1. Amazon Rainforest of South America

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest or Amazon Jungle is a tropical forest that covers the majority of the Amazon Basin. The majority, 1.4 billion acres (500,000 sq km), of the 1.7 billion acres (7 million sq km) basin is covered by the Amazon forests. The Amazon Rainforest is so large that it accounts for over half of the world's remaining rainforest.

The Amazon Jungle is housed primarily in Brazil which accounts for approximately 60% of the forest. Peru has the second greatest representation with 13% with the following countries combining to make up the rest of the forest: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.

The Amazon Rainforest is the greatest collection of plant and animal life; 1 in 10 species from around the world are found in the Amazon. The Amazon Jungle is home to approximately 427 mammals, 378 reptiles, 428 amphibians, 1,294 birds, 3,000 fish, 40,000 plants and 2.5 million insect species. One in five of all birds are found in the Amazon.

The Amazon Jungle also provides the greatest collection of wildlife that poses risk of harm to mankind. The collection of wildlife includes the jaguar, Black Caiman, anaconda, electric eels, piranha and various poisonous frogs and parasites. However, the rainforest also accounts for 438,000 difference species of plants that have economical, pharmaceutical, or social value.