The Data behind Deforestation

  • Forests cover approximately 31% of the total land surface of the Earth.
  • Tropical forests harbour over half of all land-based animal and plant species in the world.
  • Between the years 2000 and 2012, over 568 million acres of forest have been claimed by deforestation.
  • Approximately 9 million acres of virgin tropical forest were cut down in the year 2018.
  • The Amazon rain forest, which is the source of 20% of the world’s oxygen supply, loses approximately 1.32 acres of its area every minute due to deforestation.

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