The Amazon is the greatest river in the world 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 length and width.
"The mighty Amazon River is the lifeblood of the jungle. For half a year, freshwater fish flourish in floodwaters that rise among the trees and then, as the waters retreat, these fish face a six-month drought. The enduring Amazon is both a time capsule for ancient animals and a hothouse for the evolution of new species."
The Amazon: River of the Sun DVD
AOL Health