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Amazonia or Amazon rainforest covers more than half of Brazil and it's the world's largest tropical rainforest.
The word rainforest was coined in 1898 by a German botanist to describe forests that grow in constantly wet conditions.
It's been named "Lungs of the Planet" because nearly 20% ofthe world's oxygen is produced by it.
Its name comes from the Amazon river, the largest river system in the world, with 1,100 tributaries and a drainage basin of 2,700,000 sq. miles.
Brazil Travel: Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest - © Embratur
Have You Been to the Jungle?..
Amazon river is the lifeline of the rainforest and most of its water comes from the snow melt in the Andes of Peru - it originates high up in the mountains and formed by the join efforts of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers.
South America map showing the Amazon Rainforest
South America Map
It also receives about nine feet of rain every year during rainy season, causing the water level to rise between 30 and 45 feet.
Whenever rain falls in the river basin, it all drains into the jungle and the Amazon river.
Tens of millions of acres get flooded creating the world's highest level of biodiversity.
With temperatures constant ant 75-80 degrees F. it provides the perfect conditions for life.
See a larger Map and if you have a minute to spare, listen to rainforest sounds.
In fact, within its range live over a million different species of animals, mammals such as the Amazon Pink river dolphin or the Amazonian manatee, more than 2,000 Amazon river fish species - more species than in the entire Atlantic ocean - birds, insects and spiders, being the insect world the one with more diversity - over 500,000 species of insects and spiders alone.
Read some more facts about the jungle here.
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