Brazil contains the largest portion of the Amazon rainforest. About 60% of the forest lies within Brazil, far more than in any other country.
The Amazon rainforest stretches across nine political territories in South America, including Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Brazil’s enormous share reflects both its vast size and the fact that much of the Amazon Basin extends across northern Brazil.
The rainforest covers roughly 5.5 million square kilometres and is part of the wider Amazon biome and drainage basin. It is often confused with the Amazon River basin, which is larger and includes areas that are not covered by dense rainforest. Brazil also contains much of the Amazon River’s lower course and its enormous network of tributaries.
The Brazilian Amazon is internationally important for biodiversity, Indigenous territories, climate regulation, and carbon storage. Peru has the second-largest portion, followed by Colombia, but neither comes close to Brazil’s share.