Untitled Document
 There
are many rivers in the world. But do you know what the largest river
in the world is? The answer is the Amazon River in South America.
It runs from the Andes Mountains
in Peru through Brazil to the Atlantic
Ocean. Also, it is one of the world's longest rivers. Keep reading
and learn more about the Amazon River!
The Amazon is the widest river in the world. From Peru all the way
across Brazil to the Atlantic, the river is between 6 and 10 kilometers
wide. It is even wider (40 kilometers) when it is flooded in the wet season.
 So,
how long is the river? Don't be surprised. The river is
6,280 km long! It is the world's second longest river. The world's
longest river is the Nile River in Africa. It is 6,670 km long.
The Amazon River makes up for 1/5 of the Earth's fresh water. The
Amazon contains more water than
any other river in the world - more than the Mississippi, the Nile
and the Yangtze put together!
The Amazon River was discovered by a Spanish explorer named Francisco
de Orellana in 1541. When he found the river, he saw some women warriors. Orellana named
the river "Rio Amazonas" after these women, whom he compared to the Amazons of
ancient Greek mythology.
 The
Amazon rainforest is the home of
over 300 species of mammals. You can also find
thousands of freshwater fish, tens of
thousands of trees and nearly a hundred thousand
other plant species there. Also, there are so many kinds of insects and frogs. New species
of wildlife are still being
discovered today!
The Amazon is home to the piranha. It is the world's
most horrifying fish. Piranhas
can grow up to 60 centimeters long. And they can kill big animals.
They can even kill humans! They strip the flesh from animals' bones
in a few minutes! |
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