Question

Name the continent in which the Amazon Basin is located

Answer 1

Hint:
A river basin is that portion of land through which the main river and all its tributaries flow.
The Amazon Basin is located in the continent which is fourth-largest in size and the fifth largest in population.
Brazil is the largest country of the continent covering more than half the continent's landmass.

Complete answer:
A river basin is that portion of land through which the main river and all its tributaries flow. It is the central hydrological component for planning and development of water resources of a country. The river basin forms fertile land in its middle course and deltas in the lower course.

The Amazon Basin is located in South America. It is formed due to the tributaries that flow into the Amazon River. It flows through some parts of Brazil, parts of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia and a small part of Venezuela. Thousands of peculiar species of flora and fauna are found here. As a result, the Amazon River has been home to many civilizations like ancient Mayans and the Incas etc.

Now let’s take a look at the various features of the Amazon basin.

The Climate
Amazon basin is located in the equatorial region which is hot and humid throughout the year. Nights are comparatively less hot than the day but the humidity level remains the same. Due to such humid conditions, precipitation is seen almost every day.

The Rainforest
As it rains throughout the year the forests here are thick. The leaves of the trees form a dense roof that does not even let sunlight penetrate into the forest area. Also, the earth’s surface is moist and dark; therefore, shade-tolerant vegetation is present in plenty here. Important plant parasites found here are Bromeliads and Orchids.
Hummingbird, Toucans, Amazon Kingfisher, Hyacinth Macaw, Blue-fronted Amazon are some of the bird species found here.

Additional Information:
Temperate Deciduous Forest: They are found in the temperate regions i.e. higher latitude. They are found in the north eastern part of the USA, China, New Zealand, Chile and coastal regions of western Europe. They shed their leaves in the dry season. These forests are found in the temperate region where there is less rainfall. Oak, ash and beech are common trees found here.

Note
Students often get confused with the difference between the river basin and watershed.
A watershed is a small kind of a river basin.
All streams and tributaries have their own watershed, which drains to a larger stream or wetland.
These streams, ponds, wetlands, and lakes are part of a river basin.