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Upper Paraguay Basin loses 6.7 million hectares of native vegetation
Data from MapBiomas reveals that the Upper Paraguay Basin plateau, which feeds the Pantanal wetlands, lost 6.7 million hectares of native vegetation between 1987 and 2025. This loss, primarily in savanna and forest formations, has significantly altered the region's hydrological dynamics.
The average flooded area of the Pantanal decreased by 53 percent when comparing the 1985–1994 period to 2015–2025, dropping from 5.99 million to 2.79 million hectares. In 2024, the biome recorded its smallest flooded extent since monitoring began, totaling 937,000 hectares.
Environmental changes are linked to both land use and climate. Between 1985 and 2025, natural areas in the basin declined from 85 percent to 60 percent of the territory, driven by a 6.9 million hectare expansion of pastures and a 304 percent increase in agriculture. Additionally, the region has experienced seven consecutive years of below-average rainfall from 2019 to 2025, with 2024 recording the lowest volume at 1,050 millimeters.
Entities
Amazon · Brazil · Cerrado · Eduardo Rosa · MapBiomas · Pantanal · Upper Paraguay Basin
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] Pastures expanded by 6.9 million hectares in the basin. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +5 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Agriculture grew by 304 percent between 1985 and 2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +4 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The Upper Paraguay Basin plateau lost 6.7 million hectares of native vegetation between 1987 and 2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +6 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The water surface area of the basin reduced by 2.89 million hectares between 1985 and 2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +5 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] In 2024, the Pantanal had its smallest flooded area since monitoring began, totaling 937,000 hectares. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] Rainfall in the plateau was below average for seven consecutive years between 2019 and 2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] Natural areas in the basin occupied 85 percent of the territory in 1985 and decreased to 60 percent in 2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +6 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The average flooded area of the Pantanal decreased by 53 percent between 1985–1994 and 2015–2025. jornaldebrasilia.com.br · portalrbn.com.br · reporterbrasilia.com.br · www.cartacapital.com.br · aquiacontece.com.br · +6 more