Facts about the Amazon rainforest

Consider These Facts...

• One half of Earth's biodiversity resides in the Amazon rainforest.

• One hectare (2.47 acres) of land can contain over 480 species of trees.

• One square mile of rainforest houses more than 50,000 insect species.

• Over 2,000 species of fish have been identified in the Amazon Basin.

• The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants with anti-cancer
  properties, 70% of these are found only in the rainforest.

• The "living lungs of our Earth," the Amazon rainforest generates over
  20% of the world's oxygen.

Some Tragic Realities...

• 1.5 acres of rainforest is lost every second.

• Over 34 square acres of rainforest are burned every 23 seconds.

• Up to 78 million acres of rainforest are destroyed every year.

• 80-90% of Earth's remaining rainforest is predicted to disappear
  by the year 2020.

• 137 species of plants and animals go extinct every day.

• 50,000 species of plants and animals go extinct every year.

• It was only 500 years ago that the indigenous population was in the millions.

• Deforestation is the second principal source of atmospheric carbon dioxide,
  contributing 25% of carbon emissions to our atmosphere.