Discover the Amazon — interactive learning path

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You might be wondering: What is a rainforest?

What are Rainforests?

Click on the box with the right answer.

A rainforest is exactly what you’d think!

A very forest biome!

  • cold
  • dry
  • rainy
  • sandy
Tropical rainforests like the Amazon are usually very wet, so they don’t naturally catch fire. Sadly, in recent years, fires have become more common. In the Amazon, this is mainly because of two things: long dry periods called droughts, and illegal deforestation caused by farming, cattle ranching, and mining. You’ll learn more about this in the section about Fires in the Amazon.

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Rainforests are full of life. The heavy rainfall helps many different plants and animals grow and thrive.

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Thanks to the rain,

rainforests have climates. They stay all year round.

  • warm
  • wet
  • dry
  • green
  • cold

Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) works across the Amazon and Central American rainforests.

There are rainforests in different parts of the world. The world's three biggest rainforests are highlighted on the map below!

Here is something to think about:

Why do you think there are no rainforests in Antarctica?

You're right—Antarctica is too cold and dry for trees today. But believe it or not, millions of years ago, forests once grew there!

To understand why Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) works in rainforests across Central and South America, and who we work with, we first need to learn more about rainforests, especially the Amazon!

Rainforests are some of the oldest living ecosystems on Earth, where plants, animals, and people all depend on each other.

  • Unique ecosystems
  • Indigenous communities
  • Wildlife

But some humans are destroying rainforests, especially the Amazon!

  • Explore rainforest Biodiversity
  • Learn about the Indigenous Peoples protecting rainforests
  • Jump to Threats to the Amazon

The Amazon is the biggest tropical rainforest in the world! The mighty Amazon River, the largest river on Earth by water flow, runs through it.

  • The Amazon River is huge!
  • It carries more water than any other river on Earth.

The other 7 largest rivers on Earth combined would have less water than the Amazon river.

Check out these other huge rivers! Can you guess where each one is?

  • Nile RiverThe Nile River flows through 11countries in northeastern Africa.Nile River
  • Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze River is the longestriver in China.Yangtze River
  • Mississippi RiverYou can visit the MississippiRiver in the United States.Mississippi River

The Amazon holds about half of all the rainforests that still exist on our planet.

Wow, the whole United States could fit inside the Amazon!

Can you guess how many countries the Amazon spreads across?

Click on the box with the right answer.

The Amazon spreads

across countries.

  • 3
  • 5
  • 9

Select the countries that have part of the Amazon Rainforest in them.

Now that we know how big my home is, what does life in the Amazon really look like?

Hint: there is more than one right answer!

Which images show the Amazon?

RFUS works with Indigenous peoples across rainforests in Central and South America.

What does the word Indigenous mean to you?

(Something to think about!)

  • It's their homeIndigenous peoples have lived inthe Amazon for thousands of years. They protect the rainforest andhelp keep everything in balance,because it’s their home!It's their home
  • Indigenous knowledgeIndigenous knowledge: Indigenouspeoples have deep knowledge of the rainforest. They know whichplants can be used as medicine and how to grow crops and fruit trees in ways that keep the foresthealthy.Indigenous knowledge
  • Rainforest protectorsIndigenous peoples live in aboutone-third of all the rainforestsleft on Earth. Studies show thatthe rainforests they care for arethe healthiest, with the leastamount of trees being cut down,even less than in national parks!Rainforest protectors

Rainforests are forests that:

There's a lot more to learn...

The Amazon is bursting with life—it has more types of plants and animals than anywhere else on our planet!

...and the millions of Indigenous peoples that live there protect all this amazing biodiversity!

There are many ways to define the word biodiversity

Biodiversity

(or “biological diversity") ...

…it’s a word that means the variety of life on Earth—the many kinds of plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and even people, too!

Biodiversity

(or “biological diversity") ...

…it can also mean how all living things in an ecosystem depend on each other, and how each one plays an important role.

Biodiversity

(or “biological diversity") ...

...is threatened by deforestation and climate change. As biodiversity is destroyed by human activities, ecosystems become weaker, and it gets harder for them to recover from damage.

Biodiversity

(or “biological diversity") ...

...is protected by Indigenous peoples around the world!

So, how biodiverse is the Amazon, and how much of that biodiversity do Indigenous peoples help protect?

These numbers show us the answer!

a close up of a cocoa pod hanging from a tree

16,000

The Amazon rainforest is home to about 16,000 tree species. It has 16 times more types of trees than the United States!


an Indigenous man wearing a green shirt operates a drone

80%

Indigenous peoples’ lands hold 80% of Earth’s biodiversity. This means Indigenous peoples are among the most important guardians of nature on our planet.

a close up of a flower with a purple center

10%

The Amazon Rainforest is home to 1 out of every 10 (10%) known species on Earth.

an aerial view of a large body of water surrounded by trees

50%

Rainforests cover only about 6% of Earth’s land, but they are home to around half (50%) of all known species that live on land.

Biodiversity in the Amazon is so important, but it is under threat!

Play the memory game to meet the animals that live in the Amazon

Memory Game

What do you think happens to animals when the rainforest disappears?

Click on the different animals to see what they say.

Indigenous peoples have spent thousands of years learning about all the animals and plants in the rainforest. They’ve passed down their knowledge and traditions to keep the forest in balance.

And people around the world need healthy rainforests just as much as my friends and I do!

Plants and animals are interconnected. They have unique roles in ecosystems, and they need each other to survive.

What are the two major threats to the Amazon?

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Right now, the Amazon is in danger from two major threats.

and

  • biodiversity
  • deforestation
  • climate change
  • Indigenous peoples

Not sure what "climate change" and "deforestation" are?

Let's take a deeper look!

  • Climate changeClimate change is caused by humanactivities that destroy nature and can have serious consequences for all life on Earth.Climate change
  • DeforestationDeforestation happens when peoplecut down or burn trees to clearthe land for other uses, likefarming.Deforestation

What is climate change?

When people burn fossil fuels like oil and coal, they release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the air. Trees also release CO₂ when they are burned or cut down. These gases trap heat from the sun, making the Earth warmer. A warm planet is important for life, but too many greenhouse gases make the Earth too hot, change its climate, and put all living things at risk.

Below are some of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Deforestation
  • Industry
  • Transport

🆘

Climate change is very dangerous. It makes the seas rise, storms stronger, and causes floods and droughts around the world.

  • Storms get stronger and happen more often.
  • It will be harder for people to live and grow food on a hotter planet.
  • Some animals and plants won’t be able to adapt to the changes—and we could lose them forever.

Fortunately, the rainforest helps protect our planet’s climate. Its trees absorb greenhouse gases from the air, keeping Earth cooler and healthier.

  • Deforestation and fires are making rainforests disappear faster than ever before.
  • Rainforests are one of our planet’s best natural defenses against climate change.
  • Technology is helping Indigenous communities protect their lands and stop deforestation.

Scientists have found that if large parts of the Amazon were cut down, it could lead to less rain in places like California and the western U.S., making it harder to grow food!

What happens in the rainforest affects the rest of the world!

Rainforests are under threat..

Click on the pictures to learn if they affect the Amazon rainforest positively or negatively.

Why do rainforests burn?

Rainforests are typically very wet, and they don't usually catch fire on their own. Most fires in the Amazon today are caused by people, especially when forests are cut down for farming or cattle ranching. Drought can also make fires spread more easily.


Scientists warn that if too much of the Amazon is damaged, it could reach a “tipping point” by 2050. This means that some parts of the rainforest could slowly change into drier, grassland-like areas, making it harder for rainforest plants and animals to live there.

Healthy rainforests don’t burn!

Indigenous peoples are some of the best rainforest protectors. Securing their rights to their lands is one of the best ways to protect the Amazon.

Rainforests cared for by Indigenous peoples have fewer fires, and when fires do happen, they’re not as strong. That means less forest is lost on their lands. This shows that one of the best ways to protect the Amazon from fires, mining, ranching, and illegal logging is to strengthen the land rights of Indigenous peoples who live there.

Fill in the blanks to finish the following sentences correctly.

Climate change and deforestation

major, human-caused

threats to the Amazon.

  • are
  • are not

Indigenous peoples sure do a lot to protect the rainforest! If they already have solutions, why do they work with Rainforest Foundation US?

Before we can answer this question, we have to understand what everyday life in the Amazon rainforest is like!

  • Read the story to learn about life in the Amazon
  • Learn how RFUS supports Indigenous peoples.