The Amazon Basin
About 60% of the
Amazon within the boundaries of
Brazil, and the remaining 40% in Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
Amazonia covers more than half of the rainforests on
Earth.
Rainforests in
America are much richer in biodiversity than those in Africa and Asia. In
Amazonia has the most representatives of flora and fauna on
Earth. Here is the home of millions of insect species and thousands of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles and fish.
One in five bird species on
Earth live in
Amazonia. The main predators in the forests are jaguars and puma. Representatives of fauna are found more sloths, caimans, anacondas, parrots and more.
During each of the expeditions conducted in the
Amazon, new species, unknown until then a man.
The
Amazon region is sparsely populated. But there are many tribes, many of whom live in the same way as before the discovery of America. They do not know the art of mankind, do not use phones and computers, and some of them still hunt with spears..From west to east through almost all of South
America passes one of the largest and deepest rivers in the
world -
Amazon. The length of the river is 6,000 km.
According to research from 2007 to the beginning of the
Amazon is considered Karhuasanta - stream that flows from glaciers to 5597 m altitude in the Andes. In the
Amazon flow many rivers, some of which are deep from the Danube.
Among the major tributaries are the Rio Negro and Madeira. From Rio Negro Spanish translates to Black River. This name has received a slew river the color of water, which is due to plants and microorganisms that inhabit it. In fact, the waters of the Rio Negro are very clean.
Where the dark waters of Rio Negro flow into the bright waters of the
Amazon is called by the local Indians' wedding of the rivers. "
Because of the enormous width of the
river, which in places reaches 20 km. And therefore sparsely populated area, not built over the river bridges.
Amazon enters the Atlantic Ocean through an extensive delta, the width of the mouth and is measured at about 330 km.
In the waters of the
Amazon river meets the highest biodiversity of any other river systems in the world. The
river is teeming with life, along with typical freshwater inhabitants meet and species that are common to the oceans. These are the
Amazon river dolphins, manatees and even sharks.
The
river is inhabited by the most fierce and predatory fish in the
world - the piranha. Here lives the largest freshwater fish piraruko that reaches 4 m in length.
Amazon is widespread in the largest
water plant - a giant lily Victoria Regina, which can carry the load of 90 kg. And diameter and can reach up to 2 m.
Until 1960 access to the
Amazon jungle was very limited and the woods were almost untouched by human hand. Then begins the destruction of parts of the forest caused by industrial development and the need for arable land for people.
Soil in the
Amazon is suitable for processing and is productive only for a short period of time, leading to the destruction of more forests. Deforested areas already visible with the naked eye from space. Average per year are destroyed huge areas, it is estimated that if deforestation and burning of forests continues at the same pace only after two decades of forest
