The rising of the Andes dammed the river’s flow forming a massive lake. Millions of years ago during the Cenozoic Era the Amazon River actually flowed in the opposite direction, exiting into the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, the water become languid as the land flattens out, and the Amazon takes on the character we more commonly associate with it a meandering broad river snaking through a hot jungle. As the flow grows in size, it creates some of the world’s deepest canyons within the flanks of the Andes Mountains. Its upper tributaries in the Andes originate in a world of ice, snow and rock. The geography along the Amazon’s length changes radically. It begins 200 km from the west coast of South America at almost 18,000 feet and winds its way to the other side of the continent exiting into the Atlantic Ocean. At 6,275 km in length it is the world’s second longest river. The Amazon is the largest river by volume and contains 20% of the world’s fresh water supply.
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