The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world and the source of 20% of the oxygen used by the earth's population. Its thick flora functions as a huge air filter, continuously absorbing carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen. Despite just covering 6% of the area of the planet, the rainforest is so large that it makes up more than half of the surviving rainforests in the world. It would accommodate 17 times as much of Ireland as the UK! Listed below are some Amazon rainforest facts you probably didn't know.
1 - The world's largest rainforest is the Amazon.
The world's biggest tropical rainforest is the Amazon. It's so large—more than 5.5 million square kilometers—that the UK and Ireland could fit inside of it 17 times!
2 - Tribes of Amerindians reside in the Amazon jungle.
The Amazon rainforest is the home of 400–500 indigenous Amerindian tribes. About fifty of these tribes are said to have never interacted with outsiders.
3 - If you want to visit the Amazon jungle, be on the lookout for pirarucu fish.
The Pirarucu is an intriguing fish found in the Amazon (also known as the arapaima or paiche). The pirarucu is a frightening meat-eater that may grow to be about 3 meters long and gobbles up other fish. And what makes it particularly lethal? Both its tongue and the roof of its mouth are covered in teeth.
4 - The soil is very dense.
The upper branches and leaves of the trees, which make up the canopy, are so dense that they permanently block out the sun on the Amazonian floor. In fact, it's so thick that it takes the rainwater around 10 minutes to reach the ground when it rains.
5 - It serves as both an animal and plant habitat.
Around 40,000 plant species, 1,300 bird species, 2,200 fish species, 427 distinct types of mammals, 430 amphibian species, 380 reptile species, and an astounding 2.5 million different insect species are found in the Amazon's incredibly diverse environment. 10% of the known biodiversity of the planet is protected there. The Amazon supports one out of every five bird and fish species.
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6 - It isn't truly the earth's lungs.
This misleading name derives from the rainforest's astounding daily production of 20% of the world's oxygen, significantly more than any other ecosystem. While that may be the case, the vast rainforest is essentially in balance since the CO2 released by the decomposing plant matter is almost equal to that produced by the plant matter. Actually, the world's seas are where the majority of the oxygen that humans breathe originates from.
7 - There are major suppliers of both our food and medication.
In our opinion, coffee is a prime example of why it's important to protect the Amazon rainforest, which is the source of over 80% of the world's food variety. In terms of medicine, even though more than 25% of current medications contain chemicals from the Amazon, only 1% of plant species have undergone testing for potential therapeutic benefits.
8 - Great Carbon Sink.
The greatest carbon dioxide sink in the world is said to be the Amazon rainforest. As a result of absorbing carbon dioxide, it aids in reducing global carbon levels. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will skyrocket without this forest. In the end, this will result in a rise in global temperatures. Therefore, any effort to combat global warming must also entail safeguarding the Amazon.
9 - Unfit for Agriculture.
Despite the Amazon jungle's abundance of vegetation, the region is unsuitable for sustainable cultivation. The minerals required for agricultural production are absent from this terrain. This might be one of the explanations for why this woodland has been spared from widespread human violence for all of recorded time.
10 - The jungle has seen widespread deforestation.
The Amazon jungle is disappearing at an astounding rate from above due to massive deforestation. According to experts, the rainforest will entirely disappear in the next 40 years, especially if nothing is done to solve the issue. A 1.5-acre area of the rainforest is lost every second. Clearing the forest for livestock grazing and agricultural development is the primary cause of deforestation in the region.