The Amazon lost 13,200 km² of rainforest last year—the size of Puerto Rico.

Line graph showing Brazil's deforestation rate per year, indicating it is climbing again | Sources: INPE (Brazil), Latinometrics — Brazil's Deforestation Rate is Climbing Up Again

The Amazon is home to about three million species of plants and animals, and one million indigenous people. This year, it has seen its highest annual rate of deforestation in 15 years.

Brazil’s colossal rainforest, considered the most biodiverse on Earth, is now one of the most critical battlegrounds between environmentalists and developers. Siding with developers, President Jair Bolsonaro has encouraged agriculture and mining activities in the rainforest.

According to data published last week, between August 2020 and July 2021, the Brazilian Amazon lost 13,200 km² (5,100 sq. miles) of rainforest — roughly the size of Puerto Rico.