A vast tropical savanna spanning central Brazil, the Cerrado is one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems and the second-largest habitat type in the country after the Amazon rainforest.
At a glance
The Cerrado covers approximately 2 million square kilometers—21 percent of Brazil’s total land area—extending across eleven states and marginally into Paraguay and Bolivia. This expansive ecoregion comprises diverse habitat types: forest savanna, wooded savanna, park savanna, gramineous-woody savanna, savanna wetlands, and gallery forests. The biome’s core areas occupy the Brazilian Highlands, known as the Planalto.
History
The Cerrado has existed as a distinct ecological zone for millennia, shaped by tropical climate patterns and the geology of central Brazil. Its preservation remains challenged by modern land use: approximately 75 percent of the biome is privately owned, complicating conservation efforts.
What you see
The landscape presents a mosaic of vegetation types. Forest savannas transition to open grasslands dotted with woody vegetation. Gallery forests line watercourses, creating ribbons of denser growth through drier terrain. Wetland areas, particularly peatlands with dense soils, form crucial hydrological features. The terrain itself reflects the undulating topography of the Brazilian Highlands.
Cultural significance
The World Wide Fund for Nature designated the Cerrado the biologically richest savanna in the world. This recognition reflects its extraordinary ecological value as a reservoir of tropical biodiversity and endemism. The peatland soils function as exceptional carbon sinks—six times more potent per comparable area than Amazonian rainforest—making the Cerrado essential for climate regulation and carbon storage.
Key facts
- Country: Brazil
- Area: approximately 2 million km²
- Percentage of Brazil’s land: 21%
- Plant species: approximately 10,000
- Mammal species: nearly 200
- Endemic bird species: 10
- Endemic mammal species: 14
- Private ownership: 75%
- UNESCO World Heritage status: Yes
Practical information & getting there
The Cerrado spans eleven Brazilian states: Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Tocantins, Maranhão, Piauí, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, and the Federal District. Access varies by location; major cities like Brasília, Goiânia, and Belo Horizonte serve as gateways. Conservation areas and protected reserves within the biome provide opportunities for ecological study and wildlife observation.
Sources & resources
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