• It is the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
• It is often referred to as the "Lungs of the Earth".
• Geographical Spread: Covers approximately 5.5 million square kilometers.
• Countries: Primarily located in Brazil but also extends into Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
• It is home to nearly a 5th of the world’s land species and is also home to 10% of all wildlife species.
• Flora: Home to an estimated 390 billion individual trees, comprising about 16,000 species.
• Fauna
  • Mammals: Jaguars, sloths, tapirs, and river dolphins.
  • Birds: More than 1,300 species including toucans and harpy eagles.
  • Reptiles: Anacondas, caimans and numerous lizard species.
  • Amphibians: Over 400 species of frogs.
  • Insects: Millions of insect species, including thousands of butterfly species.
• It is home to about 350 indigenous groups each with unique cultures, languages and traditions.
• Major Tribes: Yanomami, Tupinambá, Kayapo, Xingu, Ashaninka, Guarani, Huitoto, Ticuna, Kichwa (Quichua) and Pano.
• It is estimated that over 17% of the Amazon has been lost in the last 50 years.
• It releases 20 billion tonnes of water into the atmosphere per day.
• Carbon Sink: 150-200 billion tons of carbon is stored in this forest.
• Canopy
• It is a critical layer of the ecosystem, serving as a unique habitat that supports a diverse array of wildlife and plays a vital role in the overall health of the rainforest.
  • It is the uppermost layer of the rainforest, located between the emergent layer (where the tallest trees break through) and the understory layer (which is shaded and has smaller trees and plants).
  • Flora: Tall, broad-leaved trees, woody lianas that climb for sunlight and epiphytes like orchids and bromeliads that absorb moisture and nutrients from other plants.
  • Fauna: It comprises birds like toucans, parrots, and harpy eagles; mammals such as howler monkeys, sloths and tree frogs; and a diverse range of insects, including butterflies and ants.

Amazon Rainforests