2. Contents
• Amazon Rain forest and origin
• Importance of Amazon
• Deforestation of Amazon
• Causes of Deforestation
• Latest report on deforestation
• Consequences
• Conclusion
3. Amazon Forest
It is the largest tropical rainforest occupying the
drainage basin of the Amazon river and
tributaries in Northern South America.
Nine countries share the Amazon basin, most of
the rainforest is contained within the borders of
Brazil having 58.4% and other countries included
was Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela,
Guayana, Suriname, French Guiana and Ecuador.
It covers 55,00,000 sq.km making it the biggest
rainforest in the world.
4. Importance of Amazon Rain Forest
• The Amazon Rain Forest plays an important
role in regulating the world’s oxygen and
carbon cycles.
• It produces roughly 6% of the world oxygen
and has the ability to absorbs large amount of
CO2 from the atmosphere.
• More than 30 million people of 350 different
ethnic groups live in the Amazon.
5. Deforestation
• Until 1920, Deforestation was not a particular
problem for the Amazon.
• Since, then population started to grow and
tropical rainforests became a target caused by
the increasing demand for timber and
agricultural expansion for the production of
crops and meat.
• Over the last 50 years, some 17% of the
Amazon’s Forests have been lost, mainly due
to agriculture.
6. Causes of Deforestation
• Conversion of tropical rainforest to cropland and pasture by
slash-and-burn agriculture, mostly for subsistence which is
growing crops and to meet daily needs.
• Cattle farming: vast areas of forest land are cleared to make
space for cattle to roam and feed.
• The Trans-Amazonian Highway in 1970 was built to connect
Brazil with the cattle ranches within the Amazon. Trees were
removed in order to built the road.
• Strong global demand for agricultural commodities (beef,
soya, beans,etc.)
7. Latest report on Deforestation
• Deforestation slows down in January as rainy
season twins loggers accessing the forest. But
number of trees cut down in january 2022 has
exceeded that of January 2021.
• According to satellite data from Brazil space
agency, 430 Sq.km total deforestation in January
2022.
• It absorbs greenhouse gases that contribute to
global warming .but excessive deforestation is
destroying these rainforests.
8. Consequences
• It can be severe for our planet, which results in carbon dioxide being
released to our atmosphere, resulting in high temperatures on earth.
• The CO2 is naturally stored in trees through the process of
photosynthesis. When trees are burned, this CO2 is released again to the
air.
• The loss of trees also exposes soil causing erosion and making plants
become more vulnerable.
9. Loss of Biodiversity
• With the occurrence of deforestation, habitats of
animals are destroyed. The rainforest preservation
society’s website reports that tropical rainforests
contain over half of the world’s known animal
species and plants.
• When forests are logged or Burned, it can drive
many of those species into extinction.
10. Conclusion
• Some organisations are fighting against
the problems of deforestation in the
Amazon. Though, a lot of illegal activities
are hard to trace.
• The Amazon Rain forest is also known as
Lungs of the world, which can prevent
from greenhouse gases, but excessive
deforestation lead to severe threat to the
Globe.
Sources: Wikipedia, Down-to-earth