Transamazonica is an 870 kilometer highway that connects the Amazonian cities of Manaus and Porto Velho. According to the Institute for Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Amazon (Idesam), the paving of BR-319 could increase rates of deforestation and fires in the area.
In 2021, the area around the Transamazônica saw a 41% increase in deforestation compared to 2020, according to Paula Guarida, a researcher at Idesam. The project to asphalt the highway is defended by the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima, who says it will facilitate the "flow of industrial production, making the Amazon more competitive" The region is home to 42 conservation units, 69 indigenous lands, and several others with isolated populations, experts say. The area is located between two rivers and, in addition to 69 indigenous Lands, it has several other isolated populations. The region has an estimated population of 1.2 million people, with the majority of them living in rural areas.