Amazon
Grand, magnificent, majestic, awe-inspiring, these words just begin to describe the Amazon, the second-longest river in the world.
- Length of The Amazon: Three-thousand, nine hundred miles long, the river has 17 tributaries each more than 1,000 miles long, as well as another 50,000 miles of passable waterways.
- Interesting Statistics: Of the 20 longest rivers in the world, 10 are in the Amazon. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is provided by this mighty river. And almost a third of the world's oxygen is supplied by its rich vegetation--more than 18,000 different plant species thrive here. This virgin jungle, much of which is still unexplored, is in itself larger than Europe. Despite its wealth in gold, diamonds, lumber, jute, oil and rubber, the Amazon basin hasn't easily be cultivated. Plenty of developers have made their way here, only to be frustrated by the land's top soil, which quickly erodes and loses its nutrients in heavy rains. With renewed concerns about our global environment, the eyes of the world are focused on the Amazon and the destruction of its rain forest. The future of our planet may well rest with the future of this region.
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