Deforestation

Statistics on Deforestation

Statistics reveal that the rapid rate of deforestation, globally, springs from illegal logging operations. The biodiversity of the Amazon is threatened more than ever with the rise in statistics revealing that by 2030 the region would be reduced to a mere 10% of what it is today! The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization or UNFAO states that the rapid declines could bring the global forest cover to the size of the Asia Sub-continent by 2050!

Every year more than 8.5 million hectares of tropical rainforests are being razed. More than 12 million hectares of forest land is lost to urbanization or allied activities each year. This has resulted in a rapid global decline in some regions. For example:

• • In Nigeria 81% of its original forest cover is now permanently lost.

  • The tropical rainforests of Brazil are less by 90-95%.

  • The forests of Central America are down by two-thirds lowlands, since 1950.

  • Countries like India, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka, the Congo and Ghana have lost much more than 50% of their rainforest cover.

  • Harvesting of forest cover has left Afghanistan with a little over 25% forests throughout the country

Resource: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-about-deforestation.html