Amazon River: The Largest River in the World
Geography and Size
The Amazon River, located in South America, is the greatest river on the continent and the largest drainage system in the world in terms of volume. It flows over 4,000 miles from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon basin covers an area of over 7 million square miles, containing a diverse suite of ecosystems.
Ecosystem Diversity
The largest biome in the Amazon basin is the rainforest, covering about 60% of the area. The rainforest is home to an incredible array of plant and animal species, including many that are found nowhere else on Earth. Other ecosystems in the basin include grasslands, savannas, and wetlands.
Tributaries and Drainage
As the drainage system of the Amazon Basin, the Amazon River and its approximately 1100 tributaries play a vital role in the hydrology of the region. These tributaries collect water from a vast area, including the Andes Mountains, and transport it to the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon River discharges an average of 209,000 cubic meters of water per second, making it the largest river discharge in the world.