New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest fell by 11% from August 2024 to July this year, the government said Thursday, even as wildfires tracked by Brazil's space agency surged to record levels amid a severe drought.

According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 5,796 square kilometers (2,238 square miles) of forest were cleared between August 2024 and July 2025 - an area nearly four times the size of New York City, but still a significant drop from the previous year and the lowest level in nearly a decade.

The Environment Ministry said the drop in deforestation reflects stronger environmental enforcement, expanded satellite monitoring and renewed coordination among federal agencies.

The r...