Hello Everybody, on this edition we will be talking a little bit about The Amazon: The World’s Largest Rainforest.
The Amazon River Basin is home to the largest rainforest on Earth.The forest covers some 40% of the South American continent and includes parts of eight South American countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname, as well as French Guiana.
Reflecting environmental conditions as well as past human influence, the Amazon is made up of a mosaic of ecosystems and vegetation types including rainforests, seasonal forests, deciduous forests, flooded forests, and savannas. The basin is drained by the Amazon River, the world’s largest river in terms of discharge, and the second longest river in the world after the Nile. The river is made up of over 1,100 tributaries, 17 of which are longer than 1000 miles, and two of which (the Negro and the Madeira) are larger, in terms of volume, than the Congo (formerly the Zaire) river. The river system is the lifeline of the forest and its history plays an important part in the development of its rainforests.
Now some facts about this Great Rainforest:
-The Amazon is home to more species of plants and animals than any other terrestial ecosystem on the planet — perhaps 30% of the world’s species are found there.
-A lone hectare of forest may have more than 480 species of trees.
-More than 1500 bird species are found in the Amazon Basin.
-The two largest cities in the Amazon area are Belem (1,912,600) and Manaus (1,524,600) in population.
Today, despite the population decimation, natives peoples still live in American rainforests, although virtually all have been affected by the outside world. Instead of wearing traditional garb of loin cloths, most Amerindians wear western clothes, and many use metal pots, pans, and utensils for everyday life.
Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that used to live in these forests either die or must find a new forest to call their home. Why are rainforests being destroyed?One of the reasons it is the extraction of the wood. A lot of Countries blame Brazil for being cutting down the amazon trees but at the same time they are the ones who estimulate this process with a big demand for furniture, flooring, and construction, without having a program to replant those trees.
- The Rainforest:
provide a home to many plants and animals;
help stabilize the world’s climate;
protect against flood, drought, and erosion;
are a source for medicines and foods;
support tribal people; and are an interesting place to visit.
How large is the Amazon rainforest?
In Brazil, the Amazon covers surface area of 4,100,000 square kilometers (1,583,000 square miles), of which around 3.4 million sq km (1.3 million sq mi) are presently forested. Accounting for parts of the Amazon outside of Brazil, the total extent of the Amazon is estimated at 8,235,430 sq km (3,179,715 sq mi). or comparison, the land area of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii) is 9,629,091 square kilometers (3,717,811).In total, the Amazon River drains about 6,915,000 square kilometers (2,722,000 square miles), or roughly 40 percent of South America.
What!? Surf at the Amazon River!?
Twice a year, between the months of February and March, the Atlantic Ocean waters roll up the Amazon river, in Brazil, generating the longest wave on the Earth. The phenomenon, known as the Pororoca, is caused by the tides of the Atlantic Ocean wich meet the mouth of the river. This tidal bore generates waves up to 12 feet high which can last for over half an hour.You gotta see this!!! CLICK HERE POROROCA
Yes! It is so much to learn about the Amazon that i really recommend you to visit this -WEBSITE- where you will find a lot of interest information.
Thank You and have a great day!
May 12th 2009 Posted to
News
Anne Dwyer - Yellow Belt
Jusok Le - Purple Belt
Joseph Mcnaly - Blue Belt
Rob Zeps - Blue Belt