The Amazon is the name which does not need any introduction. It is often synonymously used to indicate South America. The Rainforest or the River there is nothing which is small in Amazon. It is full of mysteries for researchers. People from all the corners of the world come to visit it. The breathtaking Rainforest and mysterious River attracts a lot of tourists. It is the home for a large number of rare species which are not found anywhere else. The Rainforest is rich in different types of trees. The River which flows through this Rainforest is a mystery of its own. There are loads of Facts about these forests and rivers. Here are some of the mindblowing Facts and Stats about it.
Why the name Amazon?
As catchy it sounds the name Amazon is a mystery of its own. This Rainforest is situated in the Southern American continent and yet its name is inspired by Greek mythology. It is because it was named by a Spanish explorer. When Francisco Orellana discovered this great rainforest it was not a sweet experience for him. The locals or tribes living in the region did not welcome him as he would have liked. He was attacked by Female Warriors named Icamiabas. Which means ‘women without husbands ‘. He then compared them with the greek mythology of Amazon. Thus this how the world encountered with the name.
Amazon is Huge!
This majestic and wonderful Rainforest is also extremely huge. It has a total area of two and a half square miles. This great Rainforest is spread over nine Latin American countries. The maximum part of the Rainforest is in Brazil, about 60% of the total to be precise. Peru and Colombia also have their fair share in this Rainforest. With Peru having 13% and Colombia having 10% of it. Rest of 6 countries shares small portions of the Rainforest. It is more than 55 million years old. If the great Amazon was a country it would rank the 9th country by landmass in the world.
Is Amazon the lungs of the Earth?
Considering its gigantic size and the density of trees. It is believed that Amazon is the lungs of the earth. Many articles have been written about its contribution to the generation of Oxygen. According to leading researchers, it contributes to the pumping of 20% of worlds oxygen every day. Now with that number, it is easy to say it is the lungs of Earth. But the amount of Oxygen it generates is produced by plants. Now the decomposing plant matter also generates the same amount of Carbon dioxide. Thus it means that the Rainforest nullifies its oxygen generation with its carbon dioxide production. The Rainforest is in its own set of equilibrium. The vast amount of Oxygen consumed by humans is generated by our oceans. The microorganisms present in oceans are responsible for oxygen generation.
It is Disappearing very Quickly!
The great Amazon Rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate. About 1.5 acres on average the rainforest vanishes every second. The deforestation has resulted in an alarming situation. As the forest bed disappears quickly the spices dependent on them also disappears. Many of the species are endangered and some of them are already extinct because of this. The deforestation accounts for about 30% of worlds total carbon emission. This also resulted in a significant increase in average temperature across the world. Most of the deforestation is done to gather land which is used to raise cattle. If the deforestation continues in the same way as of today, the entire Rainforest will get depleted in the next 40 years.
Is Amazon the longest river?
Amazon river is known for its huge length and mass volume. Thus it makes it the most famous river for researchers. In the modern world if you ask anybody which is the longest river. The answer would be River Nile. But recent research done by scientists claims the other picture. Researchers used modern days mapping technology to predict the starting point of the river. Together they concluded that it begins from Peruvian Andes. This discovery resulted in an increase of the actual length of the Amazon River. Now statistically the river flows a total of 4,225 miles which is 6,800 kilometers. This distance is about 65 miles or 105 kilometers greater than the length of River Nile. The Amazon River is without a doubt biggest river by volume. It pumps around 55 million gallons of water in the Atlantic ocean every second.
Amazon contributes heavily to Food and Medicine
The great and huge Rainforest contributes largely in food and medicine. With more than 80% of food varieties originating from it and a huge amount of pharmaceuticals. The Amazon Rainforest is so dense and rich in plant species that only 1% of plants are studied so far. Scientists believe that the Rainforest has a lot more to offer. Many undiscovered plant species may lead to significant discoveries. More than 25% of medicines and antibiotics have amazon origin. Thus researchers believe that once we are able to unlock the mystery of this Rainforest. There will be many breathtaking discoveries. As it is a common fact that nature has hidden many treasures for mankind. It is our duty to conserve and protect treasures like Amazon.
It is home for Millions of people
The great Rainforests of Amazon is also home to many peoples. In the dense forests, there are numerous tribes which live there. These people are mostly dependent on the forest for their survival. The forest poses many challenges because of its extreme living conditions. But the population living in this rainforest is significant. It is believed that statistically, more than 21 million people live in Amazon. They are normally hunters and makes a distance from the rest of the world. It is a known fact that some of the tribes living in the region are not so welcoming for researchers. Many of the tribes are not willing to adopt the changes in modern society. It is believed that there are more than 50 tribes in the region with no contact with modern civilization. Governments have also started programs for the welfare of such people.
