The Amazon River

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The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world
and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater
than the next seven largest rivers combined (not including Madeira and
Rio Negro, which are tributuaries of the Amazon). The Amazon, which
has the largest drainage basin in the world, about 7,050,000 square
kilometres (2,720,000 sq mi), accounts for approximately one-fifth of
the world's total river flow.

In its upper stretches, above the confluence of the Negro River, the
Amazon is called Solimões in Brazil; however, in Peru, Colombia and
Ecuador, as well as the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, the river
is generally called the Amazon downstream from the confluence of the
Marañón and Ucayali rivers in Peru. The Ucayali-Apurímac river system
is considered the main source of the Amazon.

The width of the Amazon varies between 1.6 and 10 kilometres (1.0 and
6.2 mi) at low stage, but expands during the wet season to 48
kilometres (30 mi) or more. The river enters the Atlantic Ocean in a
broad estuary about 240 kilometres (150 mi) wide. The mouth of the
main stem is 80 kilometres (50 mi). Because of its vast dimensions, it
is sometimes called The River Sea. At no point is the Amazon crossed
by a bridge. This is not because of its huge dimensions; in fact, for
most of its length (which is 4,080 miles), the Amazon's width is well
within the capability of modern engineers to bridge. However, the bulk
of the river flows through tropical rainforest, where there are few
roads or cities, limiting the need for crossings.