Controlling Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon (Paper 296)

Resumo

In Brazil, the Amazon is defined in the Law. Legal Amazônia is located in the north and consists of the entire territories of the states of Acre, Amazonas, Rondônia, Roraima, Amapá, Pará, Mato Grosso, Tocantins and the portion of the state of Maranhão west of longitude 44 (Figure 1). Defined in this way
the region has an area of 5,034,740 km2 which represents more than 59% of the Brazilian territory (Rocha, 2005). The region is mainly covered by tropical forest, 80% of it still unexplored or preserved. According to the 2010 census, the population of the Amazon (including the entire state of Maranhão) reached more
than 25 million people (13% of the country), mostly located in areas considered urban.

Key-word: Legal Amazônia. Brazilian territory. Controlling deforestation.