The Amazon River in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile.

The Amazon River is the deepest river in the world, with its depth varying significantly by location and season. On average, the main channel maintains a depth of approximately 20 to 50 meters (66 to 164 feet) throughout much of its course. However, in its narrowest and most constricted points—such as the Óbidos narrows in Brazil—the river bed plunges to depths of over 100 meters (330 feet). During the annual wet season, which in 2026 continues to see dramatic fluctuations due to climate patterns, the water level can rise an additional 10 to 15 meters, flooding the surrounding várzea (forest). This depth is critical for international shipping; massive ocean-going vessels can navigate nearly 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) upstream from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to Iquitos, Peru, making the Amazon a unique deep-water maritime highway in the heart of the South American continent.