Brazil faces major environmental
challenges, with its vast natural
wealth constantly under threat.
Within Brazil's borders can be
found some of the most
over-developed and polluted
places on earth (such as São
Paulo), some of the poorest (in
the Northeast), some of the most
devastated ecoregions (Atlantic
Forest), and some of the most
pristine (Western Amazon).
Deforestation remains a constant
problem in the Amazon caused
by shifting agriculture, logging,
and increases in population
migration. In the Atlantic Forest,
where less than 8% of the original
forest remains, the area has been transformed into the country's
main agricultural and industrial base as well as the main
population center.
The Pantanal is vulnerable to the effects of deforestation,
siltation, and pollution from agricultural and gold mining activities,
and especially from the massive waterway transport system
currently being planned.
The Cerrado region has become Brazil's new agricultural frontier
and vast areas have been cleared to cultivate soybean and other
export crops.
Elsewhere, the coastal and marine environments are threatened
by the effects of overpopulation and agricultural and industrial
development. The immensely rich coastal region suffers from
uncontrolled development and land-based pollution.