Fires and Deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia - Earth.com

Fires and Deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia

Fires and Deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia. Development and agriculture continue to push their way into the Amazon Rainforest of western Brazil. Tan-colored lines and rectangles in thisModerate ResolutionImaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from August 11, 2003, mark outland cleared of forest (deep green). Much of the deforestation has occurredin Rondonia state, which covers the image at right, southeast of the MadeiraRiver, which runs through the top center of the image. North of the MadeiraRiver, a road pushes into Amazonas, with numerous fires (red dots) suggestingmore clearing may be underway. Left of image center, the forests of the Pandoregion of Bolivia remain undisturbed.

Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers (4,655 mi). It borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3% of the continent’s land area. Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest, home to diverse wildlife, a variety of ecological systems, and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats.This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries, and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection. Also Fires and Deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia have caused more terrain damage.

Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team,NASA/GSFC

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