Legal Amazon is the name given by the Brazilian government to a particular area of the Amazon Forest, belonging to Brazil, and covering nine states: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and part of Mato Grosso, Tocantins and Maranhão.
The area corresponds to approximately 5,217,423 km2, which represents about 61% of the Brazilian territory. More than half of the country's indigenous population - approximately 55% - lives in the Legal Amazon region.
The area was determined not because of its geographic characteristics, but because of the political, social and economic aspects that the zones have in common.
Legal Amazon Area (Source: Instituto Imazon).
What was the Legal Amazon created for?
It was for the purpose of better planning and execution of economic projects in the delimited region, that through the Law n° 1806/53, the government of President Getúlio Vargas decreed the creation of the Legal Amazon (formerly called Hileia Amazon). The emergence of the law occurs to meet the determination of the creation of the
Amazon Economic Valorization Plan, provided for in the Federal Constitution of 1988.The objective was to bring together regions that had similar problems to find efficient solutions to political, economic and social difficulties that affect these areas. The sustainable development of the region's states is currently one of the main goals.
The law provides that measures, services or ventures that facilitate local extractive, agricultural, mineral and industrial activities may be adopted. The carrying out of necessary works is also allowed.
In 1966, an organization was created responsible for initiatives to promote this region, called the Superintendence for the Development of the Amazon (SUDAM). SUDAM operated until 2001, when it was dissolved and replaced by the Amazon Development Agency (ADA). Later, in 2007, the ADA is dissolved and SUDAM is created again.
In 1977, the state of Mato Grosso becomes part of the Legal Amazon. Tocantins, after its creation, became part of the group in 1988.
Objectives provided for by law
The law provides for several objectives for the region. Meet some:
- incentive to agricultural development,
- promotion of animal development,
- creation of a flood protection program,
- incentive to use mineral resources,
- creation of a regional transport and communication plan,
- protection of the region's population, with health, education and basic sanitation policies,
- maintenance of technological, natural and social research programs.
Legal Amazon and extractivism
Plant extraction is one of the main economic activities in the Legal Amazon. Large companies, national and international, use raw materials from this region in the manufacture of their products.
The State of Pará, for example, stands out for being the world's largest producer of açaí, a fruit native to the Amazon region.
Amazon International
Amazônia Internacional is the name given to the Amazon region that is located in the north of South America. The area has about 7 million square kilometers.
More than half of the area - approximately 60% - is located in Brazil. The rest extends to other countries: Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname.
Find out more details in the article. Amazon International.
See too:
- Brazilian Biomes
- Logging