The Amazon

The Brazilian Amazon is made up of the states of Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Rondônia, Amapá and Tocantins, all of which are located in the North region; and part of the states of Maranhão and Mato Grosso, located in the northeast and mid-west regions. The nine states add to approximately 5.2 million km², which is equivalent to almost 55% of the Brazilian territory.

Almost 20 million inhabitants - the majority lives in the cities - in this immense territory, leaving great part of the rural areas inhabited. Due to its geographic location and to its rivers and lakes, in the Amazon basin (which occupies an area of 6.500.000km² of South America) there are few roads.

This way the fluvial transportation becomes absolutely indispensable, causing thousands of boats, ships and canoes to ride on the Amazon rivers, on trips that may take several weeks to the far away locations.

Amazon Forest: aerial view

Usually there are two seasons yearly, the summer which is a period with less rain, and winter, a period where the index reaches high marks. The river water level oscillates according to the time of the year.

The river goes up from November and reaches its mark by the end of June. It stays stable for about two weeks and then goes down from around the middle of June until the end of October. The difference in water levels can reach 12 meters.

Yearly with the rise of the water level , between the months of April and august, part of the rainforest is flooded, creating the “igapós”, which are great areas of submerse forest, filled with beauty, exoticism and life, favorable for bird watching, monkeys, sloth, orchids and uncountable species of Amazonian fauna and flora.

During the period when the river water is going down, during the months of September through February, is the ideal season for fishing, especially for tucunaré, piranhas, tambaquis and other species.

Map of the State of Amazonas, Brazil

Amazonas is the biggest Brazilian state, with a territorial area of 1.577.820,2 km² and over 2.580.860 inhabitants, according to the 2002 census performed by the Institute of geography and statistics - IBGE.

Its capital, Manaus, is located at almost 1.600km from the Atlantic Ocean, and at 3º 8’1” of south latitude in reference to Greenwich; with approximately 1,5 million inhabitants, it is considered a metropolis of the north region.

Manaus offers a great tourist infrastructure, wide streets and landscaped avenues, modern overpasses, and different level passages, electric power, basic sanitation, public safety, diversified urban and tourist services (hotels, jungle hotels, airlines, car rentals, exchange, restaurants, night clubs, malls, road and river transportation, consulates, medical services, etc.).

The city, which is the most important gateway for tourism at the north of Brazil, integrates harmony and the beauty of its cultural and historical past with the needs and demands of the contemporary life style.

(*) Picture kindly furnished by Manaustur - Municipal Foundation of Tourism, Official Tourism Dept. of the City of Manaus.