Amazon basin

The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. It covers a huge area that stretches across several countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, as well as the territory of French Guiana.

Most of the basin is covered by the Amazon rainforest, also called Amazonia. With an area of 6 million km² (2.3 million mi²), it is the largest rainforest in the world. This region is incredibly rich in wildlife, containing thousands of different plants, animals, birds, fish, and insects.

Even though it is so full of life, the Amazon Basin has only a few large cities like Manaus and Belém. Many people who live there belong to indigenous communities with unique cultures and languages. For these communities, fishing and agriculture are very important ways to live and provide food.

Geography

The Amazon drainage basin covers a huge area of about 7,000,000 km², which is roughly 35.5 percent of South America. The Amazon River starts in the Andes Mountains in Peru and flows eastward. It is one of the longest rivers in the world and carries more water than any other river system.

The basin includes parts of several countries, such as Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, as well as Bolivia and Ecuador. Most of this area is covered by the Amazon rainforest, though some parts have been cleared for farming.

Plant life

The Amazon Basin is home to over 40,000 species of plants. The area has thick plant growth and many animals because of lots of rain and large evergreen and coniferous forests. Because the trees form a thick canopy, little sunlight reaches the ground, so only plants that can grow in shade live there. Some plants, like orchids and bromeliads, climb trees to get closer to the sun using special aerial roots. Common trees in the Amazon include the Brazil nut, rubber tree, and Assai palm. The rich plant life is helped by dust from the Saharan desert that crosses the Atlantic every year.

Wildlife

The Amazon Basin is home to a huge variety of wildlife, including many mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects.

There are over 1,400 species of mammals in the Amazon, including jaguars, ocelots, capybaras, and pumas. The basin also hosts about 1,500 bird species, such as toucans, hummingbirds, and macaws. Reptiles like the green anaconda and boa constrictor live here, along with more than 1,500 amphibian species, mostly frogs. The Amazon River has around 2,500 known fish species, including the giant arapaima and small cavefish. Insects make up most of the Amazon's animal life, with beetles being especially numerous. Some areas of the Amazon, like Manú National Park in Peru, have thousands of butterfly species.

Climate

The Amazon River basin experiences a low-water season and a wet season, during which rivers flood nearby forests. The climate here is generally hot and humid. During the summer months from June to September, some areas may feel cooler due to cold winds from Antarctica. The average yearly temperature ranges from about 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, and there isn’t a big difference between summer and winter.

Human lifestyle

Amazonia is sparsely populated, with most people living in a few larger cities along the Amazon River and other major rivers, such as Iquitos in Loreto, Peru; Manaus, Amazonas State; and Belém, Pará. In some areas, the forest has been cleared for soya bean plantations and ranching. Some people harvest wild rubber latex and Brazilian nuts without cutting down the trees, which is a more sustainable way to use the land. Traditional homes in these areas are often thatched houses shaped like beehives, and some people live in apartment-like houses called "Maloca" with steeply slanting roofs.

Languages

The Amazon Basin is home to many languages. The most commonly spoken languages are Portuguese and Spanish. In addition, there are hundreds of native languages still used by people living there, though many of these languages are endangered.

Indigenous peoples

See also: Indigenous peoples in Brazil, List of Indigenous territories (Brazil), and List of Indigenous peoples of South America

Many tribal groups have lived in the Amazon Basin for hundreds of years, each with their own culture, language, and way of life. Today, about 1.5 million people live in the Amazon Basin, including around 100 tribal groups that have had little contact with the outside world. The largest organization supporting these communities is COICA, which works to protect indigenous peoples and their indigenous rights across several countries.

River commerce

The Amazon River is the main way for people and goods to travel in the area. Travel can be done on simple balsa rafts and dugout canoes, as well as on larger, hand-built wooden boats and even modern steel ships.

Fisheries

The Amazon Basin is home to a huge variety of fish species. Each year, over 500,000 tons of fish are caught there, providing food and jobs for many people. Fishing is a key way of life for around 200,000 people in the region. About 575 different fish species are caught, and 93% of the fish caught are from fish that move between different areas.

Commercial fishing is very important in the Amazon Basin. It helps provide jobs and money for local communities, creating around 155,000 jobs and earning about $73 million each year. However, catching too many fish, especially large species like Arapaima, Tambaqui, and Catfish, can harm the environment. Some places have rules to help protect fish populations, like not allowing fishing during certain times of the year.

Sport fishing has become popular, bringing tourists to the Amazon. Many come to fish for species like peacock bass and silver arowana. This brings in money for the local economy but can also cause problems, like introducing new fish species that compete with local ones.

Subsistence fishing, where people fish mainly to feed themselves and their families, is also common. Many indigenous communities depend on fishing for their food, with people in some areas eating about 23 kilograms of fish each year. However, pollution from gold mining has put mercury into the rivers, which can be harmful to people who eat the fish.

Agriculture

Seasonal floods bring rich silt to the riverbanks, helping people grow rice, beans, and corn without extra fertilizer. Fishing offers food all year, and chickens roam freely, eating what they find. Charcoal is made from dead trees and plants for use in cities. Hunting animals like deer and turtles for food is also common.

Large areas of forest are being cleared, especially in Brazil, which harms many plants and animals and damages the soil, water, and air. The soil here is not deep enough for long-term farming without adding special fertilizers and chemicals.

Global ecological role / Function for climate change

The Amazon Basin plays a big role in helping our planet. Its trees and plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, which helps keep our climate balanced. The Amazon also holds a lot of water, which is important for rain and weather patterns in South America and around the world.

Unfortunately, damage to the Amazon rainforest, like cutting down trees, is causing it to release more carbon dioxide than it absorbs. This can make climate change worse. The Amazon is home to many different kinds of plants and animals, and it helps control the world's carbon and water cycles.