The Amazon is an area covering approximately 8 million km2 or 14 times the size of France. This is an area of freshwater and forest which is spread over 9 countries, namely Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam and the Dutch and French Guiana. A set of rich and complex ecosystems, shared between states of different historical and cultural backgrounds.

The Amazonia that interests us here is the Brazilian Amazonia called equally 'Legal Amazonia' since she represents 80% of the total Amazonia and 57% of the Brazilian national territory, that is to say 4.8 millions of km2.

The Amazon River is the lifeblood of this forest. The 'Mother River', as it is called there, stretches over 7,000 km. It is supplied by 1,100 major tributaries.

The Amazon produces the 2/3 fresh water of the planet by évapo-transpiration of the trees - see: cycle of water - and shelters 1/3 pluvial forest of the planet:

The biovariety of the Amazon forest is unique and the richest of the world. One counts near a million botanical and animal species there, that is half of those listed on the planet, 2'500 sorts of fishes, 2'500 sorts of birds, 5'000 sorts of trees of more than 30 cms in diameter, among which 3'500 are listed. This biovariety constitutes a considerable reservoir on a dietary plan as well as medical plan, since existing medicines and 70% of those at present tested result from plants of the rain forest, and this, just in the field of the cancer.

The scientists of the whole world have difficulty in agreeing on these figures aiming at counting this extraordinary variety of plants and animals. This universe always seemed unlimited and inexhaustible but however, as any alive body, it possesses its limits.

The Amazon is the largest freshwater reserve in the world.