Where is the Amazon rainforest?
The Amazon rainforest is a tropical rainforest and the largest rainforest in the world. It’s so big it produces about 20% of the world’s oxygen. It's often called the 'lungs of the Earth'.
It's located in South America in the countries of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Guyana, Bolivia, Suriname and French Guiana. It must be really big to be found in all those countries! Over half of the Amazon is located in Brazil.
The Amazon River is located in the northern part of South America and runs through the Amazon rainforest. It is the second-longest river in the world after the Nile.
How big is the Amazon rainforest?
The Amazon rainforest is 2.2 million square miles. It's so big that the UK and Ireland would fit into it 17 times!
What is the weather like in the Amazon?
The Amazon rainforest is located near the equator so it doesn't have changes in seasons like other parts of the world.
Because the Amazon rainforest is so big, different parts of the forest have different climates. Some parts of the Amazon are drier and get less rainfall. In other parts, it can rain 4 times a week.
Did you know?
- The trees in the rainforest are so thick, the floor of the Amazon is almost always in complete darkness.
- The Amazon rainforest has been around for at least 55 million years.
