Colombia's government said on Thursday that deforestation in the South American country increased as much as 43% in 2024 compared to the year before.

The Amazon rainforest region in the country was the worst hit.

Overall, some 113,608 hectares (about 280,700 acres) of forest were destroyed last year, according to data presented by the Environment Ministry and the IDEAM meteorological agency.

The uptick marks a sharp reversal after 2023 saw deforestation go down by 36% year-over-year, recording 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 region where vulnerable populations also live."

The Amazon region accounted for more than 65% of the total loss, with some 75,000 hectares destroyed.

What are the reasons for the spike in deforestation?

Authorities blamed increasing land-grabbing for pastures, the expansion of livestock farming, illegal constructions, and more growing of illicit crops such as coca for the rise in deforestation.

Estrada said it was also partly driven by wildfires during a drought intensified by climate change.

Deforestation also rose inside protected national parks, including the regions of Tinigua, La Macarena and Chiribiquete, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite the 2024 spike, deforestation in Colombia remains lower than 2021 levels, continuing an overall downward trend since 2022. Ghisliane Echeverry, director of the IDEAM meteorological agency, said Colombia still maintains a net reduction in forest loss, compared to the baseline year of 2021.

Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world, home to thousands of plant and animal species.

It has approximately 59.1 million hectares of forest, covering more than half its territory.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery