% reduction.
- Myanmar decreased by 62,712 km² of forest, equivalent to an 18% reduction.
- Argentina decreased by 45,979 km² of forest, equivalent to a 14% reduction.
- Mozambique decreased by 44,688 km² of forest, equivalent to an 11% reduction.
- Bolivia decreased by 42,791 km² of forest, equivalent to an 8% reduction.
- Colombia decreased by 36,001 km² of forest, equivalent to a 6% reduction.
- Nigeria decreased by 32,661 km² of forest, equivalent to a 13% reduction.
- Peru decreased by 30,155 km² of forest, equivalent to a 4% reduction.
- Cambodia decreased by 28,491 km² of forest, equivalent to a 26% reduction.
Reforestation is a challenging and costly task, facing many environmental obstacles such as weather, pests, and natural disasters. However, some countries have prioritized replanting lost forests, especially in the past two decades as the climate change movement has gained momentum. Here are the top 15 countries with the highest reforestation rates:
- China increased by 424,962 km² of forest, equivalent to a 24% increase.
- The United States increased by 57,406 km² of forest, equivalent to a 2% increase.
- Russia increased by 54,564 km² of forest, equivalent to a 1% increase.
- India increased by 46,449 km² of forest, equivalent to a 7% increase.
- Vietnam increased by 27,745 km² of forest, equivalent to a 23% increase.
- Chile increased by 24,257 km² of forest, equivalent to a 15% increase.
- Australia increased by 24,178 km² of forest, equivalent to a 2% increase.
- Turkey increased by 21,345 km² of forest, equivalent to an 11% increase.
- France increased by 19,353 km² of forest, equivalent to a 13% increase.
- Spain increased by 13,374 km² of forest, equivalent to an 8% increase.
- Iran increased by 13,033 km² of forest, equivalent to a 14% increase.
- Italy increased by 11,848 km² of forest, equivalent to a 14% increase.
- Cuba increased by 7,573 km² of forest, equivalent to a 30% increase.
- Thailand increased by 7,315 km² of forest, equivalent to a 4% increase.
- Uzbekistan increased by 7,152 km² of forest, equivalent to a 24% increase.
Despite global reforestation efforts, the world still lost nearly one million square kilometers of forest from 2001 to 2021.
