The Amazon River flows through South America and it is the second longest river in the world and it is the largest river in the world by water flow. The Amazon also has the largest drainage basin in the world. It is sometimes called The River Sea because of it;’s vast dimensions. This river is never crossed by bridges because it flows through rainforests where there are no roads or cities and this limits the needs for crossings. The river floods many of the surrounding forests. Nearly 20% of the Earth’s freshwater that enters the ocean comes from the Amazon River. The Amazon River empties directly into the Atlantic.
Large ocean steamers, small ocean vessles and riverboats are navigable on the Amazon. Over 2,100 species of fish have been observed in the Amazon River. More species of fish are discovered every year. The Amazon River Dolphin makes it’s home in the Amazon River and it is the largest species of river dolphin. The Manatee or Seacow can be found here too. The Amazon River is rich with wildlife and also includes a large number of piranhas. The Bull Shark makes it’s home in the Amazon River too. Freshwater catfish are native to the Amazon River. The electric eel can also be found here. In the shallow waters of the Amazon Basin lives the Anaconda snake. Crabs and turtles are also plentiful. This river is the main habitat of the giant otter.
At low stages the river can reach a width of about 6.2 miles, but during the wet season it can reach up to 30 or more miles wide flooding the surrounding areas. This river runs through mostly Bazil and Peru. In 1500, the first European set sail on the Amazon River. It was during this time that the river was called sweet sea. In the mid-1600s, is when religious settlements were established along the banks of the Amazon. In the 1700s, Brazilian settlements along the Amazon River were attacked. The people who are native to the Amazon region are called Amazonians. The river played a very important part in their survival by providing them with food and waterway transportation for trade of natural rubber and more. In the 20th century, the river played a major role in exports of rubber, cacao beans, Brazil nuts, and live animals. Still today, some remote areas along the river are unexplored.
