As the name "rainforest" implies, it rains A LOT in the rainforest! It can rain anywhere from 80 inches to 430 inches per year. For comparison, the average amount of rain in the U.S. is 38 inches per year. In Leticia, during the rainy season, the Amazon River rises about 15 meters.
While rainforests only account for about 6% of the earth's surface, they are home to over half of the world's plant and animal species (including two thirds of the world's plant species!) There are as many as 30 million species of plants and animals in the rainforest. The Amazon produces a lot of oxygen for the whole world because of the plants and trees in the rainforest.
There are many fruits and animals that grow and live in the rainforest that people eat. Additionally, many indigenous people use palm leaves to construct roofs for their homes and to weave baskets. In the rainforest, many natural medicines are also made out of plants from the jungle. This is a very important part of the culture.
