What is it?
The Amazon basin contains both the largest river and tropical rainforest in the world. It is so large it spans over 9 countries in South America
Where is it?
South America
Did you know?
The rivers tidal bore (or pororoca) produces the longest wave in the world? (more facts)
More on the Amazon
The Amazon contains the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It covers half of Brazil and stretches across 8 other countries in South America. The rainforest contains one in ten known species in the world, making it the largest collection of living plants and animal species in the world. It is said that one hectare of the forest may contain more that 480 species of trees, and a single square mile can house 50 000 types of insect!
The life force of the rainforest is its river. The Amazon River starts in the Andes and flows over 6438 km (4000 miles) across South America, finally reaching to the Atlantic Ocean at Belem, Brazil. Depending on the season in certain places the river can reach up to 300 miles wide. It has over 1000 tributaries and over 2000 species of fish (which is more than the entire Atlantic Ocean!). The river is the largest river and the second longest river in the world.
The impressive list of facts for the Amazon just keeps going, but these are not the only reason why it’s such an impressive site. There is also a lot to see and do in the Amazon, aside from the boat cruises, animal watching, hiking, visiting local tribes and canopy walks, the Amazon also has it’s own natural wonders. For example; The tidal bore (or pororoca, meaning great roar), which produces the longest wave in the world, the flooded forests, where fish eat nuts from trees!, The Meeting of the Waters (where the black Rio Negro meets the light brown Amazon River) provides an amazing sight, and the up to 300 geoglyphs found around the Amazon floor. So, no matter how you look at the Amazon, it certainly has a lot to offer!
