Deforestation is the process of cutting down and destroying trees in a habitat/ecosystem for human advantage, usually profit. Of all the areas on Earth being deforested, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest target. Over 750,000 square kilometers of The Amazon Rainforest have been destroyed across Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and French Guiana. 79% of deforestation of the Amazon takes place in Brazil. Rainforests are cut down for a variety of reasons, mostly for agriculture and profit. The amazon is destroyed for a need for materials, cattle ranching, colonization, mineral mining, and soy farming. By 2000, the deforestation in Brazil skyrocketed and grew out of hand my 2004. Laws were made and deforestation in Brazil dropped by 80% after the laws were enforced. The Amazon Rainforest is one of the largest rainforests in the world, with its massive vegetation count and unspeakably large biodiversity. The Amazon holds many importances and it’s best that the rainforest stays alive. Within the plants, two medicines can be found in the Amazon; Quinine, found on a Cinchona Tree. When the dried bark is consumed, it can kill parasites, calm spasms, and can even treat malaria. Novacaine, another medicine, can be found in the Amazon. Found in the coca plant, it can treat small pains like a local anaesthetic.
The Amazon is also often referred to as “The Lungs of The Earth” due to its massive oxygen production. The Amazon’s vegetation produces 20% of all of