In the past mahogany and balsa wood have been common exports of rainforest countries, but now many of these countries have been forced to import lumber from other countries, because of severe deforestation. By the year 2000, 23 of the 33 current countries that export forest products such as lumber, will have to import them instead. Many countries are aware of the problems that deforestation can cause, and have set up restrictions to limit how many and which trees the lumber industry can cut down. However, these laws are not well enforced and an individual company can gain an advantage over another by breaking these rules.

Table 1 - Highest local deforestation speed
Country (Annual % / Half-life in years)
1 Jamaica 7.4 / 9
2 Lebanon 5.4 / 12
3 Haiti 3.8 / 18
4 Philippines 3.4 / 20
5 Afghanistan 3.1 / 22
6 El Salvador 3.0 / 23
7 Costa Rica 3.0 / 23
8 Pakistan 3.0 / 23
9 Sierra Leone 2.9 / 24
10 Thailand 2.8 / 24

Table 2 - Highest absolute deforestation
Country Speed (million ha p. year) 
1 Brazil 2.55
2 Indonesia 1.08
3 Congo 0.74
4 Bolivia 0.58
5 Venezuela 0.50
6 Mexico 0.50
7 Malaysia 0.40
8 Myanmar 0.39
9 Sudan 0.35
10 Thailand 0.33






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