Welcome to YWAM PERU
- The Amazon is called the “Lung of the World” and the “Land of Biodiversity.”
- The Amazon River and tributaries hold 20% of the world’s fresh water.
- 15% of the world’s bird and butterfly population is in the Amazon
- The Amazon is one of the only places in the world with fresh-water dolphins, some species of which are pink! These dolphins historically have been feared and worshiped by indigenous groups.
- Average rainfall across the whole Amazon basin is approximately 2,300 mm (7.5 feet) annually. In some areas of the northwest portion of the Amazon basin, yearly rainfall can exceed 6000 mm (19.7 feet)!
- The mouth of the Amazon is over 320 km (200 miles) wide.
- The seasonal variation in water levels means that huge areas along the major rivers in the Amazon basin are periodically flooded.
- In certain parts of the river, the current can reach speeds as high as 3 meters (9.8 feet) per second.
- There are 559 bird species which may be observed in the Iquitos region of the Peruvian Amazon.
- The width of the Amazon at Iquitos, Peru is about 2 km.
- Oceanic ships can easily access the port of Iquitos at high water, as the depth of the Amazon is between 40 and 50 m (up to 150+ feet deep), and in places, over 100 m (over 300 feet) deep.
- The Amazon basin is 7,050,000 km2 in area (2,500,000 square miles), and covers about 40% of South America throughout significant portions of the countries of Brazil, Perú, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia.
- The Amazon basin is home to over 2,400 known species of fish (some scientists estimate that there may be as many as 5,000 species)—from paima gigas and river catfish that weigh up to 700 lbs, to small tetras, electric eels, sting-rays, needlefish, fresh-water flying-fish, and knife-fish.
