The Amazon is the greatest river in the world and by so many measures; the volume of water it carries to the sea (approximately 20% of all the freshwater discharge into the oceans), the area of land that drains into it, and its width. It is one of the longest rivers in the world and, depending upon who you talk to, is anywhere between 6,259 kilometres and 6,712 kilometres.
At its widest point the Amazon River can be 11 kilometres wide during the dry season. The area covered by the Amazon River and its tributaries more than triples over the course of a year. In an average dry season 110,000 square kilometres of land are water-covered, while in the wet season the flooded area of the Amazon Basin rises to 350,000 square km. Where the Amazon opens at its estuary the river is over 325 kilometres wide!
We spend 4-5 days sailing the Amazon River. Due to the Trans Amazon Highway becoming impassable, the rivers are the only practical means of communication and transportation.
