Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest spans 5.5 million square kilometers across nine South American countries, representing over half of the planet's remaining rainforest. It is the world's largest tropical rainforest and one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The Amazon produces 20% of the world's oxygen and absorbs enormous amounts of CO2, earning it the nickname "the lungs of the Earth." The Amazon River basin contains 20% of all fresh water flowing into the world's oceans. Over 10% of all species on Earth live in the Amazon — including 40,000 plant species, 3,000 types of freshwater fish, 1,300 bird species, and at least 2.5 million insect species. Many remain undiscovered by science. Deforestation threatens this irreplaceable ecosystem. Since 1970, over 20% of the Amazon has been destroyed, and scientists warn that a "tipping point" of 25% deforestation could trigger a catastrophic ecosystem collapse.