About the Longest River in South America
Not only is the Amazon River the longest river in South America, it is possibly the longest river in the world. The Nile River is technically longer, but the Amazon River is bigger with the most water volume of any river on earth. The discovery of tributaries off the Amazon River may extend its length and make it the longest river in the world. The Amazon River makes up one-fifth of the world's total water flow as it winds through the rainforest.
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Features
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The Amazon Basin includes the Amazon River, its streams and tributaries, and the land surfaces from which rain and melted snow drain into the river. The Amazon Basin comprises 40 percent of South America and is a vital part of the rainforest ecosystem. The exact length of the Amazon River is in debate, with measurements ranging from 3,417 miles (5,499 kilometers) to 4,225 miles (6,800 kilometers) long. Over 1,000 tributaries branch off the Amazon River, including the Negro and Tigre.
Geography
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The Amazon River runs from the Atlantic Ocean through Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia and Venezuela. The Maranon River in Peru is formed by melted water from the glaciers of the Peruvian Andes. In the high jungle, the Maranon runs through waterfalls and gorges before merging with the Ucayali River. In Northeast Peru the two Rivers combine to form the Rio Solimoes. Though technically considered to be the Amazon River, the Rio Solimoes retains its name in Brazil until the Meeting of the Waters where it combines with Rio Negro near Manaus, Brazil. The Meeting of the Waters is a popular tourist attraction where the two rivers, one dark colored and one light colored, run side by side for 6 kilometers before converging.
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Size
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The mouth of the Amazon River into the Atlantic Ocean is 210 miles (330 kilometers) wide. The Amazon River triples its size from the dry season to the rainy season, measuring 25 miles (40 kilometers) wide at its largest during the raining season. Due to its width there are no bridges crossing the Amazon River. The size and depth are so extraordinary that ocean-going ships have traveled two-thirds of the way down the river. Animals and plants along the Amazon River are often huge in comparison to the rest of the world. Arapaima fish, the largest fish in the world, have been found 15 feet long and over 400 pounds.
Effects
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The Amazon River's position in the tropical zone of the equator contributes to its size. This tropical area produces more rain than anywhere else on the globe. The Amazon basin acts as a kind of geographical saucer. When rain falls it ultimately flows to the base of the saucer, which is the Amazon River. At one point in prehistory South America was connected to Africa. When the continents broke apart the Atlantic Ocean was created. During the Cretaceous Period the Andes Mountains rose up on the western side of South America, pushing the Amazon River down and changing the direction of its water flow (from east-west to west-east). Scientists estimate the entire Amazon Basin changed its course during this time, eventually leading the Amazon River to connect to the Atlantic Ocean as it does today.
Significance
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The Amazon River provides 20% of the world's fresh water. The significance of the South American rainforest is in its rich variety of plant and animal species. An estimated third of the world's species are found in the rainforest that houses the Amazon River. This sheer size and breadth of life along the Amazon River makes it important to ecosystems all over the world.
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Resources
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