The Amazon

The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, covering an area of approximately 6.7 million square kilometers (2.7 million square miles) in South America, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.

The Amazon is home to an estimated 10% of the world’s known biodiversity, including thousands of species of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. The Amazon River, which runs through the rainforest, is the second-longest river in the world, stretching for over 6,400 km (4,000 miles). The Amazon rainforest also plays a vital role in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. The Amazon is facing numerous environmental threats, including deforestation, illegal logging, mining, and climate change, which are putting the region’s biodiversity and indigenous communities at risk. Conservation efforts are underway to protect the Amazon and promote sustainable development in the region.

Recommended Resources

• National Geographic for Kids – 10 Amazing Amazon Facts (Website Link)
• Britannica for Kids – The Amazon (Website Link)
• Amazon Rainforest – Virtual Field Trip (You Tube Link)

Recommended Book