Today we will tell you the 10 most surprising facts about the Amazon Rainforest, some of which will astonish you
10. Lungs of Earth
The Amazon rainforest is called the lungs of the Earth. It produces 20% of the oxygen on Earth even though it covers only two percent of the Earth’s land.
9. Area and size of Amazon forest
This vast forest is spread over 67 lakh square kilometers which is almost twice the size of India and 28 times the size of the United Kingdom or spread across 9 countries
Brazil Bolivia Peru Ecuador Columbia Venezuela Guyana Suri Naam French Guyana
8.Sahara and amazon
The Amazon and Sahara deserts are connected to each other. The dust of the Sahara desert, rich in phosphorus and other minerals, reaches the Amazon through the wind and makes the soil there fertile.
Every year, about 28.7 million tonnes of nutrients from this dust reach the Amazon forests, which helps the plants and trees there to flourish.
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7.Amazon
The Amazon rainforest is named after the Amazon women warriors of Greek mythology. When Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana discovered the region in 1541, he was inspired by the local women warriors who were brave and strong and gave the region the name Amazon.
6.Indigenous tribes &Biodiversity
The Amazon is home to 47 million people living in more than 400 indigenous groups who speak 300 different languages. More than 50 of these groups have never had contact with the outside world, representing an untouched part of the forest.
10% of the Earth’s species are found in the Amazon 1300 birds 430 mammal species,2.5 million insects and reptiles
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5. Medical use
The Amazon rainforest is not only home to biodiversity but also a huge medicinal treasure. The medicine obtained from Sanchorena is used to treat malaria. A plant called cat’s click plant is found only in the Amazon. Even some species of Medico are used in the manufacture of pain-relieving antibiotic medicines.
4. Amazon River
Amazon River is the largest river in the world which releases 2 lakh 9 thousand cubic meters of water into the ocean every second. The length of the Amazon River is 68.40 kilometers. In 2007 a person named Martin Steele swam this entire river. He completed this journey in 66 days, swimming in water for 10 hours every day.
3. Native species & Amazon river dolphin
The Amazon River is home to many creatures. The Arapaima fish is one of the freshwater fish in the world. It can be up to three meters long and weigh up to 200 kg.
This dolphin is also known as Otto and is found in the Amazon River. These dolphins are known for their pink skin and intelligence. Both these species are found only in the Amazon rainforests.
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2. Carbon sink
Amazon trees release 20 billion tons of water into the atmosphere every day, which helps maintain the rain cycle in South America. This forest also stores 150 to 200 billion tons of carbon, making it the world’s largest natural carbon sink that prevents global warming.
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1. Deforestation
But due to the continuous deforestation, the world is now moving towards becoming a source of carbon emissions. Every minute, a part of the Amazon forest equivalent to five football fields is cut. In the first 9 months of 2022, deforestation in Brazil broke all records.
The main reason for deforestation is cattle rearing, farming and mining. In recent years, the number of gold mines has increased rapidly. This mining not only harms the life of the people, it also causes water poisoning and soil erosion.
17% of the Amazon has been destroyed. Scientists warn that if it reaches 25%, this forest will be unable to sustain itself and may turn into a desert. This could prove to be a threat to the entire world.
| FAQ Amazon Rainforest |
Q Is Amazon bigger than the US?
ANS:-Nearly the size of the continental United States,
Q What is unique to the Amazon rainforest?
ANS:- the single largest remaining tropical rainforest in the world,
Q How old is the Amazon rainforest?
ANS:- 56 million years to 33.9 million years ago)
Q What was the answer between 65 and 145 million years ago?
ANS:-The Amazon River flowed towards the Pacific Ocean
Q Are there gorillas in Amazon?
ANS:-There are no gorillas in the Amazon rainforest