The Amazon, the largest tropical rainforest on the planet and one of the key ecosystems for global climate balance, continues to disappear at an alarming rate. According to the environmental organization WWF (World Wildlife Fund), every minute, an area of forest equivalent to more than six football fields is lost in the Amazon region as a direct result of deforestation.
This figure summarizes an environmental crisis that is advancing silently but steadily, and which could push the ecosystem to a point of no return before 2050 if urgent measures are not taken.
Deforestation in the Amazon is driven mainly by illegal logging, mining — often clandestine — and the expansion of the agricultural and livestock frontier.
Added to this are forest fires deliberately set to clear new land and the development of infrastructure that facilitates access to previously untouched areas. The impact is not only local: The degradation of the Amazon rainforest affects the water cycle across South America and accelerates climate change worldwide.
An alarming rate of Amazon rainforest loss, according to WWF
Data collected by WWF, MapBiomas, and other environmental organizations indicate that the pace of forest destruction is becoming increasingly concerning. It is estimated that between 1985 and 2023, more than 88 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest were lost. Every minute, around 6.3 football fields of forest disappear — an almost unimaginable scale, yet one with profound consequences.
The Amazon is home to nearly 10% of the planet’s known species, many of them endemic. The loss of forest cover threatens thousands of animal and plant species and affects millions of people who depend directly on the forest for their livelihoods, especially Indigenous and rural communities.
Scientists warn that if deforestation reaches between 20% and 25% of the biome’s total area, the rainforest could collapse irreversibly and turn into a degraded savanna.
Countries with the highest deforestation in the Amazon
Brazil tops the list of countries with the highest deforestation in the Amazon and accounts for the largest loss of primary tropical forest in the world. Amazonian states such as Para, Maranhão, and Mato Grosso are among the most affected, and the loss of primary forest doubled between 2023 and 2024.
Bolivia ranks second, having tripled its primary tropical forest deforestation over the same period, particularly in regions such as Santa Cruz and Cochabamba.
Peru ranks third, with projections warning that it could lose up to 23.7 million hectares of forest by 2025, mainly in regions such as Ucayali and Huanuco. Colombia, although not at the top of the list, faces growing pressure in its Amazon region, especially in departments such as Caqueta, Guaviare, Meta, and Putumayo, where extensive cattle ranching, illegal logging, and illicit crops converge.
Colombia: a significant but fragile reduction
Amid this regional panorama, Colombia recorded encouraging news in 2025. Deforestation in the Colombian Amazon was reduced by 25% compared to 2024, dropping from around 48,500 hectares to approximately 36,280 hectares deforested during the first three quarters of the year. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the decrease was 33% compared to the same period the previous year.
This reduction is attributed to a stronger institutional presence in Amazon territories, voluntary conservation agreements with local communities, operations against criminal groups, and the promotion of sustainable, productive projects. However, authorities and environmental organizations warn that this positive trend requires continuity, monitoring, and funding, as pressure on the forest remains.
A global environmental emergency
The Amazon plays a fundamental role in climate regulation, carbon capture, and the maintenance of the continental water cycle. Its degradation not only jeopardizes biodiversity but also the environmental stability of the entire region and the planet.
International initiatives such as WWF campaigns seek to mobilize urgent action to curb deforestation, restore degraded areas, and strengthen cooperation among Amazonian countries.