Calculating Deforestation Figures for the Amazon
By Rhett A. Butler
April 24, 2018 [Last update: Jan 4, 2020]
Data is updated monthly here.
These figures are calculated from estimates provided by the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research (INPE), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and MapBiomas. The figures only refer to the Brazilian Amazon, which accounts for roughly 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest.
According to a study released in September 2009 by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), at least 20 percent land deforested in the Brazilian Amazon is regrowing forest.
Please note: This table is updated when INPE releases PRODES data each November or December (followed by an revision normally in the following March or April). Short-term DETER-based Amazon deforestation data is updated several times a year here and monthly here.
Natural forest cover, deforestation, and forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon (Amazonia), 1970-present (All data: square kilometers)
| Period | Estimated Natural Forest Cover | Deforestation (INPE) | Natural forest cover change | Forest cover as % of pre-1970 cover | Total forest loss since 1970 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pre-1970 | 4,100,000 | ||||
| 1970 | 4,001,600 | ||||
| 1977 | 3,955,870 | ||||
| 1985 | 3,864,945 | 21,050 | |||
| 1986 | 3,841,932 | 21,050 | 23,014 | 93.7% | 258,068 |
| 1987 | 3,817,544 | 21,050 | 24,388 | 93.1% | 282,456 |
| 1988 | 3,799,476 | 21,050 | 18,068 | 92.7% | 300,524 |
| 1989 | 3,783,229 | 17,770 | 16,247 | 92.3% | 316,771 |
| 1990 | 3,796,288 | 13,730 | -13,059 | 92.6% | 303,712 |
| 1991 | 3,782,368 | 11,030 | 13,920 | 92.3% | 317,632 |
| 1992 | 3,760,720 | 13,786 | 21,648 | 91.7% | 339,280 |
| 1993 | 3,746,141 | 14,896 | 14,579 | 91.4% | 353,859 |
| 1994 | 3,735,463 | 14,896 | 10,678 | 91.1% | 364,537 |
| 1995 | 3,708,168 | 29,059 | 27,295 | 90.4% | 391,832 |
| 1996 | 3,678,495 | 18,161 | 29,673 | 89.7% | 421,505 |
| 1997 | 3,656,208 | 13,227 | 22,287 | 89.2% | 443,792 |
| 1998 | 3,648,260 | 17,383 | 7,947 | 89.0% | 451,740 |
| 1999 | 3,618,508 | 17,259 | 29,752 | 88.3% | 481,492 |
| 2000 | 3,602,205 | 18,226 | 16,303 | 87.9% | 497,795 |
| 2001 | 3,592,681 | 18,165 | 9,524 | 87.6% | 507,319 |
| 2002 | 3,574,446 | 21,651 | 18,235 | 87.2% | 525,554 |
| 2003 | 3,538,765 | 25,396 | 35,681 | 86.3% | 561,235 |
| 2004 | 3,519,981 | 27,772 | 18,784 | 85.9% | 580,019 |
| 2005 | 3,501,506 | 19,014 | 18,474 | 85.4% | 598,494 |
| 2006 | 3,481,143 | 14,285 | 20,363 | 84.9% | 618,857 |
| 2007 | 3,448,153 | 11,651 | 32,990 | 84.1% | 651,847 |
| 2008 | 3,451,565 | 12,911 | -3,413 | 84.2% | 648,435 |
| 2009 | 3,426,846 | 7,464 | 24,720 | 83.6% | 673,154 |
| 2010 | 3,433,519 | 7,000 | -6,673 | 83.7% | 666,481 |
| 2011 | 3,432,446 | 6,418 | 1,073 | 83.7% | 667,554 |
| 2012 | 3,432,170 | 4,571 | 277 | 83.7% | 667,830 |
| 2013 | 3,430,131 | 5,891 | 2,039 | 83.7% | 669,869 |
| 2014 | 3,420,221 | 5,012 | 9,909 | 83.4% | 679,779 |
| 2015 | 3,413,662 | 6,207 | 6,560 | 83.3% | 686,338 |
| 2016 | 3,406,796 | 7,893 | 6,866 | 83.1% | 693,204 |
| 2017 | 3,399,308 | 6,947 | 7,487 | 82.9% | 700,692 |
| 2018 | 3,390,835 | 7,900 | 8,473 | 82.7% | 709,165 |
| 2019 | 9,762 | 718,927 |
Notes:
- Estimated forest cover: Annual figures after 1985 come from MapBiomas. Prior to 1985, the data comes from several sources.
- Deforestation (INPE) Brazil's National Space Research Institute (INPE) calculates deforestation on an Aug 1-Jul 31 "year" so the annual figures presented in this table do not represent deforestation that occurred on a Jan-Dec basis. This also partly explains the discrepancy between this column and the "Natural forest cover change" column.
- Natural forest cover change: This number reflects the annual difference in MapBiomas data, which is reported on an annual basis, rather than the Aug 1-Jul 31 basis used by INPE. Additionally, unlike INPE data, MapBiomas accounts for forest loss due to fire. A negative number in this column suggests forest recovery or regrowth over the prior year.
- Forest cover as % of pre-1970 cover: Percentage estimate of how much natural forest remains in the Brazilian Amazon relative to the pre-1970 estimate. ,
Amazon rainforest section contents:
