Measuring connectivity and accessibility across Amazonia

In the World Bank study on Bioeconomy in Amazonia, MCRIT applied indicators to measure connectivity from populated areas to transport nodes, as well as accessibility between zones, using minimum and average values. This exercise updated recent analyses and, in turn, provided useful insights for the high-level diagnosis of the region. It also helped identify major territorial gaps and offered a clearer picture of how access conditions shape development opportunities across Amazonia. By combining spatial indicators with regional analysis, the study supported a more informed understanding of mobility, isolation and territorial inequality.

Figure 5 Accessibility by transport to cities above 10.000 inhabintants in Amazonia (razil) and Colombia
by MCRIT (WB, 2025)

Accessibility as a key dimension of exclusion

Accessibility, both geographical and political, is one of the most critical dimensions of exclusion in Amazonia. For this reason, accessibility maps provide a clear visualisation of urbanisation pressure and deforestation risks. They also show how uneven access to transport and services affects large parts of the territory. In addition, MCRIT analysed the extent to which mobility in many populated areas depends almost entirely on river transport. This dependence has become more problematic, since droughts, sedimentation and limited maintenance make navigation increasingly difficult. As a result, prolonged droughts have stranded entire communities for weeks in recent years, cutting them off from basic services and markets.

Rivers, roads and territorial risk

Road infrastructure across Amazonia remains sparse and fragmented. Moreover, it can also generate negative effects, because road expansion often contributes to deforestation where territorial governance is weak. In Brazil, major road corridors are concentrated in environmentally vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, in Colombia, departments such as Guainía, Vaupés and Amazonas still lack paved roads connecting them to the rest of the country. Taken together, weak connectivity, environmental pressure and limited territorial integration make accessibility a central issue for regional planning. Therefore, understanding these patterns is essential for designing infrastructure and development strategies that improve inclusion without increasing environmental risk.