AMAZON BASIN Meaning and
Definition
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The Amazon Basin is a vast geographical region located in South America, encompassing the drainage basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries. It is one of the world's largest river basins and spans across approximately 7 million square kilometers.
The Amazon Basin is characterized by its dense and extensive tropical rainforest, known as the Amazon Rainforest, which is considered the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. This unique ecosystem boasts an incredible array of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to the region. The Amazon Rainforest plays a vital role in global climate regulation, as it stores vast amounts of carbon dioxide and releases a significant amount of oxygen into the atmosphere.
The river itself, the Amazon River, is the second-longest river globally and carries the largest volume of freshwater into the ocean. It has an extensive network of tributaries, making it a crucial transportation route and supplying water to various communities throughout the region.
The Amazon Basin is home to diverse indigenous communities who have relied on the rainforest's resources for thousands of years. However, it also faces various environmental and socio-economic challenges, such as deforestation, illegal logging, habitat destruction, and conflicts over land rights.
Overall, the Amazon Basin is an extraordinary natural wonder that holds immense ecological, cultural, and economic importance not only to the countries it traverses but to the entire planet.
Etymology of AMAZON BASIN
The word "Amazon" is derived from the Greek mythology in which the Amazons were a fabled tribe of warrior women. The Greek historian and geographer, Herodotus, first mentioned the Amazons in the 5th century BCE. According to the myth, the Amazons lived near the Black Sea in Asia Minor and were known for their bravery and skills in combat.
The association of the Amazon warrior women with the vast river basin in South America came about during the Spanish colonization of the region in the 16th century. When the Spanish conquistadors encountered the massive Amazon River and its surrounding rainforest, they noted the similarities in size and grandeur to the mythological Amazons, and thus named the river and the surrounding area the "Amazon Basin" or "Amazonia".
