Amazon Rainforest

Introduction

Giant waterlilies, Amazonia

© Utrecht

The Amazon Rainforest, also known as the Amazonia, the Amazon jungle or the Amazon Basin, contains over half of the rainforest in the world and is by far the largest rainforest with about 7 million square kilometres. The area actually containing forest is slightly smaller and is divided by 9 countries of which Brazil has the largest part. The other countries that the Amazon rainforest stretches into are French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

Although the name comes from its main river, the Amazon River, there are over 1,100 other rivers running through the tropical rainforest like the Orinoco River, Rio Madeira and Rio Negro. The Amazon River itself is the most important one and arguably the longest in the world (the Nile claims the same) with about 6,600 kilometres from its delta near the Atlantic Ocean to its source high in the Peruvian Andes. Sometimes it is named the Amazon Basin referring to the total flooded area in the wet season of the Amazon River and all its branch rivers.

Regions

• Amazon, Ecuador
• Amazonas, Peru
• Amazonas, Venezuela
• Amazonia, Colombia
• Most of North Brazil, namely the federal states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará, Roraima
• Surinamese Rainforest
• Tropical Lowlands, Bolivia

Cities

• Belém - The last big city before the Amazon reaches the Atlantic ocean, south of Marajó island.
• Georgetown — Capital of Guyana.
• Iquitos - The largest city of the world that can't be reached by road.
• Macapá - Brazilian state capital north of Marajó island.
• Manaus - The largest city and chief port in the Amazon region, and an important jumping off point for expeditions into the rain forest.
• Paramaribo - Capital of Suriname.
• Rio Branco - A Brazilian state capital.
• Santarém - A Brazilian town on the confluence of the Tapajós river and the Amazon.

Getting there

Getting to the Amazon Rainforest requires time, money and sometimes a combination of the two. Although it is possible to travel overland or by river to most places, the occasional flight is a fair welcome when you are tired of travelling slowly.

There aren't many cities in the Amazon Rainforest itself, but the city of Manaus probably holds the title 'Capital of the Amazon' and actually has nearly 2 million inhabitants.

Other places from where to explore the rivers and rainforests are Porto Velho, Tefe and Belem in Brazil, Iquitos in Peru and the so called triple frontier area of Colombia, Peru and Brazil. Although Belem, Porto Velho and Manaus can be reached overland when travelling between these places, access is only by boat or by plane.

External Links