The Amazon Basin is by far the world’s largest river basin, and represents over a half of the planets remaining rainforest. It is the source of 1/5 of the planets fresh water supply and 8 South American nations depend on its massive eco-system. More than 1/3 of the world’s species live in the basin and it is the final refuse for some endangered species. Unique animals include the pink fresh water dolphin and the piranha.
The Amazon is a long, wide immense river, with many huge rivers feeding into it, covering half of the continent, coming primarily from the Andes in Bolivia, Venezuela, Columbia and Peru. It is littered with islands, the largest the size of Switzerland. The water level can fluxuate more than 15 meters and so the trees etc have to learn to live a lot of the year under water. The river is 200 feet deep in places and hence it is possible to navigate right up the Amazon, as far as Manaus, in a big cruise ship.
It has a fragile ecosystem and there are continual struggles between conservationists and developers. Deforestation happens at over 9,000 square miles per year – which is over 30 square miles per day!
Manaus, in northwestern Brazil, is the capital of the Amazonas State and one of the chief ports for the developing Amazon Basin, located on the Negro River. It is a big city, over 2 million, bustling with what seemed to be mainly Brazilian tourists. Lots of shops, market stalls, people, high-rise building, boats…. It is a tax free zone and the major income in the city now, is electronics (right in the middle of a huge jungle!). Several manufactures have set up factories here, and we were told that 80% of the people are employed in this industry.
With a massive water level range, between rainy and dry season (of about 15 meters!) much is the surrounding areas are accustomed to being under water a lot of the time. 2009 was a record high tide when the water spilled into the city.
Manaus was the furthest up river we were going.