The Amazon rainforest was named one of the New7Wonders of Nature in 2011. The announcement came on 11 November 2011, when the New7Wonders organization revealed its provisional list of seven winners after a worldwide public vote.
The designation covered the Amazon as a broad natural region of rainforest and river, rather than a single park or landmark. The Amazon spans parts of several South American countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
The result was later celebrated through official inauguration events. One major ceremony took place in Iquitos, Peru, in August 2012, where a commemorative plaque was unveiled. This sometimes causes confusion about the date: 2011 was the year of the selection, while 2012 marked an official inauguration ceremony.
The New7Wonders title is a recognition from an international popular-vote campaign, not a UNESCO designation or a scientific ranking. The other winners included Iguazu Falls, Table Mountain, Komodo, Jeju Island, Ha Long Bay and the Puerto Princesa Underground River.