Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025
Deforestation around Porto Velho
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Porto Velho has lost about 3,980 hectares of forest (about 5,600 football pitches): 28% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (87%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
- Forest in 2000
- 14,300 hawithin 10 km of the centre
- Forest lost since 2001
- 3,980 ha28% of it, about 5,600 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 3,470 hadeforestation, 87% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2010623 ha lost
Satellite timelapse
2017: satellite photo from June 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km north-west of the city centre.
Satellite photos of the same 5 × 5 km area, one per year, all taken in the same season so the colours compare. You can see forest being cleared and towns spreading, though not single trees. Download the before/after image (free to reuse with credit to Airleaf).
Year by year
Forest lost around Porto Velho, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 135 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 190 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2010, when about 623 hectares of forest were lost.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 72 ha | 1 ha | 73 ha |
| 2002 | 77 ha | under 1 ha | 78 ha |
| 2003 | 42 ha | 1 ha | 44 ha |
| 2004 | 47 ha | 2 ha | 49 ha |
| 2005 | 128 ha | 2 ha | 130 ha |
| 2006 | 65 ha | 6 ha | 71 ha |
| 2007 | 90 ha | 7 ha | 97 ha |
| 2008 | 35 ha | 2 ha | 37 ha |
| 2009 | 337 ha | 149 ha | 486 ha |
| 2010 | 544 ha | 79 ha | 623 ha |
| 2011 | 143 ha | 105 ha | 248 ha |
| 2012 | 80 ha | 8 ha | 89 ha |
| 2013 | 52 ha | under 1 ha | 52 ha |
| 2014 | 122 ha | 10 ha | 132 ha |
| 2015 | 141 ha | 2 ha | 143 ha |
| 2016 | 156 ha | 1 ha | 157 ha |
| 2017 | 280 ha | 20 ha | 300 ha |
| 2018 | 127 ha | 9 ha | 136 ha |
| 2019 | 215 ha | 36 ha | 251 ha |
| 2020 | 101 ha | 5 ha | 106 ha |
| 2021 | 146 ha | 2 ha | 148 ha |
| 2022 | 97 ha | under 1 ha | 98 ha |
| 2023 | 61 ha | under 1 ha | 61 ha |
| 2024 | 91 ha | 16 ha | 107 ha |
| 2025 | 216 ha | 46 ha | 262 ha |
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 12,200 ha
- Forest in 2020
- 11,000 ha
- Overall change
- −1,270 haless forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Porto Velho shrank from about 12,200 hectares to 11,000 hectares, a net loss of about 1,270 hectares (−10%). New forest grew on about 801 hectares, but 2,070 hectares were lost.
These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Causes
What is causing deforestation around Porto Velho?
- 87%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 13%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- Farms, pasture and plantations73% · 2,900 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Towns and roads11% · 418 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes9.7% · 385 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Mining and energy3.6% · 143 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Wildfires2.7% · 107 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
Also, each under 1%: shifting farming, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Nearby cities losing forest
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Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation around Porto Velho
How much forest has Porto Velho lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Porto Velho has lost about 3,980 hectares of forest (about 5,600 football pitches): 28% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (87%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
Is deforestation around Porto Velho getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 135 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 190 hectares a year in 2016–2020. These are five-year averages from 2011 on, the years the satellite maps were all made the same way.
What is causing deforestation around Porto Velho?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are farms, pasture and plantations (73%), towns and roads (11%), storms, floods and other natural causes (9.7%). About 3,470 hectares was deforestation, meaning forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns. Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
What was the worst year for forest loss around Porto Velho?
The worst year was 2010, when about 623 hectares of forest were lost.
Is the forest around Porto Velho growing or shrinking?
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Porto Velho shrank from about 12,200 hectares to 11,000 hectares, a net loss of about 1,270 hectares (−10%). New forest grew on about 801 hectares, but 2,070 hectares were lost. These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Can I see satellite images of Porto Velho over the years?
Yes. The timelapse at the top of this page has a satellite photo for every year from 2017 to 2026 of a 5 × 5 km area near Porto Velho, where the most forest was lost. Press play to watch it change, or turn on "Show cleared forest" to see exactly where trees were lost.
How is forest loss measured?
We use satellite maps from the University of Maryland (Hansen and colleagues) that show, for every 30 × 30 m patch of land on Earth, the year its trees were cut down, burned or died, from 2001 to 2025. We add up those patches within 10 km of the centre of Porto Velho, counting only places that were at least 30% covered by trees in 2000. The cause of each loss comes from a map made by the World Resources Institute and Google DeepMind. All figures are estimates.