Amazon River
The Eight Most Important Things to Know About the Amazon River
The Amazon River in South America is an amazing and important river for the planet and therefore, you need to know about it. Here are the eight most important things you need to know about the Amazon River:
1. The Amazon River carries more water than any other river in the world. In fact, the Amazon River is responsible for about one-fifth (twenty percent) of the fresh water that flows into the world's oceans.
2. The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world (the Nile River in Africa is the longest) and is about 4,000 miles (6400 km) long. (In July 2007 a group of scientists reportedly determined that the Amazon River might just be the longest river in the world, taking that title from the Nile River. It will take further studies to substantiate the claim and for the Amazon River to be recognized as the longest.)
3. The Amazon River has the largest watershed (area of land that flows into the river) and more tributaries (streams that flow into it) than any other river in the world. The Amazon River has more than 200 tributaries.
4. Streams that begin in the Andes Mountains are the starting sources for the Amazon River.
5. Most of the runoff of Brazil flows into the Amazon River along with runoff from four other countries: Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador.
6. Due to the vast amount of water as well as sediment that are deposited where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the color and salinity of the Atlantic Ocean are modified for nearly 200 miles (320 km) from the delta.
7. For much of its path, the Amazon River can be as much as one to six miles wide! During flood seasons, the Amazon River can be much, much wider; some report it is more than 20 miles wide (32 km) in certain places.
8. The Amazon River taken different routes since it began to carry water. Some scientists have determined that the Amazon River even flowed west at one time or more, into the Pacific Ocean.
The Amazon River is the second longest river (it is just shorter than the Nile River in Egypt) in the world and it has the largest watershed or drainage basin as well as the most tributaries of any river in the world. For reference, a watershed is defined as the area of land that releases its water into a river. This entire area is often referred to as the Amazon Basin. The Amazon River begins with streams in the Andes Mountains in Peru and flows into the Atlantic Ocean about 4,000 miles (6,437 km) away.
The Amazon River and its watershed encompass an area of 2,720,000 square miles (7,050,000 sq km). This area includes
the largest tropical rainforest in the world - the Amazon Rainforest. In addition parts of the Amazon Basin also include grassland and savannah landscapes. As a result, this area is some of the least developed and most biodiverse in the world.
Along its length, the Amazon River flows through three countries and its basin includes three more. The following is a list of these six countries that have claims to the Amazon region arranged by their area. For reference, their capitals and populations have also been included. All information was obtained from the CIA World Factbook .
1) Brazil
• Area: 3,287,612 square miles (8,514,877 sq km)
• Capital: Brasilia
• Population: 198,739,269 (July 2010 estimate)
2) Peru
• Area: 496,225 square miles (1,285,216 sq km)
• Capital: Lima
• Population: 29,546,963 (July 2010 estimate)
3) Colombia
• Area: 439,737 square miles (1,138,914 sq km)
• Capital: Bogota
• Population: 43,677,372 (July 2010 estimate)
4) Bolivia
• Area: 424,164 square miles (1,098,581 sq km)
• Capital: La Paz
• Population: 9,775,246 (July 2010 estimate)
5) Venezuela
• Area: 352,144 square miles (912,050 sq km)
• Capital: Caracas
• Population: 26,814,843 (July 2010 estimate)
6) Ecuador
• Area: 109,483 square miles (283,561 sq km)
• Capital: Quito
• Population: 14,573,101 (July 2010 estimate)
References
Center for Global Environmental Education: Hamline University. (n.d.). Rivers of Life: Profile - the Amazon. Retrieved from:http://cgee.hamline.edu/rivers/Resources/river_profiles/Amazon.html
Rosenberg, Matt. (14 June 2010). Amazon River - Overview of the Amazon River. Retrieved from: http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/amazonriver8.htm
Wikipedia.org. (14 October 2010). Amazon River - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_River
The Eight Most Important Things to Know About the Amazon River
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| Amazon River The "Meeting of the Waters" occurs about 8 miles from Manaus, Brazil, when the "white" Solimoes River meets the "black" Rio Negro, forming the Amazon River. |
1. The Amazon River carries more water than any other river in the world. In fact, the Amazon River is responsible for about one-fifth (twenty percent) of the fresh water that flows into the world's oceans.
2. The Amazon River is the second longest river in the world (the Nile River in Africa is the longest) and is about 4,000 miles (6400 km) long. (In July 2007 a group of scientists reportedly determined that the Amazon River might just be the longest river in the world, taking that title from the Nile River. It will take further studies to substantiate the claim and for the Amazon River to be recognized as the longest.)
3. The Amazon River has the largest watershed (area of land that flows into the river) and more tributaries (streams that flow into it) than any other river in the world. The Amazon River has more than 200 tributaries.
4. Streams that begin in the Andes Mountains are the starting sources for the Amazon River.
5. Most of the runoff of Brazil flows into the Amazon River along with runoff from four other countries: Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador.
6. Due to the vast amount of water as well as sediment that are deposited where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the color and salinity of the Atlantic Ocean are modified for nearly 200 miles (320 km) from the delta.
7. For much of its path, the Amazon River can be as much as one to six miles wide! During flood seasons, the Amazon River can be much, much wider; some report it is more than 20 miles wide (32 km) in certain places.
8. The Amazon River taken different routes since it began to carry water. Some scientists have determined that the Amazon River even flowed west at one time or more, into the Pacific Ocean.
The Amazon River is the second longest river (it is just shorter than the Nile River in Egypt) in the world and it has the largest watershed or drainage basin as well as the most tributaries of any river in the world. For reference, a watershed is defined as the area of land that releases its water into a river. This entire area is often referred to as the Amazon Basin. The Amazon River begins with streams in the Andes Mountains in Peru and flows into the Atlantic Ocean about 4,000 miles (6,437 km) away.
The Amazon River and its watershed encompass an area of 2,720,000 square miles (7,050,000 sq km). This area includes
the largest tropical rainforest in the world - the Amazon Rainforest. In addition parts of the Amazon Basin also include grassland and savannah landscapes. As a result, this area is some of the least developed and most biodiverse in the world.
Along its length, the Amazon River flows through three countries and its basin includes three more. The following is a list of these six countries that have claims to the Amazon region arranged by their area. For reference, their capitals and populations have also been included. All information was obtained from the CIA World Factbook .
1) Brazil
• Area: 3,287,612 square miles (8,514,877 sq km)
• Capital: Brasilia
• Population: 198,739,269 (July 2010 estimate)
2) Peru
• Area: 496,225 square miles (1,285,216 sq km)
• Capital: Lima
• Population: 29,546,963 (July 2010 estimate)
3) Colombia
• Area: 439,737 square miles (1,138,914 sq km)
• Capital: Bogota
• Population: 43,677,372 (July 2010 estimate)
4) Bolivia
• Area: 424,164 square miles (1,098,581 sq km)
• Capital: La Paz
• Population: 9,775,246 (July 2010 estimate)
5) Venezuela
• Area: 352,144 square miles (912,050 sq km)
• Capital: Caracas
• Population: 26,814,843 (July 2010 estimate)
6) Ecuador
• Area: 109,483 square miles (283,561 sq km)
• Capital: Quito
• Population: 14,573,101 (July 2010 estimate)
References
Center for Global Environmental Education: Hamline University. (n.d.). Rivers of Life: Profile - the Amazon. Retrieved from:http://cgee.hamline.edu/rivers/Resources/river_profiles/Amazon.html
Rosenberg, Matt. (14 June 2010). Amazon River - Overview of the Amazon River. Retrieved from: http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/amazonriver8.htm
Wikipedia.org. (14 October 2010). Amazon River - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_River
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