WhereIsAtlas · Amazon

Where Is the Amazon Rainforest?

The world's largest tropical rainforest — spanning nine South American countries and the vast Amazon Basin.

The Amazon Rainforest is the world's largest tropical rainforest, spanning about 5.5 million square kilometers across nine South American countries, mostly in Brazil. It is the most biodiverse place on Earth and a crucial part of the global climate.

The world's greatest rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, covering roughly 5.5 million square kilometers across South America. It is a vast, teeming biome that stretches from the Atlantic coast deep into the interior of the continent.

Where it is

The Amazon spans nine countries, with the vast majority — about 60% — in Brazil. Peru holds around 13% and Colombia about 10%, with smaller portions in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. The rainforest occupies the Amazon Basin, a drainage basin centered on the Amazon River and its many tributaries.

Its natural boundaries are the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Brazilian Central Plateau and the Andes foothills to the south, the Andes to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Why it matters

The Amazon is the most biodiverse place on the planet, home to an extraordinary proportion of the world's plant and animal species. It also plays a critical role in the global climate, absorbing vast amounts of carbon and producing oxygen — which is why it is often called the 'lungs of the Earth.'

The challenge

The Amazon faces serious threats from deforestation, logging, mining and climate change. The loss of forest not only destroys biodiversity but also risks accelerating global warming and altering weather patterns across South America and beyond. Protecting the Amazon is one of the great environmental challenges of our time.

Where the Amazon is now

The Amazon is still there — the largest rainforest and one of the most intact ecosystems on Earth. But it is under pressure as never before, and its future is tied to decisions made far beyond its borders. For a 'where is it' answer, the Amazon lies across most of northern South America; for a 'what's happening' answer, it is fighting for its survival.

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