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 |
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Notes:
Amazon rainforest section contents:
