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| THE AMAZONE |
The Amazon Rainforest (in Portuguese, Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish Selva Amazónica,Amazonía or usually Amazonia), also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moistbroadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America. This basin encompassesseven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), of which five and a half million square kilometers(1.4 billion acres) are covered by the rainforest. This region includes territory belonging to nine nations.
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| RAIN FOREST |
The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with
60% of the rainforest, followed by Peru with13%, Colombia with 10%, and with
minor amounts in, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Surinameand French
Guiana. States or departments in four nations contain "Amazonas" in
their names. TheAmazon represents over half of the planet's remaining
rainforests, and it comprises the largest and mostspecies-rich tract of
tropical rainforest in the world. The rainforest likely formed during the
Eocene era.It appeared following a global reduction of tropical temperatures
when the Atlantic Ocean had widenedsufficiently to provide a warm, moist
climate to the Amazon basin.
In addition to being the largest, the Amazon
rainforest is also home to the most different species of plants and animals.
There are mind blowing numbers of species living here. Last count identified at
least 40,000 plant species, 3000 fish species, 428 species of amphibians and
378 of reptiles. Further there are 427 species of mammals and 1294 of birds. In
fact, one out of every five birds on Earth lives in Amazonia. Perhaps the most
staggering number is that of insect species: 2.5 million different species. The
tapir and leafcutter ant are two species that reside here.
Amazonia is often thought of as having
oversize animals and being a dangerous place. There are more than a few giant
creatures here but most of the goings on are typical. Among the largest
predators in the Amazon rainforest are the anaconda, jaguar, cougar and the
black caiman. Other dangerous critters people should avoid are poison dart
frogs, electric eels, piranha and even vampire bats that can spread rabies.
Yellow fever and malaria are also associated with the region.
As for the river of the same name, it is the
second largest river in the world with an average discharge that surpasses that
of the next six rivers combined. The river width ranges from. 99 miles and its
narrowest and 6.2 miles at the widest. The source is the Andes Mountains and
the mouth is the Atlantic Ocean. Its length is approximately 4200 miles and
runs through three countries: Brazil, Peru and Colombia. Like the Amazon
rainforest, the River is home to large numbers of plant and animal species.
2100 fish species swim here, such as the bull shark, and new species are
discovered every year. Along with fish are aquatic mammals such as the River
Dolphin, Amazonian Manatee and the giant otter. Also supported are algae,
crabs, turtles and other reptiles.
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