Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest region would be a record-low this year, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira said Thursday.

According to figures released by the National Institute of Space Research (Inpe), deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in May fell to 109.6 square kilometers, a year-on-year decrease of 12 percent.

The figures indicate deforestation this year will be lower than the 7,400 square kilometers registered in 2009, which was the lowest in the past 20 years.

The state of Mato Grosso reported the highest deforestation figures in May: a loss of 51.9 square kilometers of rainforest, according to Inpe.