Amazon Rain Forest
How big do
you think the
Rain Forest is?
 1.2 Billion
acres

◦ 1,875,000 Sq
miles
Where is it?

60% in Brazil
◦ Col., Peru, Ven, Ecu, Bol, Guya., Sur, and Fr.
Guiana


Basin formed 50 million years ago
Brazilian Highlands and Guiana Highlands wore
down
◦ Left the Amazon River as a drain
 Worlds Largest River
Guiana Highlands
BASIN
Andes
Mountains
Brazilian
Highlands
Where does the name come from?
◦ Francisco de
Orellana (Spanish
conquistador, first
European)
 ran into a tribe of
fierce women
warriors
 "doing as much
fighting as ten
Indian men."
◦ Orellana recalled
the Greek myth of
warrior women and
named the entire
river "Amazonas.”

Canopy- dense mass of leaves at the
tops of rain forest trees that provides
habitat and shade
◦ Most animal life lives in the canopy
◦ Tree frogs, salamanders, monkeys, swarms of
insects, and about 1,400 species of birds
More types of butterflies than anywhere in
the world
 Worlds largest rodent: capybara
 There is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade
 Smugglers look for monkeys, parrots, lizards,
and exotic bugs

◦ parrot = $10,000
monkey = $50,000
Effects of Cutting down the RF

Bad for the whole planet = 1/3 of the
world’s oxygen comes from rainforests
◦ Photosynthesis- process of plants creating food
from CO2, H2O, and Sunlight

Holds 1/5 for worlds fresh water
ANDES Mountains

World’s largest continental
mountain range

Western Coast of S.A

Over 4,500 miles long
◦ 120-430 miles wide

Average Height of 13,000 ft
◦ Highest Peak: Aconcagua

Seven Countries: Arg, Bol, Chi,
Col, Ecu, Per, Ven
Along the Ring of Fire – Zone of Volcanic
activity
 Contains Many active volcanoes


Climate varies
◦ Why?
South = rainy and cool
 Central = Dry
 North= rainy and warm

◦ Average temp in Col = 64 deg F
Tobacco and Potatoes originated in Andes
 Polylepis – High altitude forests and
woodlands found in Andes

◦ Trees only found around 15,000 ft above sea
level

Incas practiced irrigation 6,000 years ago
◦ Terracing is quite common
Potatoes and Maize important = staple
food source
 Tobacco, coffee, and cotton leading export
crops
 Coca important for legal local use in
“mildly stimulating” herbal teas.
