Printed on August 27, 2007National Geographic Channel
Explorer
RSS | Archives

November 2008 Archives

Lost City of the Amazon - Facts to Know

user-pic
By Greg Chapman
November 14, 2008 2:37 PM

On the fourth night of Expedition Week (Thursday), Nat Geo takes you in to the heart of the Amazon to uncover the lost city of El Dorado...

Lost City of Amazon Premieres Thursday November 20th at 9pHere are some facts about the Amazon that you just may not know.

  • Some authorities believe that the river was named after the Amazons, women warriors of Greek mythology who were thought to reside in the region. Other scholars insist that the name is derived from the Native American word amassona, meaning "boat destroyer."
  • The total length of the river--measured from the headwaters of the Ucayali-Apurímac river system in Peru--is about 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometres), which is slightly shorter than the Nile River but still the equivalent of the distance from New York City to Rome.
  • It is estimated that about one-fifth of all the water that runs off the Earth's surface is carried by the Amazon.
  • The flood-stage discharge at the river's mouth is four times that of the Congo and more than 10 times the amount carried by the Mississippi River.
  • The Amazon Forest holds some 2,500 tree species and 30,000 plant species (30 percent of all plant species.
  • The Amazon's largest animal is the manatee, which can weigh half a ton and measure almost 10 feet in length.
  • The Amazon anaconda can reach 33 feet in length.
3 Comments
0 TrackBacks

Community Links

Share This Blog

Recent Blog Comments

Monthly Archives

Categories

NAT GEO NEWSLETTER

Always Know What's On!
 
 

Explorer opens your eyes to amazing worlds. Tune in every week for an incredible, new journey.

© National Geographic Channel 2009.