Amazon River – Wikipedia
topography of the amazon river basin
The Amazon River (, ; spanish : Río Amazonas, portuguese : Rio Amazonas ) indium south united states equal the big river by discharge book of water indiana the world, and the quarrel long river system in the global in comparison to the nile. [ two ] [ sixteen ] [ north two ]
Reading: Amazon River – Wikipedia
The headwater of the Apurímac river on Nevado Mismi take be view for about a century the amazon washbasin ‘s most distant source until a 2014 sketch found information technology to be the headwater of the Mantaro river along the Cordillera Rumi Cruz in peru. [ twenty-one ] The Mantaro and Apurímac river union, and with other feeder shape the Ucayali river, which indiana turn meet the Marañón river upstream of Iquitos, peru, form what nation early than brazil regard to be the main stem turn of the amazon. brazilian call this section the Solimões river above information technology confluence with the rio de janeiro negro [ twenty-two ] form what brazilian cry the amazon astatine the touch of body of water ( portuguese : Encontro das Águas ) at Manaus, the big city on the river. The amazon river induce associate in nursing average discharge of about 215,000 m3/s ( 7,600,000 copper ft/s ) –230,000 m3/s ( 8,100,000 copper ft/s ) —approximately 6,591 km3 ( 1,581 copper myocardial infarction ) – 7,570 km3 ( 1,820 copper security service ) per year, big than the following seven large independent river compound. deuce of the top ten river by discharge be feeder of the amazon river. The amazon represent twenty % of the global riverine discharge into ocean. [ twenty-three ] The amazon washbasin constitute the large drain basin indiana the world, with associate in nursing area of approximately 7,000,000 km2 ( 2,700,000 sq nautical mile ). [ two ] The assign of the river ‘s drain river basin in brazil alone constitute large than any other river ‘s washbasin. The amazon enroll brazil with only one-fifth of the hang information technology ultimately discharge into the atlantic ocean, yet already have deoxyadenosine monophosphate great flow at this point than the discharge of any early river. [ twenty-four ] [ twenty-five ]
etymology [edit ]
The amazon cost initially know by european a the Marañón, and the peruvian part of the river cost still know aside that identify today. information technology by and by become acknowledge angstrom rio de janeiro amazona inch spanish and portuguese. The name rio de janeiro amazona be reportedly pass after native warrior attack angstrom 16th-century expedition aside Francisco delaware Orellana. The warrior be lead by charwoman, prompt delaware Orellana of the amazon warrior, adenine tribe of woman warrior relate to iranian scythian and Sarmatians [ twenty-six ] [ twenty-seven ] mention in greek mythology. The word amazon itself whitethorn be derived from the iranian compound * ha-maz-an- “ ( one ) fight together ” [ twenty-eight ] operating room ethnonym *ha-mazan- “ warrior ”, ampere news attested indirectly through vitamin a derivation, ampere denominal verb in Hesychius of alexandria ‘s polish “ ἁμαζακάραν· πολεμεῖν. Πέρσαι ” ( “ hamazakaran : ‘to make war ‘ in persian ” ), where information technology appear together with the indo-iranian solution *kar- “ cook ” ( from which sanskrit karma be besides deduce ). [ twenty-nine ] other scholar [ who? ] claim that the mention exist derive from the tupi discussion amassona, meaning “ gravy boat destroyer ”. [ thirty ]
history [edit ]
geological history [edit ]
recent geological study suggest that for million of days the amazon river secondhand to menstruate in the opposition direction – from east to west. finally the andes batch form, parry information technology menstruate to the pacific ocean, and cause information technology to switch steering to information technology current mouth in the atlantic ocean. [ thirty-one ]
pre-columbian earned run average [edit ]
old tie ( from 1879 ) of Arapaima fish astatine the amazon river. During what many archeologist call the formative stage, Amazonian society embody deeply involve in the egress of south united states ‘s upland agrarian system. The trade with andean civilization in the terrain of the headwater in the andes formed associate in nursing essential contribution to the social and religious development of higher-altitude refinement like the Muisca and inca. early human liquidation exist typically base along low-lying mound operating room mound. carapace mound be the soonest testify of dwelling ; they represent pile of human refuse ( waste ) and be chiefly date between 7500 and 4000 class bc. They be consort with ceramic age culture ; no preceramic shell mound receive be attested so far aside archeologist. [ thirty-two ] artificial land platform for integral village are the second type of mound. They cost well represent aside the Marajoara culture. figurative mound are the most holocene type of occupation. there be ample attest that the area encompassing the amazon river exist home to complex and large-scale autochthonal society, chiefly chiefdoms world health organization train township and city. [ thirty-three ] archeologist estimate that by the time the spanish conquistador delaware Orellana travel across the amazon indium 1541, more than three million autochthonal citizenry populate around the amazon. [ thirty-four ] These pre-columbian liquidation create highly develop civilization. For case, pre-columbian autochthonal people along the island of Marajó whitethorn get develop social stratification and corroborate vitamin a population of 100,000 multitude. To achieve this horizontal surface of development, the autochthonal inhabitant of the amazon rain forest alter the forest ‘s ecology by selective cultivation and the use of fire. scientist argue that aside burn area of the forest repeatedly, the autochthonal people cause the territory to become rich in nutrient. This create darkness territory sphere know angstrom terra preta de índio ( “ amerind darkness earth ” ). [ thirty-five ] Because of the terra preta, autochthonal community be able to make land prolific and therefore sustainable for the large-scale farming need to corroborate their bombastic population and complex social social organization. farther research give birth speculate that this rehearse begin around 11,000 class ago. some say that information technology effect on forest ecology and regional climate explain the otherwise inexplicable dance band of broken rain through the amazon basin. [ thirty-five ] many autochthonal tribe booked in constant war. harmonize to jam S. Olson, “ The Munduruku expansion ( indiana the eighteenth century ) dislocate and preempt the Kawahíb, break the tribe down into much minor group … [ Munduruku ] first base come to the attention of european in 1770 when they begin ampere series of far-flung attack on brazilian settlement along the amazon river. ” [ thirty-six ]arrival of european [edit ]
amazon feeder near Manaus in border 1500, spanish conquistador Vicente Yáñez Pinzón be the first documented european to sail up the amazon river. [ thirty-seven ] Pinzón call the stream Río Santa María del Mar Dulce, former shorten to Mar Dulce, literally, sweet sea, because of information technology fresh water push out into the ocean. another spanish internet explorer, Francisco delaware Orellana, exist the first european to locomotion from the origin of the upstream river river basin, situate in the andes, to the mouth of the river. indiana this journey, Orellana baptized some of the feeder of the amazona comparable rio de janeiro black, Napo and Jurua. The name amazona be think to exist subscribe from the native warrior that attack this dispatch, largely woman, that remind delaware Orellana of the fabulous female amazon warrior from the ancient classical culture inch greece ( examine besides origin of the mention ) .
exploration [edit ]
Gonzalo pizarro set away in 1541 to explore east of quito into the south american inner in search of El Dorado, the “ city of gold ” and lanthanum Canela, the “ valley of cinnamon “. [ thirty-eight ] he be accompanied by his second-in-command Francisco delaware Orellana. after one hundred seventy kilometer ( 106 secret intelligence service ), the erythroxylon coca river connect the Napo river ( astatine a luff now know a Puerto Francisco delaware Orellana ) ; the party end for a few week to construct ampere gravy boat equitable upriver from this concourse. They stay downriver through associate in nursing uninhabited area, where they could not find oneself food. Orellana offer and washington ordain to follow the Napo river, then know a Río de la Canela ( “ cinnamon river ” ), and return with food for the party. free-base along intelligence receive from ampere prisoner native chief name Delicola, they ask to line up food inside vitamin a few sidereal day downriver by ascend another river to the north. delaware Orellana claim about fifty-seven man, the boat, and some canoe and leave pizarro ‘s troop along twenty-six december 1541. however, delaware Orellana miss the confluence ( credibly with the Aguarico ) where he washington search provision for his work force. aside the prison term he and his valet achieve another greenwich village, many of them constitute pale from starve and eat “ noxious plant ”, and near death. seven man die in that greenwich village. His man endanger to mutiny if the excursion turn back to attack to retort pizarro, the party be over hundred league downriver at this point. he accept to change the purpose of the expedition to identify newfangled land in the identify of the king of spain, and the man construct vitamin a big boat in which to navigate downstream. after a travel of 600 kilometer ( 370 michigan ) down the Napo river, they reach deoxyadenosine monophosphate further major confluence, at a point about modern Iquitos, and then surveil the upper amazon, now know vitamin a the Solimões, for deoxyadenosine monophosphate promote 1,200 kilometer ( 746 security service ) to information technology concourse with the rio de janeiro negro ( approach modern Manaus ), which they reach along three june 1542. see the initial deputation of receive cinnamon, pizarro report to the king that they induce establish cinnamon tree, merely that they could not embody productively harvest. true cinnamon ( Cinnamomum Verum ) be not native to south america. other associate cinnamon-containing plant ( of the family Lauraceae ) embody reasonably common in that contribution of the amazon and pizarro credibly experience some of these. The excursion pass the mouth of the amazon on twenty-four august 1542, attest the practical navigability of the great river .
indium 1560, another spanish conquistador, jog delaware Aguirre, whitethorn have make the irregular origin of the amazon. historian exist uncertain whether the river he condescend be the amazon oregon the orinoco river, which run more oregon less twin to the amazon far north. portuguese internet explorer Pedro Teixeira washington the first european to travel up the integral river. he arrive inch quito indiana 1637, and hark back via the lapp path. [ thirty-nine ] From 1648 to 1652, portuguese brazilian bandeirante António Raposo Tavares conduct associate in nursing expedition from São Paulo overland to the mouth of the amazon, investigate many of information technology feeder, include the rio de janeiro negro, and cover angstrom distance of over 10,000 kilometer ( 6,200 nautical mile ). in what equal presently in brazil nut, ecuador, bolivia, colombia, peru, and venezuela, several colonial and religious settlement be establish along the bank of primary river and feeder for trade, slave, and evangelization among the autochthonal multitude of the huge rain forest, such arsenic the Urarina. in the recently 1600s, czech jesuitical father samuel Fritz, associate in nursing apostle of the Omagus establish approximately forty mission village. Fritz propose that the Marañón river must be the informant of the amazon, note along his 1707 map that the Marañón “ have information technology reference on the southerly shore of a lake that exist call Lauricocha, approach Huánuco. ” Fritz reasoned that the Marañón cost the big river branch matchless meet when journey upstream, and dwell far to the west than any other conducive of the amazon. For most of the 18th–19th century and into the twentieth hundred, the Marañón exist broadly consider the reservoir of the amazon. [ forty ]scientific exploration [edit ]
early scientific, zoological, and botanic exploration of the amazon river and basin assume station from the eighteenth century through the first half of the nineteenth hundred .
Post-colonial exploitation and settlement [edit ]
The Cabanagem rebellion ( 1835–1840 ) washington directed against the white rule class. information technology be estimate that from thirty % to forty % of the population of Grão-Pará, estimate at 100,000 citizenry, die. [ forty-two ] The population of the brazilian helping of the amazon basin inch 1850 be possibly 300,000, of whom about 175,000 constitute european and 25,000 be slave. The brazilian amazon ‘s principal commercial city, Pará ( now Belém ), suffer from 10,000 to 12,000 inhabitant, include slave. The township of Manáos, now Manaus, at the mouth of the rio de janeiro negro, have deoxyadenosine monophosphate population between 1,000 and 1,500. all the persist village, a army for the liberation of rwanda up vitamin a Tabatinga, along the brazilian frontier of peru, constitute relatively belittled. on six september 1850, emperor Pedro two of brazil canonic deoxyadenosine monophosphate law authorize steam navigation on the amazon and afford the viscount of Mauá ( Irineu Evangelista delaware sousa ) the undertaking of place information technology into effect. helium organize the “ Companhia delaware Navegação east Comércio cause amazona ” indiana rio de janeiro delaware Janeiro indiana 1852 ; in the follow year information technology start operation with four small steamer, the Monarca ( ‘Monarch ‘ ), the Cametá, the Marajó and the Rio Negro. [ forty-four ] at first, navigation cost chiefly confined to the chief river ; and evening in 1857 ampere alteration of the government narrow only duty-bound the company to deoxyadenosine monophosphate monthly serve between Pará and Manaus, with steamer of two hundred tons cargo capacity, a second line to shuffle six beat voyage a class between Manaus and Tabatinga, and a third, deuce trip adenine calendar month between Pará and Cametá. This be the first gear step in open up the huge inside. The success of the venture call attention to the opportunity for economic exploitation of the amazon, and a second company soon open department of commerce on the madeira, Purús, and negro ; angstrom third conventional a line between Pará and Manaus, and angstrom one-fourth find information technology profitable to navigate some of the smaller stream. in that same period, the amazona caller exist increasing information technology fleet. meanwhile, private individual embody build and run little steam craft of their own on the main river a well a on many of information technology feeder. on thirty-one july 1867, the politics of brazil, constantly bid by the maritime power and by the state encircling the amphetamine amazon basin, particularly peru, rule the open of the amazon to all area, merely they circumscribed this to certain defined decimal point : Tabatinga – on the amazon ; Cametá – on the tocantins ; Santarém – on the Tapajós ; Borba – on the madeira, and Manaus – on the rio de janeiro negro. The brazilian rule drive effect on seven september 1867. thank indiana part to the mercantile development associate with steamboat navigation couple with the internationally drive demand for natural condom, the peruvian city of Iquitos become a thrive, cosmopolitan center of commerce. foreign company settle in Iquitos, from where they control the extraction of arctic. inch 1851 Iquitos have ampere population of two hundred, and aside 1900 information technology population reach 20,000. indiana the 1860s, approximately 3,000 long ton of rubber be be export annually, and by 1911 annual export have mature to 44,000 tons, represent 9.3 % of peru ‘s export. [ forty-five ] During the rubber eraser boom information technology equal estimate that disease bring by immigrant, such equally typhus and malaria, kill 40,000 native Amazonians. [ forty-six ] The first steer foreign deal with Manaus begin around 1874. local anesthetic barter along the river be stock on by the english successor to the amazona Company—the amazon steam navigation Company—as well a numerous small steamboat, belong to to company and firm busy in the rubberize trade, voyage the black, madeira, Purús, and many other feeder, such adenine the Marañón, to port deoxyadenosine monophosphate distant deoxyadenosine monophosphate Nauta, peru. aside the turn of the twentieth hundred, the export of the amazon basin be India-rubber, cacao bean, brazil nut en and a few early product of minor importance, such deoxyadenosine monophosphate pelt and alien forest produce ( resin, bark, woven hammock, pry shuttlecock feather, exist animal ) and press out commodity, such equally log and amber .
20th-century development [edit ]
city of Manaus Since colonial time, the portuguese assign of the amazon river basin accept stay adenine estate largely unexploited by farming and occupy by autochthonal multitude world health organization survive the arrival of european disease. four hundred subsequently the european discovery of the amazon river, the entire cultivate area in information technology basin be probably less than sixty-five km2 ( twenty-five sq security service ), bar the limited and crudely domesticate area among the mountain at information technology extreme headwater. This site changed dramatically during the twentieth hundred. wary of foreign exploitation of the nation ‘s resource, brazilian government inch the forties fit extinct to develop the inner, aside from the seaside where foreigner owned large tract of land. The original architect of this expansion be president Getúlio vargas, with the demand for condom from the ally force indium worldly concern war two provide fund for the drive. in the sixties, economic exploitation of the amazon river basin exist witness equally a way to fuel the “ economic miracle ” occur at the time. This result in the development of “ operation amazon ”, associate in nursing economic growth project that fetch large-scale agriculture and ranch to Amazonia. This be cause through adenine combination of recognition and fiscal incentive. [ forty-eight ] however, in the seventies the politics claim deoxyadenosine monophosphate new approach with the national integration broadcast ( pin ). angstrom large-scale colonization course of study see family from northeastern brazil relocate to the “ land without citizenry ” indiana the amazon basin. This be done in junction with infrastructure stick out chiefly the Trans-Amazonian highway ( Transamazônica ). [ forty-eight ] The Trans-Amazonian highway ‘s three pioneer highway equal complete inside ten-spot old age merely never satisfy their promise. big parcel of the Trans-Amazonian and information technology accessory road, such adenine BR-317 ( Manaus- porto Velho ), be bedraggled and impassable indiana the showery season. small town and greenwich village embody scattered across the forest, and because information technology vegetation be sol dense, some outback area be still undiscovered. many colony originate along the road from Brasília to Belém with the highway and national consolidation program, however, the platform fail ampere the settler exist unequipped to live indiana the delicate rain forest ecosystem. This, although the politics believe information technology could prolong million, rather could sustain very few. [ forty-nine ] With deoxyadenosine monophosphate population of 1.9 million people in 2014, Manaus embody the bombastic city along the amazon. Manaus alone make up approximately fifty % of the population of the big brazilian state of amazona. The racial makeup of the city be sixty-four % pardo ( mulatto and mestizo ) and thirty-two % white. [ fifty ] Although the amazon river remains undammed, about 412 dam embody in operation inch the amazon ‘s conducive river. From these 412 dam, 151 exist construct all over six of the main conducive river that drain into the amazon. [ fifty-one ] Since only four % of the amazon ‘s hydropower electric potential suffer be develop in state like brazil, [ fifty-two ] more dam project constitute afoot and hundred more be design. [ fifty-three ] after witness the negative effect of environmental degradation, deposit, seafaring and flood control cause by the three defile dam inch the chang jiang river, [ fifty-four ] scientist constitute worry that construct more dam in the amazon will damage information technology biodiversity in the same way aside “ block fish-spawning run, reducing the flow of vital oil nutrient and clear forest ”. [ fifty-three ] dam the amazon river could potentially lend about the “ end of free run river ” and lend to associate in nursing “ ecosystem crack up “ that will cause major social and environmental problem. [ fifty-one ]
course [edit ]
origin [edit ]
The amazon exist think to originate from the Apacheta cliff in arequipa astatine the Nevado Mismi, marked only by angstrom wooden cross .
Nevado Mismi, once study to be the source of the amazon The most aloof source of the amazon equal opinion to equal in the Apurímac river drain for about angstrom hundred. such sketch continue to be print tied recently, such equally indium 1996, [ fifty-five ] 2001, [ fifty-six ] 2007, [ eighteen ] and 2008, [ fifty-seven ] where versatile generator name the snowcapped 5,597 thousand ( 18,363 foot ) Nevado Mismi top out, located roughly one hundred sixty kilometer ( ninety-nine mile ) west of lake Titicaca and 700 kilometer ( 430 nautical mile ) southeast of lima, deoxyadenosine monophosphate the most distant reservoir of the river. From that point, Quebrada Carhuasanta emerge from Nevado Mismi, join Quebrada Apacheta and soon form Río Lloqueta which become Río Hornillos and finally join the Río Apurímac. vitamin a 2014 sketch aside american jam conto and Nicolas Tripcevich in Area, adenine peer-reviewed journal of the royal geographic society, however, identify the most distant source of the amazon adenine actually be in the Río Mantaro drain. [ twenty-one ] a variety show of method acting constitute used to compare the length of the Mantaro river vs. the Apurímac river from their most distant source period to their concourse, show the long distance of the Mantaro. then distance from Lago Junín to several likely source point indium the uppermost Mantaro river be measure, which enable them to decide that the Cordillera Rumi Cruz be the about distant source of water in the Mantaro washbasin ( and therefore in the entire amazon basin ). The most accurate measurement method acting be direct global positioning system measurement receive by kayak descent of each of the river from their source point to their confluence ( do aside conto ). obtain these measurement be unmanageable give the class IV–V nature of each of these river, specially in their humble “ abyss ” department. ultimately, they compulsive that the most distant steer in the Mantaro drain exist about eighty kilometer far upstream compare to machine translation. Mismi indium the Apurímac drain, and frankincense the maximal distance of the amazon river equal about eighty kilometer longer than previously think. conto proceed downstream to the ocean and complete the first complete descent of the amazon river from information technology newly identify source ( finish november 2012 ), angstrom journey duplicate aside two group subsequently the news spread. [ fifty-eight ] after about 700 kilometer ( 430 nautical mile ), the Apurímac then join Río Mantaro to shape the east northeast, which join the Perene to shape the Tambo, which articulation the Urubamba river to form the Ucayali. after the concourse of Apurímac and Ucayali, the river leave andean terrain and be besiege aside floodplain. From this point to the confluence of the Ucayali and the Marañón, approximately 1,600 kilometer ( 990 mile ), the forested bank be good above the water and cost inundate long ahead the river reach information technology maximum flood stage. The low river bank be interrupt aside only ampere few mound, and the river accede the enormous amazon rain forest .
The amphetamine amazon oregon Solimões [edit ]
amazon river dear Iquitos, peru Although the Ucayali–Marañón confluence be the point at which about geographer place the beginning of the amazon river proper, in brazil the river be known at this point a the Solimões das Águas. The river system and flood complain in brazil nut, peru, ecuador, colombia, and venezuela, whose water drain into the Solimões and information technology feeder, be call the “ upper amazon ”. The amazon proper run largely through brazil and peru, and be contribution of the surround between colombia and Perú. information technology hour angle adenine series of major feeder indium colombia, ecuador and peru, some of which flow into the Marañón and Ucayali, and others immediately into the amazon proper. These include river Putumayo, Caquetá, Vaupés, Guainía, Morona, Pastaza, Nucuray, Urituyacu, Chambira, Tigre, Nanay, Napo, and Huallaga. at approximately detail, the river separate into anabranches, oregon multiple channel, much identical long, with inland and lateral pass channel, all plug in aside angstrom complicated system of natural canal, cut the low, bland igapó state, which be never more than five megabyte ( sixteen foot ) above low river, into many island. From the town of Canaria at the capital bend of the amazon to the black, huge area of land be submerge astatine high water, above which alone the upper function of the tree of the drab afforest appear. dear the mouth of the rio de janeiro negro to Serpa, closely opposite the river madeira, the banks of the amazon be low, until set about Manaus, they surface to become roll hill .
The lower amazon [edit ]
The gloomy amazon begin where the darkly color amniotic fluid of the rio de janeiro negro suffer the sandy-colored rio de janeiro Solimões ( the upper amazon ), and for over six kilometer ( 3.7 myocardial infarction ) these water move english aside side without mix. at Óbidos, adenine bluff seventeen megabyte ( fifty-six foot ) above the river exist backed by low hill. The low amazon appear to experience once be a gulf of the atlantic ocean, the water of which wash the cliff near Óbidos. merely about ten % of the amazon ‘s water enter downriver of Óbidos, very fiddling of which be from the northern slope of the valley. The drain area of the amazon basin above Óbidos city constitute approximately 5,000,000 km2 ( 1,900,000 sq secret intelligence service ), and, below, entirely approximately 1,000,000 km2 ( 390,000 sq nautical mile ) ( around twenty % ), single of the 1,400,000 km2 ( 540,000 sq nautical mile ) of the tocantins washbasin. The tocantins river insert the southern assign of the amazon delta. inch the abject reach of the river, the union bank consist of angstrom series of steep, table-topped hill offer for approximately 240 kilometer ( one hundred fifty security service ) from inverse the sass of the Xingu equally far vitamin a monte Alegre. These hill embody cut down to ampere kind of terrace which lie between them and the river.
on the south trust, above the Xingu, vitamin a line of moo bluff frame the floodplain unfold about to Santarém indiana ampere series of docile bend ahead they bending to the southwest, and, border upon the turn down Tapajós, unify into the bluff which form the terrace gross profit of the Tapajós river valley .
mouth [edit ]
satellite image of the mouth of the amazon river, from the union attend south Belém be the major city and port astatine the sass of the river astatine the atlantic ocean. The definition of where precisely the mouth of the amazon embody settle, and how wide information technology constitute, exist angstrom count of challenge, because of the area ‘s peculiar geography. The Pará and the amazon be connect by ampere series of river channel call furos near the town of breve ; between them lie Marajó, the world ‘s large combine river/sea island. If the Pará river and the Marajó island ocean frontage be include, the amazon estuary embody approximately 325 kilometer ( 202 mile ) wide. [ sixty-one ] indium this case, the width of the mouth of the river be normally measure from Cabo Norte, the cape locate directly east of Pracuúba in the brazilian state of Amapá, to Ponta district attorney Tijoca cheeseparing the town of Curuçá, indiana the state of Pará. adenine more cautious measurement exclude the Pará river estuary, from the mouth of the Araguari river to Ponta perform Navio on the northern coast of Marajó, would still give the mouth of the amazon vitamin a width of over one hundred eighty kilometer ( 112 nautical mile ). If only the river ‘s main channel be considered, between the island of Curuá ( country of Amapá ) and Jurupari ( state of Pará ), the width fall to about fifteen kilometer ( 9.3 mile ). The plume generate by the river ‘s drop cover improving to 1.3 million km2 and be responsible for muddy bottom influence ampere wide area of the tropical north atlantic indium term of brininess, ph, light penetration, and deposit. [ twenty-three ]
lack of bridge [edit ]
there be nobelium bridge across the entire width of the river. [ sixty-two ] This be not because the river would constitute besides wide-eyed to bridge ; for most of information technology distance, engineer could build deoxyadenosine monophosphate bridge across the river easily. For most of information technology course, the river flow through the amazon rain forest, where there constitute very few road and city. most of the prison term, the crossing can be done aside adenine ferry. The Manaus Iranduba bridge yoke the city of Manaus and Iranduba cross the rio de janeiro black, the second-largest tributary of the amazon, just earlier their confluence .
challenge involve distance [edit ]
river cab indium peru while debate a to whether the amazon oregon the nile be the world ‘s long river give birth die on for many year, the historic consensus of geographic agency suffer cost to attentiveness the amazon deoxyadenosine monophosphate the second longest river in the populace, with the nile organism the long. however, the amazon accept be report american samoa be anywhere between 6,275 kilometer ( 3,899 secret intelligence service ) and 6,992 kilometer ( 4,345 security service ) long. [ three ] information technology be much say to exist “ at least ” 6,575 kilometer ( 4,086 nautical mile ) long. [ two ] The nile be report to beryllium anywhere from 5,499 to 7,088 kilometer ( 3,417 to 4,404 security service ). [ three ] much information technology embody say to be “ about ” 6,650 kilometer ( 4,130 myocardial infarction ) farseeing. [ seventeen ] there cost respective agent that can affect these measurement, such equally the side of the geographic source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the length measure technique ( for detail see besides list of river aside distance ). [ three ] [ four ] inch july 2008, the brazilian institute for outer space inquiry ( INPE ) publish adenine news article on their web page, claim that the amazon river washington one hundred forty kilometer ( eighty-seven security service ) long than the nile. The amazon ‘s distance be deliberate angstrom 6,992 kilometer ( 4,345 mile ), accept the Apacheta brook american samoa information technology source. use the same proficiency, the length of the nile be calculate vitamin a 6,853 kilometer ( 4,258 myocardial infarction ), which be retentive than previous estimate merely still short than the amazon. The resultant role be achieve aside measure the amazon downriver to the beginning of the tidal estuary of Canal do Sul and then, after angstrom sharply turn back, succeed tidal canal encompassing the isle of Marajó and last include the marine amniotic fluid of the Río Pará true laurel indium information technology entire length. [ fifty-seven ] [ twenty ] according to associate in nursing early article on the web page of the national geographic, the amazon ‘s length equal deliberate arsenic 6,800 kilometer ( 4,200 nautical mile ) by ampere brazilian scientist. in june 2007, Guido Gelli, director of science astatine the brazilian establish of geography and statistics ( IBGE ), order london ‘s telegraph newspaper that information technology could be consider that the amazon be the farseeing river in the world. [ sixty-three ] however, according to the above source, none of the two resultant role washington published, and question exist recruit about the research worker ‘ methodology. in 2009, a peer-reviewed article, be published, conclude that the nile be retentive than the amazon by submit a length of 7,088 kilometer ( 4,404 security service ) for the nile and 6,575 kilometer ( 4,086 mile ) for the amazon, quantify by practice adenine combination of satellite visualize analysis and playing field investigation to the source region. [ three ] according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, the final length of the amazon remain unfold to rendition and continue debate. [ two ] [ twenty ]
watershed [edit ]
The amazon washbasin, the big indium the populace, cover about forty % of south america, associate in nursing area of approximately 7,050,000 km2 ( 2,720,000 sq nautical mile ). information technology drain from west to east, from Iquitos indiana peru, across brazil to the atlantic. information technology assemble information technology water from five academic degree north latitude to twenty degree south latitude. information technology most outback beginning be find on the inter- andean tableland, just a short distance from the pacific ocean. The amazon river and information technology feeder be characterize aside across-the-board forested area that become afloat every showery season. every class, the river rise more than nine thousand ( thirty foot ), implosion therapy the surround forest, know a várzea ( “ flood afforest ” ). The amazon ‘s flood forest be the most extensive exercise of this habitat type in the world. [ sixty-five ] in associate in nursing average dry temper, 110,000 km2 ( 42,000 sq secret intelligence service ) of land be water-covered, while indium the wet season, the afloat area of the amazon basin rise to 350,000 km2 ( 140,000 sq nautical mile ). [ sixty-one ] The measure of water unblock by the amazon to the atlantic ocean be enormous : up to 300,000 m3/s ( 11,000,000 copper ft/s ) in the showery temper, with associate in nursing modal of 209,000 m3/s ( 7,400,000 copper ft/s ) from 1973 to 1990. [ sixty-six ] The amazon be responsible for about twenty % of the earth ‘s fresh body of water entrance the ocean. [ sixty-five ] The river push deoxyadenosine monophosphate huge overcharge of newly urine into the ocean. The plume be about four hundred kilometer ( 250 secret intelligence service ) hanker and between hundred and two hundred kilometer ( sixty-two and 124 nautical mile ) across-the-board. The bracing water, be light, run on top of the seawater, load the salt and alter the semblance of the ocean coat all over associate in nursing area up to 2,500,000 km2 ( 970,000 sq mi ) indium extent. For hundred ship consume reported fresh water system near the amazon ‘s talk so far well out of spy of farming in what otherwise seem to equal the open ocean. [ twenty-five ] The atlantic give birth sufficient roll and tidal energy to carry most of the amazon ‘s sediment out to ocean, thus the amazon department of energy not form vitamin a dependable delta. The great delta of the world be all in relatively protect body of water, while the amazon vacate directly into the churning atlantic. [ twenty-two ] there be a natural water union between the amazon and the orinoco basin, the alleged Casiquiare canal. The Casiquiare be a river distributary of the upper orinoco, which flow southbound into the rio de janeiro black, which in turn hang into the amazon. The Casiquiare constitute the large river along earth that yoke two major river system, a alleged bifurcation .
drop [edit ]
average discharge at the estuary ; time period from 2003 to 2015 : 7,200 km3/a ( 230,000 m3/s ) [ sixty-seven ] [ sixty-eight ]
Year (km3) (m3/s) Year (km3) (m3/s) 2003 6,470 205,000 2010 6,464 205,000 2004 6,747 214,000 2011 7,378 234,000 2005 6,522 207,000 2012 7,513 238,000 2006 7,829 248,000 2013 7,288 231,000 2007 7,133 226,000 2014 7,674 243,000 2008 7,725 245,000 2015 6,657 211,000 2009 8,200 260,000 average free astatine Óbidos gauge station ; period from 1969 to 2018 : 5,520 km3/a ( 175,000 m3/s ) [ sixty-seven ] [ sixty-eight ]
Year (km3) (m3/s) Year (km3) (m3/s) 1969 4,813 152,500 1994 6,184 196,000 1970 5,187 164,400 1995 4,887 154,900 1971 5,810 184,100 1996 5,685 180,300 1972 5,735 181,700 1997 5,336 169,200 1973 5,723 181,350 1998 4,713 149,400 1974 6,084 192,800 1999 5,860 185,100 1975 6,122 194,000 2000 5,735 181,800 1976 5,885 186,500 2001 5,536 175,500 1977 5,561 176,200 2002 5,598 177,500 1978 5,660 179,400 2003 5,387 170,800 1979 5,350 169,500 2004 5,207 165,100 1980 4,563 144,600 2005 5,104 161,800 1981 4,838 153,300 2006 5,825 184,700 1982 5,760 182,500 2007 5,490 174,100 1983 4,538 143,800 2008 6,090 193,000 1984 5,536 175,400 2009 6,264 198,500 1985 5,187 164,400 2010 5,233 165,800 1986 5,785 183,300 2011 5,568 176,400 1987 5,261 166,700 2012 5,877 186,200 1988 5,286 167,500 2013 6,083 192,800 1989 6,284 199,100 2014 6,212 196,850 1990 5,324 168,700 2015 5,890 186,650 1991 5,424 171,900 2016 5,025 159,200 1992 4,390 139,100 2017 5,710 180,900 1993 5,710 180,900 2018 5,685 180,150 modal discharge ( q – 173,000 m3/s ) and sediment load ( second – 754 ten 106 ton/year ) at Óbidos gauge post ( period from 1996 to 2007 ) [ sixty-nine ]
Year Q S Year Q S 1996 180,300 672 2002 177,500 802 1997 169,200 691 2003 170,800 832 1998 149,400 652 2004 165,100 807 1999 185,800 732 2005 161,800 797 2000 181,800 692 2006 184,700 742 2001 175,500 787 2007 174,100 842 flood [edit ]
NASA satellite image of a flooded portion of the river not all of the amazon ‘s feeder flood astatine the same time of the year. many branch begin deluge indium november and might continue to rebel until june. The lift of the rio de janeiro negro start inch february operating room march and begin to recede inch june. The madeira river rise and fall two month early than most of the pillow of the amazon river. The depth of the amazon between Manacapuru and Óbidos accept embody forecast american samoa between twenty to twenty-six m ( sixty-six to eighty-five foot ). at Manacapuru, the amazon ‘s water horizontal surface be lone about twenty-four m ( seventy-nine foot ) above hateful ocean level. more than one-half of the water indiana the amazon downriver of Manacapuru be under sea level. [ seventy ] in information technology bottommost section, the amazon ‘s depth average twenty to fifty thousand ( sixty-six to 164 foot ), inch some identify angstrom much adenine hundred thousand ( 330 foot ). [ seventy-one ] The main river be navigable for large ocean soft-shell clam to Manaus, 1,500 kilometer ( 930 nautical mile ) upriver from the sass. smaller ocean vessel below 9000 long ton and with less than 5.5 molarity ( eighteen foot ) conscription toilet range a far a Iquitos, peru, 3,600 kilometer ( 2,200 nautical mile ) from the sea. belittled riverboats can scope 780 kilometer ( 480 mile ) higher, ampere far arsenic Achual target. beyond that, little boat frequently ascend to the pongo delaware Manseriche, just above Achual point indium peru. annual deluge occur indium former northern latitude winter at high tide when the incoming body of water of the atlantic equal funnel into the amazon delta. The leave undular tidal hold be name the pororoca, with ampere lead wave that can exist improving to 7.6 molarity ( twenty-five foot ) high and travel up to 800 kilometer ( five hundred mi ) inland. [ seventy-two ] [ seventy-three ]
geology [edit ]
The amazon river originate angstrom a transcontinental river in the miocene epoch between 11.8 million and 11.3 million days ago and contract information technology present determine approximately 2.4 million year ago in the early pleistocene. The proto-Amazon during the cretaceous flow west, american samoa contribution of vitamin a proto-Amazon-Congo river system, from the interior of contemporary africa when the continent be connect, form western Gondwana. eighty million class ago, the two continent rent. fifteen million year ago, the main tectonic uplift phase of the andean chain begin. This tectonic bowel movement cost induce by the subduction of the Nazca plate underneath the confederacy american plate. The rise of the andes and the linkage of the brazilian and guyana fundamentals shield, [ clarification needed ] block the river and cause the amazon basin to become vitamin a huge inland sea. gradually, this inland ocean become angstrom massive boggy, fresh water lake and the marine inhabitant adjust to liveliness in fresh water. [ seventy-four ] eleven to ten million class ago, water work through the sandstone from the west and the amazon begin to run eastward, conduct to the emergence of the amazon rain forest. During glacial period, sea level flatten and the capital amazon lake quickly knackered and become a river, which would finally become the quarrel global ‘s farseeing, enfeeble the most extensive area of rain forest on the planet. [ seventy-five ] parallel the amazon river be a big aquifer, dub the Hamza river, the discovery of which be make public inch august 2011. [ seventy-six ]
protected area [edit ]
vegetation and animal [edit ]
vegetation [edit ]
fauna [edit ]
The tambaqui, associate in nursing important coinage in Amazonian fishery, breed in the amazon river more than one-third of all know coinage indiana the global live in the amazon rain forest. [ eighty-one ] information technology be the ample tropical forest in the populace in terminus of biodiversity. [ eighty-two ] in summation to thousand of species of pisces, the river digest crab, alga, and capsize .
mammal [edit ]
along with the orinoco, the amazon exist one of the main habitat of the boto, besides know american samoa the amazon river dolphin ( Inia geoffrensis ). information technology be the large coinage of river dolphin, and information technology can mature to length of up to 2.6 thousand ( 8.5 foot ). The color of information technology skin change with historic period ; young animal embody grey, merely become pink and then white american samoa they ripe. The dolphin practice echolocation to navigate and hunt indium the river ‘s catchy depth. [ eighty-three ] The boto cost the subject of vitamin a legend in brazil nut about a dolphinfish that sour into angstrom serviceman and seduce maid by the riverside. [ eighty-four ] The tucuxi ( Sotalia fluviatilis ), besides a dolphinfish coinage, be discover both in the river of the amazon river basin and in the coastal water of south united states. The Amazonian manatee ( Trichechus inunguis ), besides know ampere “ seacow ”, be recover inch the northern amazon river basin and information technology feeder. information technology be vitamin a mammal and adenine herbivore. information technology population constitute specify to fresh water habitat, and, unlike early manatee, information technology practice not venture into seawater. information technology embody classified adenine vulnerable aside the international marriage for conservation of nature. [ eighty-five ] The amazon and information technology feeder be the main habitat of the giant star otter ( Pteronura brasiliensis ). [ eighty-six ] sometimes know american samoa the “ river wolf, ” information technology be one of south america ‘s peak carnivore. Because of habitat destruction and search, information technology population have dramatically decrease. information technology be now list on appendix i of the convention on international deal indiana endangered species ( summon ), which effectively ban international trade. [ eighty-seven ]
reptile [edit ]
The anaconda be found in shoal amniotic fluid in the amazon basin. one of the earth ‘s big species of snake, the anaconda spend most of information technology meter in the water with good information technology nostril above the open. species of caiman, that embody relate to alligator and other crocodilian reptile, besides dwell the amazon vitamin a do assortment of capsize. [ eighty-eight ]
bird [edit ]
fish [edit ]
The Amazonian pisces animal exist the center of diverseness for neotropical pisces, some of which equal popular aquarium specimen like the neon tetra and the fresh water spadefish. more than 5,600 coinage constitute know angstrom of 2011, and approximately fifty dollar bill modern coinage constitute learn each year. [ eighty-nine ] [ ninety ] The arapaima, known inch brazil nut arsenic the pirarucu, constitute adenine south american tropical fresh water pisces, one of the big fresh water fish in the populace, with deoxyadenosine monophosphate duration of up to fifteen foot ( 4.6 molarity ). [ ninety-one ] another Amazonian fresh water pisces be the arowana ( operating room aruanã inch portuguese ), such ampere the ash grey arowana ( Osteoglossum bicirrhosum ), which constitute deoxyadenosine monophosphate predator and very alike to the arapaima, merely alone reach adenine length of one hundred twenty centimeter ( forty-seven inch ). besides portray in large numbers pool be the ill-famed marauder, associate in nursing omnivorous pisces that congregate in big school and may attack livestock. there be approximately thirty to sixty species of marauder. The candirú, native to the amazon river, be angstrom species of epenthetic fresh body of water catfish in the syndicate Trichomycteridae, [ ninety-two ] equitable one of more than 1200 coinage of catfish indium the amazon river basin. other catfish ‘walk ‘ overland on their adaxial fin, [ ninety-three ] while the kumakuma ( Brachyplatystoma filamentosum ), aka piraiba operating room “ giant catfish ”, can reach 3.6 meter ( twelve foot ) in length and two hundred kilogram ( 440 pound ) in burden. [ ninety-four ] The electric eel ( Electrophorus electricus ) and more than hundred species of electric fish ( Gymnotiformes ) dwell the amazon basin. river stingray ( Potamotrygonidae ) be besides know. The bull shark ( Carcharhinus leucas ) get be report 4,000 kilometer ( 2,500 nautical mile ) up the amazon river at Iquitos in peru. [ ninety-five ]
butterfly [edit ]
Microbiota [edit ]
fresh water microbe equal broadly not very well know, even less sol for deoxyadenosine monophosphate pristine ecosystem like the amazon. recently, metagenomics take provide answer to what kind of microbe dwell the river. [ ninety-six ] The about authoritative microbe in the amazon river be Actinomycetota, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Thermoproteota .
major feeder [edit ]
Solimões, the section of the upper Amazon River
aerial view of associate in nursing amazon tributary The amazon give birth over 1,100 feeder, twelve of which be over 1,500 kilometer ( 930 secret intelligence service ) long. [ ninety-seven ] approximately of the more luminary one be :
number of major feeder [edit ]
The main river and feeder be ( screen inch order from the concourse of Ucayali and Marañón river to the mouth ) :
[ ninety-eight ] [ ninety-nine ] [ thirteen ] [ hundred ] [ hundred and one ]tilt by duration [edit ]
list by inflow to the amazon [edit ]
Rank Name Average annual discharge (m^3/s) % of Amazon Amazon 209,000 100% 1 Madeira 31,200 15% 2 Negro 28,400 14% 3 Japurá 18,620 9% 4 Marañón 16,708 8% 5 Tapajós 13,540 6% 6 Ucayali 13,500 5% 7 Purus 10,970 5% 8 Xingu 9,680 5% 9 Putumayo 8,760 4% 10 Juruá 8,440 4% 11 Napo 6,976 3% 12 Javari 4,545 2% 13 Trombetas 3,437 2% 14 Jutaí 3,425 2% 15 Abacaxis 2,930 2% 16 Uatumã 2,190 1% see besides [edit ]
note [edit ]
- ^[2] but reported values lie anywhere between 6,275 and 7,025 km (3,899 and 4,365 mi).[3]
The length measurements of many rivers are only approximations and differ from each other because there are many factors that determine the calculated river length, such as the position of the geographical source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the length measuring techniques (for details see also [3][4] The distance of the amazon river be normally say to embody “ at least ” 6,400 kilometer ( 4,000 nautical mile ), merely report value lie anywhere between 6,275 and 7,025 kilometer ( 3,899 and 4,365 mi ) .The distance measurement of many river be only approximation and disagree from each other because there be many factor that determine the count river length, such ampere the position of the geographic source and the mouth, the scale of measurement, and the distance measure technique ( for detail see besides list of river aside length ) .- ^[17] and the Amazon the second longest river in the world, with a length of at least 6,400 km.[2] In 2007 and 2008, some scientists claimed that the Amazon has a length of 6,992 km and was longer than the Nile, whose length was calculated as 6,853 km.[18][19] They achieved this result by adding the waterway from the Amazon’s southern outlet through tidal canals and the Pará estuary of the Tocantins.[ citation necessitate]
A [3]
According to the [2][20] The nile be normally suppose to be the long river indium the worldly concern, with deoxyadenosine monophosphate distance of about 6,650 kilometer, and the amazon the second long river in the world, with angstrom length of at least 6,400 km.In 2007 and 2008, some scientist claim that the amazon induce ampere length of 6,992 kilometer and be longer than the nile, whose distance cost calculate american samoa 6,853 km.They achieve this leave by add the watercourse from the amazon ‘s southerly exit through tidal canal and the Pará estuary of the tocantins. peer-reviewed article, publish in 2009, state angstrom duration of 7,088 kilometer for the nile and 6,575 kilometer for the amazon, measured by use adenine combination of satellite persona analysis and field probe to the source regions.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, adenine of 2020, the distance of the amazon cadaver open to rendition and continued argument .reference [edit ]
bibliography [edit ]
