Amazon Rainforest

A single ecosystem holds an estimated one in every ten known species on the planet, and regulates rainfall patterns far beyond the borders of the nine countries it spans.

An Ecosystem of Superlatives

The Amazon basin covers roughly 2.1 million square miles, an area larger than the entire European Union, and is drained by the Amazon River, the largest river in the world by discharge volume. The majority of the rainforest lies within Brazil, though significant portions extend into Peru, Colombia, and six other countries.

The Planet's Lungs and Air Conditioner

The rainforest plays a critical role in regulating global climate, absorbing vast quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen and water vapor that influence rainfall patterns far beyond South America, earning it the popular, if scientifically debated, nickname "the lungs of the planet."

Extraordinary Biodiversity

The Amazon is home to an extraordinary diversity of life, including an estimated 390 billion individual trees representing over 16,000 species, along with countless species of birds, mammals, insects, and fish, many of which remain undocumented by science. The region is also home to hundreds of Indigenous communities, some living in voluntary isolation with no contact with the outside world.

Under Threat

Deforestation driven by cattle ranching, agriculture, logging, and mining has significantly reduced the rainforest's area over recent decades, with scientists warning that continued destruction could push parts of the ecosystem past a tipping point toward permanent degradation. Amazon conservation has become a major focus of international environmental policy and climate negotiations.