The Amazon rain forest is a region of 5.5 million km2 located in South America with a multinational condition. Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, and Surinam have Amazon rain forest territory. Brazil and Peru are the most important stakeholders of the Amazon rain forest. The Amazon rain forest has in its territory the longest river of the world, the Amazon River, which has more than ten affluent rivers in the north and south of the river. The Amazon River is considered the most important oxygen generator of the world contributing to the CO2 and O2 equilibrium of the world .
The Amazon rainforest is rich in resources. Over the surface, the Amazon rainforest has 20% of all the world bird species, 30% of mammal species and 20% of flower species. The Amazon rainforest is a complete ecosystem with an average temperature of 30°C that allows the developing of animal life without important migrations in the year. Down the surface, the Amazon rainforest has a diversity of mineral and fossil resources as gold, silver, copper, coltan and oil.
The exploitation of natural resources in the Amazon rainforest by both legal and illegal ways is destroying the natural equilibrium of the ecosystem. The oil exploitation has the potential risk of spills over the river surroundings, for example, Texaco oil spill in Ecuador. The gold, silver and coltan minerals destroy vast vegetation extensions affecting the flowers, birds and mammals ecosystem. The governments of South America with the support of multilateral agencies have the responsibility to protect and regulate the mineral and oil extraction in the Amazon rain forest. The deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and the contamination of the Amazon River will cause irreversible consequences to the world.
Reference List
National Geographic, 2015. South America: Resources. [Online] Available at: http://education.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/south-america-resources/
