"The new deforestation data represents an extraordinary and significant reduction for Brazil," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a statement.
Deforestation has been receding since 2004, when it reached a peak of 27,000 square kilometers (10,425 square miles) cleared in one year, according to the space research institute.
This sobering 2006 projection shows what will become of the Amazon
by 2050 if trends continue (click image to enlarge)
The Amazon rainforest once covered about seven million square kilometers. Due to deforestation, it now only covers 5.5 million square kilometers, about 83% of what it once did.
The government pointed to its aggressive monitoring and enforcement measures for the drop, as well as its promotion of sustainable activities in the Amazon region.
However, Paulo Gustavo, policy director of Conservation International, saw another factor. The drop in prices for beef, soy and other products that drive people to clear land for agriculture in the rainforest.
"The police control has improved a little, there has been success in controlling deforestation," he said. "But the main factor is the drop in commodity prices, which are the main factor in speeding up or slowing deforestation."
The Amazon, primarily in Brazil, also extends
into Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
Satellite images from the space research institute have allowed government inspectors to increase enforcement, the government said.
Also, on Saturday, Brazil announced the purchase of unmanned drone spy-planes for use in missions to fight drug trafficking and the theft of natural resources.
The unmanned planes will also help increase security in Brazil prior to the World Cup games in 2014 and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
According to the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases, deforestation in the Amazon causes 75% of Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions.
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