The Amazon

Around seven million square kilometres, spanning eight countries and one overseas territory. Representing an area twice the size of India, it is roughly 29 times the size of the UK. ^[2]

The Amazon rainforest as we know it today is believed to have formed around 60 million years ago. Before then, 66 million years ago, a large asteroid hit Earth, causing mass extinctions including of the dinosaurs. When species diversity recovered, new ecosystems emerged including South American rainforests like the Amazon. ^[3], ^[4], ^[5] 

The Amazon rainforest is estimated to contain nearly 400 billion individual trees. These trees belong to approximately 16,000 different species. Despite this high diversity, a small group of only 227 "hyperdominant" species makes up half of the total tree population. ^[6]

The Amazon rainforest has a hot, humid, and wet tropical climate year-round, with average temperatures around 24-26 degrees centigrade. Rainfall is heavy, often exceeding 2 metres annually, with no distinct dry season, though a "less wet" period occurs from June to November. High humidity (often >80%) and daily afternoon showers are typical.^[2]

Despite centuries of study, vast, dense, and often dangerous areas remain unvisited by modern science, particularly in remote regions like the Vale do Javari (Javari Valley) in Brazil. It is exceptionally biodiverse and many species of plants and animals here remain undiscovered as entry is highly restricted. Thought to be home to the world’s largest concentration of Indigenous peoples living in isolation, there are at least 16 different isolated groups. Little is known of their language or customs. ^[7]

The Amazon has more species of primate than anywhere else on Earth, with 134 species recorded so far - although more are regularly being discovered by scientists. That means the Amazon is home to around 25% of the world's primate species. ^[8]

Yes, the Amazon River is home to several snake species, most notably the semi-aquatic Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus), which is the world's largest and heaviest snake. These, along with other species like the Rainbow Boa, hunt fish, turtles, and mammals in the river's slow-moving waters. ^[9] 

Yes, the Amazon rainforest is in grave danger and approaching a "tipping point" where it could irreversibly transition into a much drier and degraded ecosystem. By 2050, up to almost half of the Amazon could be exposed to multiple overlapping threats, including forest loss, fires and climate stress. If these pressures continue, parts of the rainforest may be pushed beyond their ability to recover, with serious consequences for both nature and the climate. ^[10]

Around 18% of the Amazon has already been cleared for other uses, mainly cattle ranching. Another 17% has been degraded by fire, unsustainable logging, and the growing fragmentation of the forest. Some scientists estimate if 22 - 28% of the Amazon is deforested, in combination with global warming, a tipping point could be triggered that would lead the majority of Amazon rainforest to collapse. ^[11]

The Amazon plays a critical role in our global climate system, acting like a giant air-conditioner, lowering land surface temperatures and generating rainfall. Losing it would impact economies, food security, water availability, and human well-being around the world. For example, trees in the Amazon supply one third of rainfall during the growing season in Brazil. Without this water supply, yields are lowered in Brazil's agricultural heartlands, one of the world's breadbaskets, which would push up food prices locally and globally. ^[12]