In the one second it took for this webpage to load on your screen, the Amazon River dumped 288,000 cubic yards of water into the Atlantic Ocean. Not including the polar ice caps, the river holds 20% of the planets fresh water supply and its watershed covers 40% of South America; nearly 5% of the continental surface area of the Earth. From its birthplace in the Peruvian Andes the river meanders 4200 miles to the sea, further than the Nile River. In the rainy season it is capable of flooding its banks in places up to 30 miles wide on both sides and measures nearly 1000 feet deep at its deepest point.
(Source: http://animalesyplantasdeperu.blogspot.com/2007/04/el-ro-amazonas.html)
Cargo ships frequent the Amazon from the Ocean all the way to Iquitos, Peru; a journey of about 1480 miles. Across that remarkable distance, the river drops only 350 feet; a scarce 3 inches per mile! Note that a typical freighter measures 450 feet in length! Many rivers in mountainous areas drop more than 350 feet in just one mile.
Travelling the length of the river can be broken into three comfortable legs: From Iquitos, Peru to Leticia, Colombia; Leticia to Manaus; and Manaus to Belem at the river delta. We spent four incredibly relaxing days on the boat travelling the middle section from Leticia to Manaus.
