"We measure deforestation through satellite images from the Amazon, but if we had a satellite measuring the cause of that deforestation, it would be pointed at Brasilia," said Marcio Astrini, a public policy coordinator at Greenpeace.
Deliberately set fires were the cause of the deforestation, and forest regrowth is restricted by soil erosion and the presence of fire-resistant, exotic grasses.
Severe environmental issues have arisen on the island caused by this deforestation including degradation of the landscape due to erosion followed by siltation of many streams and rivers, and loss of Madagascar's biodiversity.
And there are other important considerations: food production is responsible for about 70% of all human water use, is the leading cause of global deforestation and biodiversity loss, and rearing livestock accounts for 30% of the planet's land surface.
Agriculture is overwhelmingly the biggest cause of global deforestation (image, below), driven by livestock and growing Western demand for food commodities like palm oil.
Known as slash-and-burn agriculture, the burning is also a major cause of worldwide deforestation.
Expanding aquaculture is one main cause of mangrove deforestation.
This is now the main cause of deforestation there and it is likely soon to become responsible for the extinction of the orang-utan in the wild.
However, this is not seen as a major cause of deforestation, unlike in many other countries, despite its notable role in Java.
