THE Amazon Basin it's the biggest hydrographic basin of the world, with one of the greatest water potentials on the planet. It is located in Brazil and seven other countries in South America, namely:
Bolivia;
Colombia;
Guyana;
French Guiana;
Peru;
Suriname;
Venezuela.
One of the main rivers in this basin is the Amazon river, which is the largest and most voluminous river in the world, being the result of the meeting of the Rio Negro and Solimões. Other important rivers in this basin are the Rio Madeira and the Rio Xingu. The Amazon Basin has gigantic potential and great uses for agriculture, livestock, supply and generation of electricity.
Read too: São Francisco River – one of the largest and most important rivers in Brazil
Amazon Basin Characteristics
The Amazon River basin has about seven million square meters. It's the basin with largest volume of fresh water on the planet, being made up of the longest river in the world, the Amazon.
O Amazon riverhas about 7 thousand meters long and volume of
Water of 210,000 cubic meters, dumping approximately 31 tons of sediment into the Atlantic Ocean every second. The river is also in the largest river plain in Brazil and it is of the meander type (it presents tortuousness along its course), and can be widely used for navigation. There are about 20 thousand kilometers suitable for navigation in the Amazon River region and surroundings, in addition to an excellent hydroelectric potential.
The region is also home to the largest equatorial and tropical forest in the world, a Amazon rainforest, which is extremely rich in biodiversity, fauna and flora, being responsible for the global environmental and climate balance, in addition to having an excellent economic and social use. Also noteworthy are the various endemic species, that is, found only in that biome, which are important for the production of medicines, cosmetics, food, etc.
the Amazon River born in the Andes Mountains, in Peru, and has its basin completed in the Atlantic Ocean, in Brazil. It is the only river in the world with a mixed mouth. Much of the basin's territory is located in areas of Pwoolenare you and plateaus in the Northern Region of Brazil, which covers seven states:
Acre;
Amapá;
Amazons;
For;
Rondônia;
Roraima;
Tocantins.
It is worth saying that this river only presents relief mountainous at its source in Peru. In addition, he receives several names until it was known as the Amazon River. Upon entering Brazil, he receives the name of Solimões in the municipality of Tabatinga (Brazilian border), in the state of Amazonas, where it follows its course until it meets the Rio Negro, near the city of Manaus, when it becomes known as the Amazon River.
Rivers that form the Amazon Basin
The Amazon River basin is formed by more than 1,000 tributaries, that come from the countries where she is located, which have rivers smaller and other water sources that drain their volume into the basin.
The tributaries of the Amazon River are on both banks, both right and left, and contribute to maintaining the large volume of flow in the Amazon. You main rivers and tributaries that make up the Amazon Basin are:
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
River Woods;
Xingu River;
Trumpets River;
White River;
Purus River;
Tapajos River;
Içá River;
Japurá River;
Jari River;
Javari River;
Tarauacá River;
Itacuaí River;
Iriri River.
See too: Tietê River – river of great economic and cultural importance
Importance of the Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin has numerous uses, such as the supply of cities and riverside populations, with the use of water for domestic activities, and also the development of agriculture and local livestock, with the production of inputs for immediate consumption in cities and livestock.
Also stands out in the region the navigation. There are more than 20 thousand navigable kilometers, using small, medium and large vessels, transporting both people and goods. Furthermore, there are several services and ample commerce, which operate from city to city, along the course of these navigable rivers, passing through villages and riverside towns.
In addition to the services developed by riverside populations in the rivers, they also develop the fishing, both for consumption and sustenance of several families and for local commerce and other regions, including exports to other consumer markets.
![Port of Manaus (AM): transport of people and goods. [1]](/f/e44ec34616d569f5efbcfaa1eb3894a3.jpg)
Another prominent activity in the basin is the responsibility of the tourism in the areas of fresh water beaches, very common in the Amazon River region. Also noteworthy is the eco tourism, promoted by hotel activities, such as resorts located close to the river, and which have extensive development of services related to the area.
![Tourism in Ilha do Amor – Alter do Chão – PA. [1]](/f/7ede596ffb5d5a9d5537666d26bc1cef.jpg)
Hydroelectric
As it holds one of the largest and most voluminous rivers in the world, it is understood that the Amazon Basin region has great hydroelectric potential, right? Wrong. This basin is in a little bumpy relief — plain areas —, which consequently generates little potential for the production of electricity.
Much is said about the volume of rivers and the production of electricity, but the debate should revolve around the environmental impact that this activity generates and the low productivity in the region. A classic example is the Balbina Dam, on the Uatumã River. This plant has a flood area similar to that of the Itaipu plant, but its production is not efficient, as the Balbina plant does not cannot supply even the city of Manaus, while Itaipu generates 14,000 MW of power and supplies 17.3% of the energy consumed in the Brazil.
The main hydroelectric plants operating in the Amazon Basin are:
Belo Monte, with 11,233 MW of installed power;
Tucuruí, with 8,535 MW;
Jirau, with 3,750 MW;
Santo Antônio, with 3,568 MW;
Teles Pires, with 1,819 MW.
Image credits
[1]Caio Flints / Shutterstock
By Gustavo Henrique Mendonça
Geography teacher
