The biggest river in the world by volume is, by far, the Amazon River in South America. It is responsible for draining 20% of the world’s supply of fresh water into the ocean at a rate of 300,000 meters cubed per second! If you were thirsty and out of site of the coast line where the Amazon River drains, you would still have access to potable water!

The Amazon River is estimated at around 6200 to 6700 kilometers long, but there are conflicting numbers. As with many records for the biggest in the world; the length of the Amazon is in competition with the Nile River in Egypt. International scientists have concluded that the Amazon is anywhere from 100 to 400 kilometers longer than the Nile depending upon how it is measured.  The Amazon River is also very wide. During the rainy season, the widest point of the river can reach up to 45 kilometers wide. This same location can be as low as 10 kilometers wide in the dry season.

There are interesting species of animals that make the Amazon their home; notably the infamous piranha who can tear apart flesh at an alarming rate. Piranhas are native only to the Amazon River; however, these fish have been turning up as far north as the United States, in the Potomac River and as far east as Bangladesh in Kaptai Lake.   How did they get there? Some theorize that sneaky poachers have released them, but no one really knows for sure. Another notable species is the Amazon River Dolphin that can be measured at just over 2 and half meters long; the biggest fresh water dolphin in the world. The Amazon also contains the one of the biggest fresh water fish in the world; the pirarucu that can be measured at up to 3 meters and weigh as much as 200 kilograms. Not surprisingly, nearly one third of all the animal species in the world live in the Amazon Rainforest.