rubber boom

The rubber boom was a period in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when demand for natural rubber surged globally, driven by the rise of automobiles, industrial products, and tires. This led to intense exploration and exploitation of rubber-rich regions, especially in the Amazon rainforest and Southeast Asia, resulting in economic growth for some countries but also environmental damage and social upheaval. The boom was marked by rapid market expansion, speculative investments, and, eventually, a decline when synthetic alternatives and overproduction reduced the market’s reliance on natural rubber.