Tropical rainforests have gone into serious decline over the past decade. Last year alone, the world lost 3.7 million hectares of tropical primary forest. Brazil far outstrips any other country in terms of hectares destroyed, with a staggering 1.14 million hectares lost in 2023. This is according to data published by the World Resources Institute (Global Forest Review).
The Democratic Republic of Congo comes second on the list for the most widespread destruction, with an average of around half a million hectares of primary forest lost. In addition to mining and timber extraction, agriculture is one of the leading direct causes of deforestation in the region. Last year, other major losses were recorded in Bolivia, Indonesia, Peru, Laos, Cameroon, Madagascar, Malaysia and Colombia.
