Why is the Amazon river so important to life in South America?

Through transpiration, the Amazon rainforest is responsible for creating 50-75 percent of its own precipitation. But its impact extends well beyond the Amazon Basin, with Amazon rainfall and rivers feeding regions that generate 70 percent of South America's GDP.



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The Amazon River is 4,225 miles long, or 6,800 km in length. By volume, the Amazon River is the largest river in the world – this much we know for sure. Its basin is home to the magnificent Amazon Rainforest and its banks provide a home for millions of people and animals across the continent of South America.

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Here are 12 amazing facts about the Amazon.
  • The Amazon River Once Flowed in the Opposite Direction. ...
  • It's the Largest River in the World by Volume. ...
  • And the Second Longest River on Earth. ...
  • It Affects Sea Level in the Caribbean Sea. ...
  • It's Home to the Amazon River Dolphin. ...
  • The Dorado Catfish Also Lives Here.


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The Amazon River is used to help transport people. Indigenous peoples make use of canoes and rafts and can travel along the river to different locations for various purposes, one of which would be to trade. The Amazon River is also important for scientific research.

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This huge river system is very important to animals, plants, and people. The Amazon River is a major source of fresh water for South America. The water is used by the animals to live in, and many of the plants of the rainforest depend on the river water to survive.

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It has a wide range of biomes from untouched forest, to alpine zones, to big cities to a delta. This means there are a huge range of places that you could potentially swim - how safe each of those is, is very very dependent on where it is.

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The Amazon's waters and forests are a crucial resource for South America's economic development. As much as 70% of the South American continent's GDP is produced in areas that receive water from the Amazon.

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Rainforests are often called the lungs of the planet for their role in absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and increasing local humidity. Rainforests also stabilize climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet.

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The Amazon River supplies more fresh water to the world's oceans than any other river. It also has the more tributaries than any other river and the world's largest watershed.It is the life-blood of an incredibly vast and diverse rain forest.

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The Amazon River originated as a transcontinental river around 11 million years ago and took its present shape approximately 2.4 million years ago.

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Today, the Amazon region is home to nearly 50 million people and the most widely spoken language is Portuguese, followed closely by Spanish.

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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.

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