These two Landsat Multi Spectral Scanner (MSS) images at left are of the state of Rondonia Brazil. Rondonia experienced a rapid growth in population during the period of 1975 through 1986 due to immigration from surrounding states. Settlers typically colonized the region adjacent to the main highway to take advantage of the cheap land offered by the government for agricultural development. Areas where forest lands were converted to agricultural uses are easily identifiable as a fishbone pattern radiating from the spine of the highway in the 1986 image.
