The Amazon is one of the most fascinating rivers in the world. It runs through South America, making its way from the highlands of Peru to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon is more than 4,000 miles long, and it is home to an incredible variety of plants and animals. In this blog post, we will discuss five things that you probably didn’t know about the Amazon!
Half of The World’s Rainforests
Did you know that the Amazon is home to more than half of the world’s rainforests? That’s right, the Amazon basin covers more than five million square kilometers. It’s an unbelievable amount of area which means that it accounts for over 50% of all the rainforests on Earth.
20% of The World’s Oxygen
It is estimated that up to 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced by the rainforests of the Amazon. It makes you very sad how much gets cut down each day, that percentage seems to be going down all the time!
Wider Than You Think
Did you also know that the Amazon is home to the world’s largest river? Well, that fact is actually debated depending on how it is measured. What isn’t in doubt is the immense width of the river.
The Amazon River is more than 60 miles wide at its mouth, and it carries more water than any other river in the world. If you were on one side you wouldn’t think you were looking at a river at all!
A Dangerous Place
And did you know that the Amazon is home to some of the world’s most dangerous animals? It is estimated that there are more than 400 species of snakes in the Amazon, and many of them are venomous. There are also crocodiles, piranhas, and electric eels that call the Amazon home.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it, four things that you probably didn’t know about the Amazon! We hope you found this post interesting and informative. It’s an incredible river and we should protect it at all costs!