BOGOTA (Reuters) -Deforestation in Colombia surged last year, according to data from the country's environment ministry said on Thursday, as some 113,608 hectares (1,136 square km) were destroyed largely in its Amazon region, 43% more than in the previous year. The figure marks a sharp reversal after 2023 saw the amount of forest land destroyed fall 36% from the prior year to 79,256 hectares (793 square km) - its lowest level in 23 years. "Deforestation persists," Environment Minister Lena Estrada said at a press conference in Bogota. "The most affected territory is the Amazon, a fragile territory." Estrada said the increase in 2024 was partly due to forest fires spurred by a drought, fueled by climate change. Land-grabbing for pastures, the expansion of livestock farming, illegal road construction, and more growing of illicit crops such as coca leaves were also primary drivers, she said. The Amazon region accounted for more than 65% of the total loss, with some 75,000 hectares destroyed. Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world and is home to thousands of plant and animal species, although it loses swathes of forest each year to deforestation. The South American country has approximately 59.1 million hectares of forest, covering more than half its territory. (Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra and Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Natalia Siniawski; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Sarah Morland)
